5 days to get 'er done

Looking at the forecast, I have 5 decent weather days to rip apart 100 bales of straw. If I had your help....it would go much faster. Consider it a learning opportunity. It is getting closer to when you should cover your plants up. If you have cut them back you should be able to safely cover them now. If you plan to cut back in spring, then wait a while yet. Typically, established perennials should not need covering, but if you can, why not. You never know when we might get that extra cold winter weather. Straw, hay or pine needles work best. Piles of leaves tend to mat down and do not quickly drain off water, leading to possible rotting of the plants crown.
We are zone 4 here in southern Minnesota, zone 5 plants are for south of us. If you are trying some zone 5 plants....good luck. They for sure will need a thick (8") layer of winter mulch and a prayer. There are some zone 4 perennials that are also consider 'short lived.' These would be hollyhocks, some dianthus etc. They usually do disappear after several years....that's what they do! Evenso, they are a better bargain then annuals that live only one year. I can tell you all you need to know about any of the plants I sell....try asking someone at Wal-Mart a ques. about the plants they sell. Uh...what?