7:21 AM

5:47 PM

10 hours 12 minutes

The colder weather lately has many people trying to work with the weather in terms of putting their gardens and various plantings to bed. One recommendation is that you wait until the ground freezes fairly solid before applying a protective layer of mulch. Applying it too early may encourage mice and other small critters to take up residence, and then in turn they might take advantage of various shrubs and fruit trees, by nibbling their bark and destroying them.