winter beds?

ok this is my first winter as a gardener--i seem to remember different opinions on how to clean up the garden for next year--one is to clean it up by pulling up dead plants etc--the other is to let them be till spring---i read that some plants have hollow stems and by cutting them back you invite water into the stem to rot the root (perenial)--and that by leaving some plants you somehow protect others nearby---but which ones should i cut back or pull up now? canna? lantanna? fire cracker bush? vines? i pulled up the marigolds and zinnias--i trimmed back plants that had very dry and brittle stems--

I leave the Lantana and Cannas till spring growth starts. Many years, the Lantana will not need much trimming. It has hollow stems and is one that will rot in a wet year if cut back. I have left Cannas as I feel the dead foliage will help mulch the roots although looks messy.

The annuals are fine to remove. I have a hunch you are just anxious to see springtime and green ~ aren't you? LOL

oh i am anxious but since i am working on my soil i guess i still need some time too! with this weather i feel like we might skip winter this year!! i am not worried about messy since it is in back --hidden by fence--thanks for the help--

I would probably be more inspired to be out there but work and short daylight hours keep me from worrrying over it.

Weather is weird ~ we went from this on Jan 4th in the morning it was mid 20s...

Frozen fibers from the stems of the Salvia coccinea

To finding this on the porch last night at 9:30 ~ 66 degrees out and look what the cats drug in....

what is that -a corn snake? i really enjoyed being in the yard working yesterday with the perfect weather! but the more i work the messier it seems i make the yard--i like getting in there digging, putting compost down etc--i don't like cleaning up! my poor shed! it gets to the point where i can't get into it and then have to try and organize again!!

Not sure what flavor the snake is. It is commonly called a ground rattler here but it isn't poisonous. They are just a little brown grass snake. Not big and I just threw him outside but he did surprise me.