We've been flitting from warm to cold with no snow covering and that can only mean one thing - heaving. This is the ind of weather that kills my beautiful heuchera plants. The ground freezes and thaws and freezes again, squeezing and lifting the plant crowns out of the ground. I finally chopped up my Christmas tree and covered most of the heuchera plants with branches, while the ground was frozen. Winter mulching sounds like a crazy idea, but it really works. Now I can use the warmer days to start my pruning.

• Winter Mulching

Photo: © Marie Iannotti

There are only a couple of days left  to vote for your favorite winning photo from last year's Gardening Photo Challenges.We had 6 themed challenges and picked our favorites, based on both the quality of the photo and how well they conveyed a love of gardening. Now it's time to pick the Best Photo of the Year.

Right now "Dew Kissed Rose" is holding the lead. Take a look at all the photos by clicking on the Gallery link, below, then come back and vote for your favorite.

View the Gallery of Photo Nominees

The USDA just came out with all new maps for US Plant Hardiness Zones. The best change is how easy the maps are to read. They're designed for the web and they look great. They're also the culmination of 30 years of data and should be more accurate. Thankfully there's still a zip code look up, for those of us who want to cut to the chase. Don't worry, your existing plants won't now they've moved a zone or 2. They'll still be fine. Here's a look at the changes made to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Maps. Then go to the USDA site and find your new zone.

Photo: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2012. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Accessed from http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/.

I was writing about snapdragons the other day and realized I hadn't grown any from seed in quite a few years, so I stopped by the garden center to see what they had. I was reading the packet and remembered that snapdragon seed, like poppies, petunias and several others, germinate best if they are left exposed to the light. That made me curious about what other seeds prefer not being covered in soil. I've compiled a list of many that need light, some seeds that will grow no matter what you do to them and some tips for keeping uncovered seed moist, until they germinate. Here they are: Seeds that Need Light.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti