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Master Gardener Ed Buyarski answers your questions about how to build window covers for garden beds and how to mitigate a possible rhododendron fungus. Don’t miss Saturday’s Southeast Master Gardeners Garden Tour. And, don’t forget to vent your greenhouses and water your plants!

Master Gardener Ed Buyarski has some tips for pollinating apples, cherries, kiwi and zucchinis in your yard and garden. Some may be self-fertile, but others may need manual intervention to move the pollen between male and female flowers and plants.

Master Gardener Ed Buyaski says starting seeds indoors is a good way to get an early jump on the gardening season, especially if the ground is still frozen or it’s still too cold outside.

Pull off boughs and covers from planting beds, scratch up the soil, and remove debris. Clear plastic can be placed over soil and planting beds to warm up the soil before planting. Cabbage and tomatoes should be started indoors now.

Thin out plant stems and leave the doors open to promote ventilation and prevent fungus and disease.

Use clear plastic sheeting to warm up the soil in your planting beds and use Reemay garden fabric to moderate light and temperature in your greenhouse.

This week’s tips include avoiding cold tap water and timing your seed starts so the ground will be warm enough when you plant outdoors.

Gardeners can protect their plants and vegetables, and extend their harvest into the early fall.

As the end of the garden season draws near, it’s time to clip new budding flowers on tomato plants and thin out some branches and leaves.

Also, recent dry weather means you should water your vegetables on a regular basis.