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Gardeners and flower lovers can score free tulip bulbs this week by visiting Greeley Square in midtown Manhattan. Daffodils and ivy are also up for grabs, on a first-come-first served basis, for New Yorkers willing to get their hands a little dirty.

Gerard Lordahl, open space greening director of GrowNYC, tells us how to care for our plants—indoor and outdoor—for our final Summer Stuff segment.

Do you have a question about how to keep your garden growing? Call us at 646-829-3985 or leave a comment below.

Weeds pop up in lawns and gardens and even in cracks in sidewalks. Lars Anderson,  plant physiologist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service on the campus of UC Davis; and Kristin Schleiter, Curator of Outdoor Gardens and Herbaceous Collections at the New York Botanical Garden, look at the wide variety of weeds, why they seem to thrive everywhere, and ways to eliminate—or accept—them. 

It's the dead of winter, with another big snow storm on the way. There is nothing more titliating than sitting down with a lap full of seed catalogues and starting to dream.

Gerard Lordahl, Greening Director of GrowNYC, discusses how to take care of plants in the winter, both outside and inside—from how to keep your Christmas trees and poinsettias healthy, to winter tips for houseplants and gardens.

When you think of Flatbush, Brooklyn, you might not necessarily think of greenery, flowers and groomed tree pits. But a group of ladies on E. 25th Street between Clarendon Road and Avenue D think otherwise.

We’ll find out how to build a roof farm for growing food and discuss the viability of urban farming as a means of feeding cities. Annie Novak, founder and director of Growing Chefs and co-founder and farmer of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Greenpoint, and Lisa Goode, of Goode Green, a green roof design and installation firm, talk about how Rooftop Farms has built a local community in Greenpoint.

Gerard Lordahl, Greening Director of GrowNYC, discusses end-of-summer gardening, how to care for your plants when you go on vacation, and what kinds of heirloom vegetables he recommends growing. He’ll also answer listener questions about gardening! Call us at 212-433-9692.

Public garden designer Lynden Miller talks about the benefits of enhancing cities with gardens, parks, and street trees. Her work has changed the face of New York City’s public places—in neighborhoods rich and poor. In Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape, she calls on the public, gardeners, urban designers, architects, landscape architects and public officials to create and support well-planted parks and gardens.

Nancy Berner and Susan Lowry, co-authors of Garden Guide: New York City, discuss how the city has greened over the past 10 years - and your role in it.  They also take us through some of their local favorites.

Listeners: What is your favorite local garden, and what makes it special? 

We’ll find out how to build a roof farm for growing food and discuss the viability of urban farming as a means of feeding cities. Annie Novak, founder and director of Growing Chefs and co-founder and farmer of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Greenpoint, and Lisa Goode, of Goode Green, a green roof design and installation firm, talk about how Rooftop Farms has built a local community in Greenpoint.

For this week’s food segment, we talk with Manny Howard, a man who turned his tiny New York City backyard into a farm, complete with produce and livestock.

Home-grown veggies
Originally uploaded by miss mass
Furyk Clark wrote in to Your Uncommon Economic Indicators about turning over a new gardening leaf: "In past years ...

MS 51 volunteers help with the Old Stone House garden at Washington Park

There is no doubt that a lot of the contributions we get to Your Uncommon Economic Indicators are about job loss, reduced budgets and empty store fronts. But once in awhile we encounter a Bright Spot in the recession doldrums.

One of those moments was finding Erin Barnes, co-founder of a new website IOBY (In Our Back Yards). She explained the site to Brian on Thursday's show. It will launch in April, and people will be able to ask for help with their green projects--from garden plots to waterfront clean up. Volunteers can also find places to help out. She said this is her solution to feeling overwhelmed by news of the recession or global warming.

You can listen to the segment here:

Several other people sent some good news to Your Uncommon Economic Indicators this week:

Jason wrote in with good news. He said, 'Business had dried up because our main customers were retailers, artists, and museums. Each had stopped spending for the recession. BUT! Things have finally picked up. Each of the sectors has a few projects in the works. I worked 40 hours this past week and there is work lined up for at least the next month. Knock-on-wood, but it feels like the bottom has come and gone for our business. Hopefully we can sustain this and maybe it will even repeat citywide now.'

Kate told us, 'I've been watching the National Passport Center's processing time. It has gone from 3 weeks to process non-rush orders to 4 weeks. Does this mean more people are getting passports ready for spring or summer travel?? Could be!'