Q: I have two oleander plants I purchased in Florida a few years ago. Each winter they are killed by sub-freezing temperatures. They come back from the ground but bloom late in summer. What is the secret to growing oleander in central GA ?

A: You have to find oleanders that tolerate cold weather. I grow the yellow ‘Mathilde Ferrier’ in my Atlanta back yard and it has had no problems for ten years. ‘Hardy Red’, ‘Sister Agnes’, ‘Franklin D. Roosevelt’, and ‘General Pershing’ are reputed to be good for colder areas.