Winter Gardening Do's and Don'ts

Cut back perennials in winter. 

In many areas winter is a cold and bleak time to stay inside and not even contemplate working in the garden. Fortunately this is not true in the southeast. In fact, mild winter days can be one of the nicest times of the year to work outside in our region. There is plenty to be done to prepare for the growing season to come so why not get outside and garden today?

Things to do in the garden this time of year include cutting back perennials and ornamental grasses, pruning summer flowering shrubs, planting spring vegetables, and managing lawn weeds. This is not the time to prune spring blooming shrubs like azaleas or to fertilize your lawn. Wait until spring to do these tasks. For more winter gardening tips and tasks read the whole article posted on the Pender Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2013/01/winter-gardening-tips-and-tasks/