by Connie Oswald Stofko You may have heard that if you want flavorful tomatoes, go for heirloom varieties. But did you know that there are heirloom and specialty varieties in other vegetables including eggplants, cucumbers and peppers? “These are varieties that you wouldn’t even see in a supermarket,” said Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager of Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market, 428 Rhode Island St., Buffalo. Urban Roots carries about 35 varieties of heirloom and specialty vegetable plants. “We choose varieties that…
by Connie Oswald Stofko I don’t know what to say. On Saturday a man shot 13 people, leaving 10 dead, at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. The suspect said his intention was to kill Black people. What does one say when something this horrifying happens? I have no words. But we can’t ignore what happened. Here are some ways you can help. Since the Jefferson Avenue Tops is closed, MAP (Massachusetts Avenue Project) will join BFLO Wormworks, Faithful…
Iris & Perennial Show set; anyone can enter the judging
The WNY Iris Society will hold its annual Iris and Perennial Show from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 4 at the Reinstein Library, 1030 Losson Rd., Cheektowaga. New this year: Anyone can enter to win ribbons and awards. To compete for prizes, the iris must have its cultivar name and the perennial must have its botanical name. People entering plants in the show should be at the Reinstein Library by 9 a.m. Judging will occur from 11 a.m. to…
Lily beetles, veggies, mulch volcanoes: update & tips in WNY
by Connie Oswald Stofko Here is one update and two reminders for the beginning of the growing season in Western New York. Some gardeners say they have seen fewer red lily leaf beetles in past years. Get tips on growing vegetables in gardens and in containers. Mulch volcanoes are popular, but bad for your trees. Are there fewer red lily leaf beetles in WNY? A few gardeners mentioned to me that they saw fewer red lily leaf beetles in Western…