The tiger moth caterpillar, with its black- and rust-colored bands, has long been thought to be a predictor of upcoming winter weather. More likely, the coloring on these caterpillars shows what the previous months' weather and conditions were like.

Can the wooly bear caterpillar predict the weather?

Each week, Charlie Nardozzi joins Vermont Public’s Mary Engisch for a conversation about gardening, and to answer your questions about what you're seeing in the natural world.

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This Earth Day, embrace some more Earth friendly gardening practices, like reusing plastic pots, forgoing pesticides and planting pollinator friendly lawns.

Honoring Earth Day through everyday gardening habits

With bigger and more frequent rain events brought on by human-caused climate change, you can either raise up your garden or try planting things that thrive in wetter conditions.

As climate change brings more frequent rain events, these plants fare well in wetter areas

Spring greens can add brightness and flavor to your meals. Forage for some wintercress or dandelions or cultivate new types, like rapini and upland cress.

For a new twist on spring greens, cultivate rapini and sorrel

Instead of traditional tilling, or turning of the soil to prepare it for spring planting, the "no-dig" method is just that. No digging keeps the billions of helpful microbes intact in the soil. It could lead to fewer weeds and healthier soil and plants.

No-till gardening keeps helpful microbes in your soil for fewer weeds and healthier plants

When and how to prune hydrangeas can really help set up the plant for better blooms.

Can the wooly bear caterpillar predict the weather?

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