Question
LIVE 30 MILES NORTH OF HOUSTON TEXAS

JUST GOT HIT WITH A BIG FREEZE AND ALL OF VINCA MINOR LOOK BAD
WHAT SHOULD I DO TO REVIVE THEM

ALSO WHAT FLOWERING PLANTS ARE RESISTANT TO DEER?

THANKS  

Answer
Hello Jerry

Vinca is frost hardy, but it does depend on just how cold it is.  If the top growth has blackened, then there's not much you can do to revive that, but the roots may still be OK, so I think that the best thing you can do just now is put a good deep mulch over the plants - about 3" thick.  This will give a degree or two of protection to the roots.  As long as they survive then the plant should come back once the freeze passes.

If you get a sunny day, even if it's still cold, you could scrape the mulch away and let the sun warm the soil a little.  Don't forget to replace the mulch before the sun goes off the plant.  That way you 'trap' the warmth in.

The deer problem is more difficult to cope with - there's not much they wont take a bite of!!  Any short term deterrents are just that - short term.  The only really effective thing you can do is put up deer fencing around your plot.  This should be made of wire mesh and 6' high.  I'm afraid that there's not much else you can do to protect flower beds.  Individual shrubs and trees may be protected by encircling them with the deer fence.