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Dig into your first garden adventure with these 10 basic tips.

Spring is a good time to begin growing and digging, although planning can take place before the snow melts. Gardeners spend most of the summer watering, weeding, and watching young plants grow. Fall is a good time to plant trees, shrubs, bulbs, and some perennials.

1. Get an idea. Is this going to be a vegetable garden? An herb garden? A flower garden? If you choose to grow flowers, do you want annuals, which you must replant each year but which give color most of the summer? Or do you prefer perennials, which have a shorter bloom time but come back year after year? You can mix any of the above-after all, it's your garden. Just one bit of advice: Start small. 'Tis better to succeed just a little, than to fail grandly.

2. Pick a place. Almost all vegetables and most flowers need about six hours of full sun each day. Spend a day in your chosen spot and watch how the sun moves across the space. It might receive more sun than you think. But don't despair if your lot is largely sunless; many plants tolerate shade. Check plant tags or ask the staff at your local garden center to find out how much sun a plant requires.

Put the garden where you can't ignore its pleas for attention-outside the back door, near the mailbox, by the window you stare out when you dry your hair. Place it close enough to a water spigot that you won't have to drag the hose to the hinterlands.

3. Clear the ground. Get rid of the sod covering the area you plan to plant. If you want quick results, you can dig it out, but it's easier to smother it with newspaper. A layer of five sheets is usually thick enough; double that if your lawn is Bermudagrass or St. Augustine grass. Spread a 3-inch layer of compost (or combination of potting soil and topsoil) on the newspaper and wait. It'll take about four months for the compost and paper to decompose.

If you don't want to wait or if the area is covered with weeds such as creeping Charlie ( Glechoma hederacea), you're better off digging the sod out.

4. Improve the soil. Invariably, soil needs a boost. The solution is simple: organic matter. Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost, decayed leaves, dry grass clippings, or old manure. If you dig soil (see Step 5), till the organic matter into the soil. If you decide not to dig or are working with an established bed you can't dig, leave the organic matter on the surface and it will work its way into the soil in a few months.

To learn more about your soil, have a soil test done through your county cooperative extension office. They'll lead you through the procedure: how much soil to send from which parts of the garden, and the best time to obtain samples. Expect a two-week wait for their findings, which will tell you what your soil lacks and how to amend it.

5. Dig or don't. Digging loosens the soil so roots can penetrate more easily. But digging when the soil is too wet or too dry can ruin its structure. Dig only when the soil is moist enough to form a loose ball in your fist, but dry enough to fall apart when you drop it. Use a spade or spading fork to gently turn the top 8 to 12 inches of soil, mixing in the organic matter from Step 4. In vegetable gardens and beds of annual flowers, turn the soil only once a year in the spring before you plant.

6. Pick your plants. Some people pore over catalogs for months; some people head to the garden center and buy what wows them. Either method works if you choose plants adapted to your climate, your soil, and the amount of sunlight in your garden. You can even surf the Internet for plants to purchase. Here are a few easy-to-grow plants for beginners:

7. Put them in the ground. Some plants, such as pansies and kale, tolerate cold, so you can plant them in autumn or late winter. Tomatoes and most annual flowers, on the other hand, are touchy about cold, so don't plant them until the danger of frost has passed in your area. Midspring and midautumn are good times to plant perennial flowers.

Some plants, such as lettuce and sunflowers, are easy to grow from seed. You can sow them directly in the garden. Be sure to read the seed packet for information about when to plant, how deep to plant, and how far apart to plant the seeds. If you're an adventurous beginner, you can get a head start on the growing season by sowing seeds indoors before the last frost date. You can buy containers or flats designed especially for seedlings, as well as seed-starting soil mixes (available at garden centers). Follow seed-packet instructions, and place the containers on a sunny windowsill or under artificial lights if you don't have window space. Be sure to keep the seeds and seedlings moist but not wet (or they may rot).

An easier method is to buy young plants, called set plants or transplants. Just dig a hole and plunk them in the ground.

8. Water. Seedlings should never dry out, so water daily while they are small. Taper off as the plants get larger. New transplants also need frequent watering-every other day or so-until their roots become established. After that, how often you need to water depends on your soil, how humid your climate is, and how often it rains. Plants are begging for water when they wilt slightly in the heat of the day. Water slowly and deeply, so the water soaks in instead of running off into the street. To minimize evaporation, water in the early morning.

9. Mulch. To help keep weeds out and water in, cover the soil with a couple of inches of mulch. All sorts of mulch are available, from pine needles to cocoa hulls to bark chips. For a vegetable garden or bed of annuals, choose a mulch that decomposes in a few months. For perennials, use a longer-lasting mulch, such as bark chips.

10. Keep it up. Your garden is on its way. Keep watering when needed, and pull weeds before they get big. Fertilize with a dry fertilizer about halfway through the season. If you use a liquid fertilizer, fertilize every month or so. And remember to stop and smell the-well, whatever you grow.

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Ten Steps to Beginning a Garden | Better Homes & Gardens

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Dig into your first garden adventure with these 10 basic tips. Spring is a good time to begin growing and digging, although planning can take place before the snow melts. Gardeners spend most of the summer watering, weeding, and watching young plants grow. Fall is a good time to plant trees, shrubs, bulbs, and some perennials.

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Ossining Public Library - "For Kids" Activities & Calendar

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Ossining Public Library - "For Kids" Activities & Calendar

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Programs for children from birth through sixth grade, great books, DVDs, music CDs, and much more.

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Westchester Rivertowns Calendar - This Week!

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Westchester Rivertowns Calendar - This Week!

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Make some maroon and white paracord bracelets.

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Finally, get back out along the river.

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Student Suggested Activities for Spring Recess

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4 SPRING INSPIRED CRAFTS FOR TODDLERS & KIDS!

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Some adorable/cute arts and crafts ideas to do with toddlers which are Spring inspired, which would also be great Mother's Day gifts as well.

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Teatown Lake Reservation Nature Preserve and Education Center - Teatown

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Teatown is a nonprofit nature preserve and environmental education center located in the Lower Hudson Valley.

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Ossining Public Library | There's something for everyone

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The Ossining Public Library is a School District Public Library chartered by the State of New York to serve all residents of the Ossining School District. As a member of the Westchester Library System, it also provides services to a larger community.

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Introduction: How to Make Playdough (Play-doh)

Playdough (aka Play-doh) is easy to make at home, and fun for kids of all ages. Here's how to make your own non-toxic toy with custom colors and fragrances.

This is the classic method that involves a bit of cooking on the stovetop - I prefer it because cooked playdough has a better texture than uncooked varieties. If you want the kids to be able to do it all themselves, try this uncooked playdough recipe.

Warning: Keep away from dogs and other pets. Playdough smells like people food but contains lots of salt, and a hungry dog can eat enough to cause a dangerous salt imbalance.

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Step 1: Ingredients

Playdough is a classic childhood toy everyone can have fun with, and it's so easy to make at home you'll never buy that stinky store variety again.

Basic ingredient ratios:
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)

food coloring (liquid, powder, or unsweetened Kool-Aid or similar drink mix)
scented oils

Step 2: Mix and Heat

Mix all of the ingredients together, and stir over low heat. The dough will begin to thicken until it resembles mashed potatoes.

When the dough pulls away from the sides and clumps in the center, as shown below, remove the pan from heat and allow the dough to cool enough to handle.

IMPORTANT NOTE: if your playdough is still sticky, you simply need to cook it longer!
Keep stirring and cooking until the dough is dry and feels like playdough.
I've gotten many comments asking about sticky dough, so please just keep cooking a bit longer and it will work!

Step 3: Knead & Color

Turn the dough out onto a clean counter or silicone mat, and knead vigorously until it becomes silky-smooth. Divide the dough into balls for coloring.

Make a divot in the center of the ball, and drop some food coloring ¹ in. Fold the dough over, working the food color through the body of the playdough, trying to keep the raw dye away from your hands and the counter. You could use gloves, a big ziplock bag, or plastic wrap at this stage to keep your hands clean- only the concentrated dye will color your skin, so as soon as it's worked in bare hands are fine.

Work the dye through, adding more as necessary to achieve your chosen color.

¹ If you use Kool-Aid or similar unsweetened drink mix for color, test on a small ball first- it won't go as far as the "real" food coloring.

Step 4: Play and Store

Play with your playdough- I really don't need to help you there. It's entirely edible, if a bit salty, so it's kid-safe.

When you're done, store your playdough in an air-tight container.
- If it begins to dry out, you can knead a bit of water in again to soften the dough back to useability. Once it's dried past a certain point, however, you'll just have to start over; thankfully it's not terribly difficult.
- If it gets soggy, you can re-heat it to drive off the extra water the dough absorbed overnight. This is usually the result of high humidity, but is fixable!

You can also bake it in the oven to make hard dough figures and ornaments, then paint or otherwise decorate the surface. One of the comments below even suggests using baked play-dough as a salt lick for your pet rabbit! (thanks, redcore4!)

We have a be nice policy.
Please be positive and constructive.

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Playdough (aka Play-doh) is easy to make at home, and fun for kids of all ages. Here's how to make your own non-toxic toy with custom colors and fragrances. This is the classic method that involves a bit of cooking on the stovetop - I prefer it because cooked playdough has a better texture than uncooked varieties.

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Activities to do with your Tween Spring Recess

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Activities to do with your Tween Spring Recess

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Spring break is next week...how did it creep up so quickly? As usual we will be hanging around home over the break. In past years it has been pretty easy to occupy my daughters' time. A couple of crafts and games and the week would quickly pass by. Finding fun activities to do with tweens over spring break might be a little different. As my girls get older, their interests are changing and how they want to spend their time is changing too. If you have a tween, boy or girl, in your home then you know what I mean. So, I'm getting prepared, doing a little planning. I've put together collection of 10 activities to do with tweens over spring break.

Ask Your Tween - Tweens are looking for a little respect, so give it to them. In the past I might have taken the sole responsibility for planning our break activities. This year, I'll be looking to my tween for her ideas. As long as they aren't totally unresonable...we won't be booking a last minute trip to NYC...we should be able to incorporate her ideas into our agenda.

Game Day - Theme days are an easy way plan your time. For a tween friendly game day mix things up a little. Have everyone pick their favourite game...mom, dad and kids. The games don't have to be board game, they can be video games. Everyone has to play each game. I am quite possibly the worst video game player on the planet...how fun would it be to see me attempt Minion Run. Keep score or don't. Turn the day into a tournament of champions...or make it all about fun.

Get Outside and Play - Pick an outdoor activity that everyone can participate in. Tweens spend a lot of time inside classrooms all year long...spring break is the time to get outside. What is your tween interested in? Sports - go ice skating, sledding, skiing, swimming, play soccer, baseball or basketball. Do you have a nature tween - take a nature hike, go bird watching, head to the beach, pack a picnic lunch or take a sketch pad into the woods. Is your tween uninterested in being outside? Start with small outings; spend a little time cleaning up your backyard or garden, go for a quick walk to the corner store...find a way to get outside.

Let the Tween Meal Plan - I think most parents can get behind this one. Let your tween plan the day's meals. Give your tween full run of the cookbooks, the grocery list and the kitchen. This is a simple way to start teaching your tween valuable life skills. If your tween needs a helping hand, then reach one out. At the end of the day, sit down and enjoy your child's creation. My 12 year old announced that she wants to make a lemon poppy seed cake during March break - I cannot wait to enjoy the fruits of her labour.

Young Artist Day - Take your tween to an art gallery, any art gallery. Open your child's mind to the visual arts. I'm telling you, all children benefit from exposure to art. Hand the camera over to your tween. Encourage your child to take pictures (without the flash) of his favourite pieces of art...he can use those pictures later. An easy way to extend the trip to the gallery, is to stop at an art supply store. Take a look at the pictures of his favourite pieces of art from the gallery and pick up some supplies. Bring art home. Pick up a canvas, a sketch pad, paints, pencils, whatever. Get home and get arty. Need some inspiration, check out our Great Artists' posts. See how we were inspired by Picasso, DaVinci, Hockney and Cezanne.

Dance Party - Did you know that YouTube is filled with fun karaoke versions of songs...new and old. Make a microphone out of a hairbrush, sing and dance your heart out. Want to kick up the fun. Throw a list of favourite songs into a hat. Take turns pulling titles out of the hat...whatever song you pull, you have to sing.

Pyjama Day - Kids love pyjama day, seriously. To up the tween love add painting nails and styling hair to the day and you've made your tween girls dreams come true.

Fort Day - Okay, my kid is a tween, not a toddler. What we often forget is that tweens are stuck in the awkward zone between kid and teen. Help your child embrace her younger instincts. Kids love building forts. Bring out the blankets. Build a fort in the living room, basement, bedroom or backyard. Extend the fort building by encouraging your child to name the fort/building, create signage. If the fort is a shop then make the accessories. If the fort is a tree fort, then make some bugs and birds for the fort. Don't knock the fort down quickly. Although it might be taking up most of your living room, let it stand. Watch how the kids keep going back to the fort. They really are magical.

Movie Day - Did I mention that I love a theme? Pick a movie to watch, pretty simple. What about making a movie? Get the kids to write the script, make the props, do the filming and screen their movie at the end of the day. Make some popcorn and watch their movie before the feature film.

Phone a Friend - Don't forget that your kids' friends are on spring break too. Trust me, their parents are struggling to find ways to occupy time too. Plan a day when friends come over to play. Give yourself a break and let the kids play.

I am really looking forward to this spring break. I enjoy spending time with my girls. We always seem to find fun things to do with our time. Our break actually starts tomorrow...which means we will be sitting down tomorrow morning and have a family conference to plan the week ahead. I have always found that having some form of a plan helps when the kids are home for a long break. Wish me luck - and good luck to you too.

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Activities to do with Tweens Over Spring Break

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Spring break is next week...how did it creep up so quickly? As usual we will be hanging around home over the break. In past years it has been pretty easy to occupy my daughters' time. A couple of crafts and games and the week would quickly pass by.