Pruning Liriope, Knockouts; planting grapes and more

I just cleaned the leaves out of my bed of Liriope, but overall it is very long and messy-looking. Would now be a good time to cut it back? Would that allow for new growth? I remember I once gave it a "haircut" using pruning shears and chopping it to about 6 inches in height. It stayed hearty, but I want to make sure I don't kill it. Also, I divided it once but don't remember if I did that in the fall or spring. What do you recommend? -- Mara Leonardi, Syosset

 I've never had to trim Liriope, also called monkey grass or lilyturf, because it's generally evergreen in my garden. But if you find yours is looking unkempt, you can safely cut back prior years' growth now, before new growth emerges. Like hosta, Liriope are pretty tough and can handle division most any time, but for aesthetic value, it's best to do so in early spring or fall.

I have Knockout roses that I trimmed in the fall to keep shapely. Should they be pruned back at this time? -- Fay Henry, Dix Hills

While it's best to prune while plants are dormant, Knockouts can be lightly trimmed at any time because they keep producing buds all season long.

I really enjoy your monthly calendar, but I can never find it when I need it. Is there a way I can get the calendar via email, Facebook or, better yet, as a Google calendar you can share? -- Bob Mozer, Remsenburg

The current calendar always is online at newsday.com/lilife, but you can get it a few days early and find it easily if you "like" my page on Facebook, where it's always posted. Use this link -- facebook. com/jessicadamiano -- instead of searching for me on Facebook, which would find about a dozen others with my name.

I recently bought two grapevines from Home Depot. They are small and appear to be in their third year. It seems like the new vines are getting small grape clusters. I put them in my house for now. My first question: When can I safely transplant them outside, and do I need to harden them off first? My second question involves a mission fig tree I bought last spring and put in a large pot. I kept it on my deck and plan on doing the same thing again this year. Over the winter, I just put it in my garage. When is it safe to move the fig tree back outside permanently? Can I move it outside on warm days and put it back in the garage at night? Thanks for your help. -- Paul Gibney, Bellmore

The best time to bring potted figs outside is at the end of March on a cloudy day. I emailed Gibney to let him know. There really wasn't any need to harden his fig off since it had been in the garage and was still dormant. I have a potted fig in my garage, too; I lightly drape a blanket over it for added protection over the winter.

As for grapes: They should be planted from mid-April to mid-May. I would move them into the garage for about a week before planting since they likely aren't dormant or accustomed to the great outdoors. Be sure to plant at the same depth as they are in the container.

I planted winter wheat in the fall per your suggestion in Newsday. My question is: When do I turn the garden over? -- Nancy L. Groben, Floral Park

 I'm glad to hear you planted a cover crop! Planting in bare garden beds, like those used for vegetables, during the off-season not only helps retain the soil over the winter, but also cuts back on compaction, minimizes mineral leaching and suppresses weeds. And the best part is that when the crop is turned over in spring, it improves air and water circulation while nourishing and adding organic nitrogen to the soil. Turn it over as soon as the ground is workable, before it sets seed.