Tips for Hardy Gardeners

Whether it's bird watching, phenology or planning a garden, the backyard is the place to be these days.

As soon as things dry out a little more, Tom Kasper says we can get started on raking the gravel off the lawn, pruning animal-damaged trees and shrubs, and sussing out the perfect spot for your new vegetable garden.

Here's the thing about gardening: you can do it alone, even if you garden with a friend you're usually more than six feet apart anyway, and getting outside is good for you.

Say what you want about millenials: they love their houseplants and they buy, grow and care for them.

Tom Kasper has some tips and tricks for taking care of your houseplants so you can reap the environmental and psychological benefits.

Concerned about houseplants and your pets?

If you want to share the miracle of life with your kids, you don't need to let them watch the birth of puppies or kittens.  You can get them set up to watch brand new seeds sprouting quickly and inexpensively - and tiny plant shoots don't claw the couch!

Listening to this morning's episode of The Simple Plate, Tom Kasper started thinking about how growing our own food can have an impact on our economic lives, social issues, environmental issues ... and our psychological as well as physical health.

The days are getting longer, the sun is getting warmer, but we're still months away from being able to get out into the garden.

Although the winter snow has been building a good water-base in the soil for the upcoming spring, Tom Kasper advises us that it has also provided coverage for voles and other ground critters to feast on your recently-planted trees and shrubs.  You might want to do a little snow excavation and get some wrap around the bases of those plants.