1. How do I know if a plant is a perennial in my area?

Looking on the plant's tag for the Zone range. We live on the border of 6 and 7.

1. How often do I need to water my plant?

With a house plant, probably once or twice a week. Rule of thumb: Poke your finger into the soil about an inch, if it's wet, don't water, if it's dry, water.

With outdoor plants, watering will vary. During the hottest part of the summer, water every day, unless it is overcast or raining. When it cools off you will only need to water every other day.

With container plants, check the soil like you would a house plant.

1. How often should I fertilize?

If you are using a water soluble fertilizer you should fertilize every other time you water during the spring and summer months. An all-purpose fertilizer such as 15-30-15 or 12-12-12 is fine.

If you are using a granular fertilizer you should spread when you plant and again mid-summer, once the plants are well established.

1. When do I divide my perennials and should I cut them back?

Divide your perennials in the early spring or in early fall.

You can cut your perennials back in late fall, but it is not always necessary. You do want to be sure and remove diseased or damaged material, however, to prevent carrying disease over to next spring.