The trees have had to cope with the triple threat of pests, disease and too much rainfall.

But don’t be overzealous. Left standing, many garden plants offer food and shelter for birds and other wildlife.

Cleaning up trees and shrubs should top your to-do list. The rest will depend on the time of year.

Skip the canning and the pickling. Sometimes the simplest way to preserve the harvest is to do nothing at all.

This is the season for planting bulbs. When the snow starts to melt, their cheerful blossoms are the first sign of spring.

The plentiful blooms make a powerful argument for late bloomers. But the tomatoes, sigh, are taking their own sweet time.