by Connie Oswald Stofko It’s time to start thinking about adding color to your summer garden with tropical annuals, said Ethan Waterman, manager of Waterman’s Greenhouse, 12317 Vaughn St. (Route 240), East Concord (Springville). While you can buy them now, it’s still too early to plant them outside because they need to be protected from the cold, Waterman said. You want to wait until the air temperatures, day and night, are above 55 or 60 degrees Fahrenheit. If you purchase…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko A parasitic wasp could help Western New York gardeners battle the red lily leaf beetle, but that help is still years away, said John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County. What to do now with red lily leaf beetle Now is the time to look for the red lily leaf beetle, which can cause extensive damage to lilies and a spring bulb plant called fritillaria. The pests aren’t a problem for daylilies,…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko The gardening season is taking off in Western New York. A sale of compost bins and rain barrels is set in Erie County, and many garden clubs and organizations are holding plant sales. When you’re looking for plants, gardening supplies and landscapers, check out the businesses that support Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com. See our Gardening Directory and click on any of the ads on our site. Sale of compost bins, rain barrels A sale of rain barrels, compost bins…...
Connie Oswald Stofko, editor of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, will present “45 Gardening Tips in 45 Minutes” at the meeting of the Town & Country Garden Club at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 11 in the cafeteria of Transit Middle School, 8730 Transit Rd., East Amherst. Go to the back entrance. Like all the events we list on Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, this is open to the public. The club is looking for new members, too. Stofko will share 45 tips that she has come across while…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Vegetable gardeners are eager to get planting, and there is a lot you can do now– if your soil is workable after all that rain. Give it the squeeze test. If you squeeze a handful of soil and it sticks together, it’s too wet to plant. If you squeeze it and it crumbles, you can plant. If you want to plant cool-weather veggies, this is the time to do it, said Jen Weber, retail manager…...
Because you are a reader of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, you can take advantage of a couple of coupons from Badding Bros Farm Market, 10820 Transit Rd., between Millersport Highway and North French, East Amherst. With the first coupon, get 20 to 50 percent off all ceramic pottery on Mother’s Day weekend, Friday-Sunday, May 12-14. A plant in a lovely pot makes a great gift. Pick up pots for your own yard as well. With the second coupon, get a free four-inch plant…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko In this month’s issue of WNY Gardening Matters, the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County give us some hints on what to do about creeping Charlie, a weed that many of us struggle with. As they suggest, I will get out there now. It’s easier to get rid of this weed when you catch it early, and it’s easier to pull out when the ground is wet. In the article, you will not…...
The St. Francis Guild of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital will host a garden auction at 6 p.m. Monday, May 8 in the cafeteria of the hospital, 5300 Military Rd., Lewiston. Admission is $5. There will be food and garden items for auction. At 7 p.m., Connie Oswald Stofko, publisher of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, will present “20 Gardening Tips in 20 Minutes.” Please RSVP to 298-2144. Save Save Save Save Save Save…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Mischler’s 49-cent perennial sale starts this week, and today we’re going to talk about using perennials in containers. We’ll also show you a couple of easy-to-maintain flowers that attract pollinators for your garden beds. The sale will be held from Friday, April 28 to Saturday, May 6 at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko I’ve been getting emails from people wanting to know what to do with lawns filled with lesser celandine. My best advice is to not let it get that far. Dig it up now. And do it this year when you have only a few patches! This is a serious weed, said Carol Ann Harlos, Master Gardener, garden writer and speaker. “You have two choices,” Harlos said. “You can either spend the time and dig it out…...