Annual plants grow and die each year, so winter care is not a concern. But perennial plants live longer than a one-year cycle, so they need care to stay alive.

Grasslands withstand both ice and snow, though snow is more beneficial than ice. Snow acts as an insulator, and in cold weather snow can protect plants and grass from cold weather and freezing damage.

Ice, on the other hand, provides a barrier between plants and necessary gasses. Ice transmits more cold temperature than snow, and it also doesn't allow oxygen to reach plants and may cause an accumulation of carbon dioxide around the plants. Carbon dioxide can harm the plants and without oxygen, the plants can't carry on respiration and successfully break down food for energy.

Snow and ice can't be completely removed from plants, so leave them intact. Be careful not to run over any frozen plants with vehicles or equipment. Because plants are frozen, plant cells could suffer from crushing damage.

Plants that have hardened during the fall have the best chance of surviving the winter. In the fall, plants gradually will decrease their amount of water and increase their amount of solutes.

Solutes are particles in cells that will help withstand colder temperatures. Having a higher percentage of solutes allows plants to better withstand low temperatures.

Allowing some top growth in plants also helps to ensure their survival during winter. Leave some stubble on top of plants and it will provide for a better exchange of gasses. The top growth will let carbon dioxide diffuse away from the plant while oxygen moves in.

If livestock graze on grassland, extra measures need to be taken. With snow, it's all right for cattle to graze. But if plants are under ice, cattle can damage plants by breaking through the ice and crushing the plants.

If cattle are completely bunched in one area, they can do significant damage to all the plants there during the winter. It is better to distribute feed and water throughout an area large enough so that the cattle's feeding and movement can be dispersed.

Tom Drudik is a Hall County Extension educator in agriculture.