What concerns people most in the country right now? Losing their jobs? Losing their retirements? Nope. It's how to properly prune their crepe myrtles Here's a step-by-step guide showing how the Grumps prunes his.

Most of you are scared to death of pruning and rightly so. That's because you do it wrong. Have no fear, the Grump in his great beneficence will reveal the path to pruning enlightenment.

Ladies, are you still steamed about the brand new laundry basket your husband the gardener gave you last Christmas? Here are 10 ways to get even.

Grumpians --

A question of singular importance faces many homeowners at this time of year -- should they leave their potted ferns outside to die in the cold or bring them inside to save for next year?

Carol Bryant of West Monroe, Louisiana faces this dilemma. Fortunately for her, she has asked a gardener of all-encompassing knowledge (me). She emails:

"I have three 'Kimberly Queens' that started out in 12 inch pots 2 years ago. Strictly by accident, I must have placed them in the perfect spot and watered them just the right amount, because now they are in 36- inch pots and take up the entire pot.

I  want to know if is possible to divide the plants into smaller ones or will that kill them? I’ve been told “yes” and “no” by my friends. Which is it? Can I repot them in bigger pots every year? I keep them in a temporary greenhouse in the winter. Thanks for all your help. Carol"

What can brown leaves do for you? How about feed your garden? For free!

Gee, you'd think during times like these when 401k's are shrinking faster than Teri Hatcher's waistline, people would go for free fertilizer that falls from the sky and doesn't smell. But just go outside this weekend and you'll see your neighbors engaged in waste that would make Congress proud. They'll be raking their leaves to the curb.

This is stupid is so many ways. Let me enumerate:

• Leaves raked to the curb invariably make their way into storm drains and clog them. Who pays to unclog storm drains? Taxpayers.
• In most cities and towns where trucks suck up leaves in fall, the leaves end up in landfills along with garbage. Who pays to open new landfills when old ones fill up? Taxpayers. Granted, some enlightened towns compost the leaves, but not enough.
• Leaves make great organic fertilizer, compost, and mulch, better than anything you can buy at home centers. All you have to do is chop them up. And they're free!