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What a cold spell we've had….not many plants have been unaffected by it.

With the colder than normal weather we're experiencing this winter, it's even more important that we leave the plants alone until at least March (the University says April but I can't hold off that long myself). The only thing you might want to remove is a dead (and I mean you're sure it's dead) plant. The reason it's important to leave the plants alone (other than give them a little water but no fertilizer) is that the burned part of the plant helps protect the rest of the plant in case of another cold spell and also al-lows the plant to heal. When you do finally cut back, make sure you cut back to just above the live bud. Herbaceous plants (those that don't have woody stems, such as begonias and impatiens) will probably collapse and will need to be cut back or down). Otherwise, fungus and bacteria may set in and cause problems. If your yard is brown from the frost, no amount of water is going to turn it green again until spring. This is the time of year to save on your water bill as well. Watering every other week is sufficient.