Garden tips Archives - Page 8 of 98 - Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

Should you compost fats & grease? If not, where should they go?

by Connie Oswald Stofko Thanksgiving is coming up next week, with more winter celebrations to follow. You may be cooking a lot–and cleaning up a lot. What should you do with the grease on the pots and pans? Let’s look at the choices. You may be surprised. Compost It’s generally recommended not to use fats, oils and grease in your compost because they can create odor problems and attract rodents. Some people say you can add small amounts of fats,…...

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Nov 15, 2022

Autumn is the time to repair garden soil in Western New York

by Connie Oswald Stofko Is there something wrong with your soil? How can you find out? And what can you do to fix the problem? You’ll find answers in this previous article about garden soil in Western New York. Even if you read that article before, you might want to revisit it again. The testing lab that I refer to in that article, formerly Agro-One, has changed its name to Dairy One, and their website has new information. I have…...

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Nov 8, 2022

Reminder: Keep your leaves!

by Connie Oswald Stofko Last week, I was trying to get some exercise, walking around my neighborhood, but I just had to stop. The autumn leaves were so beautiful I had to photograph them! As I was meandering, two different strangers stopped to comment on how beautiful the trees were. But now the leaves are dropping. Yay! We gardeners love autumn leaves on the trees and in our gardens! Here’s a previous article that lists many of the ways you…...

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Nov 1, 2022

Pumpkin drop-off at Botanical Gardens

You should compost your pumpkins, but if you can’t, don’t plunk them in your garbage can! They will end up in a landfill, and that’s not good. Instead, drop them off during the first annual Pumpkin Drop-Off at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Large bins will be located at the far entrance of the Botanical Gardens parking lot. You can drop off your pumpkins from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday,…...

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Nov 1, 2022

iris with leaves in Buffalo Niagara New York

Prevent iris borer by removing iris leaves in autumn in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko In general, gardeners in Western New York are encouraged to keep perennial leaves and stalks in place to create winter interest, but one plant you should cut down is the iris. “We encourage folks to cut the iris leaves down after the first heavy frost,” said Marilee Farry, president of the Western New York Iris Society. “What is important is not to throw those leaves into the compost pile but to either burn them or put…...

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Oct 25, 2022

Carnivorous plant lovers: Hear author originally from Niagara Falls

by Connie Oswald Stofko You may have enjoyed the information on carnivorous plants that Kenny Coogan, co-founder of the Western New York Carnivorous Plant Club, shared with us back in 2012. Coogan has moved to Florida, but he’ll be back in Buffalo to talk about his book– just released Oct. 1– called Florida’s Carnivorous Plants: Understanding, Identifying, and Cultivating the State’s Native Species. While the title focuses on Florida, Coogan includes information that WNY gardeners will like, such as how the plants digest insects and…...

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Oct 25, 2022

Why autumn is the best time to start a garden bed in Western New York

by Connie Oswald Stofko It’s a lot easier to start a garden bed in autumn than in spring. Why? Because time is on your side. In spring, you would have to rush to get a new garden bed ready. When could you start? In April, when the ground is soggy or still frozen? Maybe in May, if the weather is nice on a day when you have off from work. If you prepare your garden bed now, there’s no rush–and…...

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Oct 18, 2022

Save the grapes & other crops from spotted lanternflies in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko I hope you’ve been keeping your eyes open for the invasive spotted lanternfly. In July, a spotted lanternfly was found in West Seneca, but it was dead. Then in September, more than 100 live spotted lanternflies were found in Buffalo. Not only can it damage garden plants, the spotted lanternfly (SLF) can wreak havoc on vineyards. “SLF can have a devastating impact on vineyards, as we’ve seen in neighboring states, so we need everyone’s help to…...

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Oct 18, 2022

How to plant spring bulbs in Western New York

by Connie Oswald Stofko Want to get bulbs to bloom in spring and summer? Here’s your first tip: Plant in autumn. Every spring, people walk into garden centers expecting to buy tulips and other bulbs to plant immediately in their gardens. It’s understandable, said Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager at Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market, 428 Rhode Island St., Buffalo. With most other plants, when you see them flowering outside, that’s the time to plant them. With bulbs, you have to plan…...

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Oct 11, 2022

Drought watch ends in WNY; don’t burn leaves

Six Western New York counties have been taken off drought watch: Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming. The drought watch was designated in August due to the below-normal precipitation during the previous three months. There have also been low stream flows and low groundwater levels. The status of these counties was changed Oct. 9 because of recent rainfall and higher levels of ground and surface water. Now all of Western New York is is in the normal range. A…...

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Oct 11, 2022