Tech can be so challenging - Charlie (CR) is ok; Dean (Port Hope, ON) is glitchy. Sorry to everyone for issues. Meanwhile Amaryllis continues to engage many, companion planting, pre-emergent herbicides, wild strawberries, and emerging Calla lilies are on the agenda.

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Charlie reports on flora and fauna seen this past week in Playa Portrero, Costa Rica. Including sea turtles, crocodiles, and a mangrove estuary at Marino las Baulas National Park. Callers are wondering about fertilizer: seedlings, young peppers and leeks, and whether banana peels are good for tomatoes? Forcing spring branches (Forsythia, fruit trees, Magnolia etc) also a fun way to bring colourful blooms indoors now.

Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Charlie is in Costa Rica, soaking up sun and surf, plus reporting on flora and fauna. Meanwhile winter continues unabated in southern Ontario. Callers are feeling spring, and want to re-pot all kinds of houseplants. Orchids require attention and robins are showing up!

Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Our phone lines are back, and the callers are thrilled! We talk: orchid care, plants for pollinators, saving poinsettia and starting seeds. Next week Charlie will be hosting from Costa Rica!

Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Frigid, fallow and friable just about sums up today's show. Super cold has gardeners worried about plant survival. A caller wants to know about the benefits of leaving the vegetable garden fallow for a season. And Charlie gets into what is a great soil - friable you say?!? Plus dormant cyclamen, clematis propagation, white pine in a pot and root crops struggling.

Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Transplanting indoor pathos, amaryllis care, and starting nasturtiums seeds. But, days are getting longer and we're thinking outdoors too: moving rhubarb, pruning Rose of Sharon and more!

Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Now for something completely different - live communication with text and email! Questions from listeners include: winter seed sowing (both indoors and out), Gardenia with spider mites, lemon trees that don't flower and leaving orchids for an extended holiday.

Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Niki Jabbour joins us from Nova Scotia to chat about gardening under cover, some exotic varieties, making soil blocks and more!

Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Lots going on in the cyberverse for gardeners! Zoom with a horticultural society, or learn Bird Identification at birdscanada.org in preparation for The Great Backyard Bird Count Feb 13-16th. Paul Oliver (Urban Nature Store) joins the show once more to explain birdfeeder care, and how to help our feathered friends avoid predators!

Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio

Terry Kennedy (and her husband) of 'Orchids in Our Tropics' have been growing orchids in Ontario for over 50 years! She talks about exotic travel, tropical orchids and some best practices for the home orchid grower. Plus we get insider info about the Southern Ontario Orchid Society 'Orchid Show & Sale' coming Feb 14 & 15 to the Toronto Botanical Garden.

Listen live every Saturday at 9am on Zoomer Radio