RALEIGH — Our El Nino winter has gardeners scrambling to salvage plants and yards. We spend billions tryng to keep things green so good advice is critical. As WRAL OnLine reporter Tom Lawrence explains, more gardeners are turning to the Internet for help.

Pansies, violas and other spring bloomers are showing their colors at N.C. State University's JC Raulston Arboretum. You may have the same plants in your yard. It's been a wet, warm winter and that has gardeners like Catherine Boyle checking the Internet for what to plant and how to spend her money."If you don't know what you're doing that can be a lot of money down the drain."Horticulture Magazine Onlineoffers lots of tips, chat sessions and you can buy plants too.

Garden Escapegives seasonal and geographic information. One neat feature is an interactive garden planner. You actually place various types of plants where you want them.

Kathy Pyle is the "Garden Doctor" answering questions from gardeners around the country."And it's so much easier for someone just to sit down and get on their computer and ask a question than to have to get in their car and drive someplace to find out."It's too early to plant summer annuals in the Triangle... we could have frost until mid April. And the ground is still very wet. The strange winter may create other problems."You might see an increase in pest problems this year because of the abnormally warm and mild winter and there may be an increase in some diseases particularly on some of your turn areas."If you're planting some new beds, redoing your lawn or renovating your yard check out the help offered online.