Gardentalk

While picking apples, check the tree's interior growth to make sure that future apples on the north side of the tree will get enough sunlight to ripen.

You can plant lettuce, mustard greens, spinach, kale and radishes right now. They will either be ready for a fall harvest or will tolerate the winter's cooler conditions and have a head start next spring.

Tulips, crocus, daffodils, snowdrops and alliums bloom with different colors, heights and sometimes at different times of the season.

Call the Alaska Division of Agriculture in Palmer if you get a mysterious seed packet from overseas.

Master Gardener Ed Buyarski collects seeds from kale, radish, parsnips and spinach in his garden. He's also tried growing shooting stars, wild columbine and chocolate lily flowers from collected seeds. But timing is key.

Get rid of some apples now to get bigger and better tasting ones at the end of the season.

Plants with moldy garlic stems or skins should be cleaned and processed separately.

Materials decompose or break down into basic nutrients that benefit a flower or vegetable garden.

When any remaining scapes fully uncurl and the garlic plant's lower leaves turn yellow, then that's the signal to check if the bulbs are big enough to harvest.

Ammonia water spray, slug bait, and beer traps are some of the most effective ways of eradicating slugs.