trees in Amherst NY

‘Fungi & great moments in history’ among talks at ReLeaf Conference

If it weren’t for fungi, we wouldn’t have the Ten Commandments or the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. That’s the tongue-in-cheek assessment of George Hudler, professor at Cornell University, who will speak on “Great Moments in History and How Fungi Got Us Here.” His entertaining talk will be part of the 20th annual statewide ReLeaf Conference, where you will have the opportunity to learn from professionals from across the country and Canada and to tour local community forestry projects,…...

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completed memory garden in Williamsville NY

Memory garden of perennials makes a lasting gift

A memory garden is an arrangement of perennials– still in their pots– that later can be transplanted into a corner of a garden. The flowers come back year after year and become a living memorial to the deceased person. This idea comes to us from Mark Yadon, vice president of Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. The staff at Mischler’s creates these as arrangements that can be sent to the funeral home or directly to the home…...

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armyworms hiding in turfgrass from University of Nebraska closeup

Army worms reach epidemic levels; wacky weather spurs other damage

Wheat and hay crops in Western New York are being damaged by an epidemic of armyworms, but unless your yard backs up to a wheat field, your lawn probably won’t be affected. That’s according to John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County. Cooperative Extension is also fielding calls from gardeners concerning problems with aphids brought on by mild weather as well as continuing problems with plants that were damaged by frost this spring. Armyworms damage feed…...

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trees from Donna Brok

Caring for trees in Western New York’s changing climate

by Jeremy Sayers of The Tree Doctor Our trees and shrubs are suffering and changing as a result of climate changes, and as a Board Certified Master Arborist, that concerns me.  What also concerns me is that many professional arborists insist on denying scientific consensus on the reality of global warming. Scientific consensus on climate change Emission of greenhouse gasses caused by humans is the leading factor contributing to climate change. In 2001 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the…...

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cucumber water in Buffalo NY

How to keep cool in Buffalo and other summer gardening tips

The official start of summer is June 20, but the summer weather that we previewed in March seems here to stay.  Here are a couple tips to keep you cool in your Western New York garden this summer, as well as other summer tips. Cucumber water is refreshing I tasted cucumber water for the first time last summer at the home of Sharon Heim and David Wahl in Buffalo. As you can see from the photo above, it makes a…...

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Winner 2012 container garden Lewiston NY with Sally Knize

How to create an award-winning container garden

“Let your inner zany self come out,” said Kay Kalick, describing what you must do to create an award-winning container garden. Kalick is coordinating the container garden contest to be held as part of the Lewiston GardenFest from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24. The GardenFest includes a garden walk, vendors and speakers. The container contest is judged by the public and awards will be presented at 4 pm. Sunday, June 24. Prizes are…...

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ant on peony by Donna Brok Niagara Falls NY

Questions & answers: Leeks gone wild, antsy peony bushes, & more

Today we have a returning question and three new questions. Can you help these readers? If you have a suggestion for any of them, please leave a comment below.   Question #1: Leeks gone wild All of a sudden, I have wild leeks growing throughout my gardens.  Last year they were in one section, now they are everywhere.  I have to dig down up to 8 inches to get the bulbs but they still come back.  How do I get rid…...

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lettuce bowl container garden in Buffalo NY area

Let us grow salad with ‘lettuce bowl’ container garden

  by Colleen Morrissey, herb manager and container designer at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses If you love salad and enjoy gardening, plant a “lettuce bowl” container garden. It’s a quick and easy project. You don’t need much space, so you can have a “lettuce bowl” container garden on a sunny balcony, front stoop or just outside your kitchen door. Setting the container on a picnic table or other tabletop may discourage rabbits, slugs and other pests. This is also a…...

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tree peony blossom in Buffalo NY

Tree peony is showy element of spring garden in Buffalo

With flowers so large that you need two hands to cup a blossom, the tree peony in the garden of Christine Brooks provides a spectacular spring show. “Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked as I admired the tree with her this past weekend. The tree peony is visible from the street as you drive toward her home at 22 Larchmont in the University area of Buffalo. It’s in the side garden along the driveway. It blooms two weeks at the most,…...

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spring flowers in garden in Hamburg NY

Waves of spring flowers bring beauty to Hamburg garden

by Connie Oswald Stofko Spring is an overlooked time for gardens in the Buffalo area. It seems we spend our time waiting and preparing for the end of May, the traditional time to plant tender annuals, and we forget to pause and enjoy the beauty of spring gardens. With perennials, you can have successive waves of blooms in your garden starting in early spring, said Fran Evans of Hamburg, who is a Master Gardener with Cornell Cooperative Extension Erie County…....

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