Category: Garden tips

Garden tips for the Buffalo area.

Japanese beetle in Buffalo NY area

Buffalo area gardeners can take steps to prevent pest invasions

by Connie Oswald Stofko Buffalo-area gardeners are familiar with the Japanese beetle. These bugs are pretty, but so damaging to our gardens. As you might guess from the name, Japanese beetles come from Japan, where they’re not much of a nuisance because their natural enemies keep them in check. In our area, grubs damage lawns by feeding on grass roots. The adult beetles attack the foliage, flowers or fruits of more than 300 different ornamental and agricultural plants. Unfortunately, Japanese…...

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Aug 23, 2011
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Herb Tools from Mischler's in Amherst NY

Herb gadgets make it easier for you to preserve your crop

The right tool for the job can make your work easier. If you grow herbs, check out the fun selection of herb tools available at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd. (between Main St. and Wehrle Dr.), Williamsville. Cut your sprigs into strips or mince away with a multiblade scissor. Use the rocking blade and concave cutting board to work on larger batches of herbs. Mash up and serve a refreshing mojito (a minty cocktail) with a traditional tall…...

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Aug 16, 2011
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Buffalo group to sell a variety of easy-to-grow daylilies on Saturday

Beginning and experienced gardeners alike enjoy daylilies. Daylilies are a great choice for beginning gardeners because they’re so easy to grow in the Buffalo area. (Heck, a plant that’s easy to grow is something we all love!) The experienced gardener who’s always looking for something new can appreciate the wide range of colors and shapes of the daylily. Plus, hybridizers are constantly working on new varieties. The Buffalo Area Daylily Society will hold its annual Public Daylily Sale from 9…

Aug 16, 2011
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Garden been too dry? Underground sprinkler system can help

In May, my garden was so boggy I thought I’d never have to water again. In June, my garden was hard as a rock. In July, we had that hot, dry spell. During the past week, we finally got some rain, but there wasn’t much. You should have been watering, too. If you can’t keep up with the erratic watering needs of your garden, you may want to consider an underground sprinkler system that operates automatically. There are several advantages…...

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Aug 9, 2011
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house on nighttime garden walk in Buffalo NY

Black Rock and Riverside shine during nighttime garden walk

“I love the lights,” said Rosie Dubravac of 74 Simon St., Buffalo. That’s why she opened her yards for the Starry Night Garden Tour, the evening portion of the Black Rock & Riverside Tour of Gardens on Saturday, Aug. 6. It was the last garden walk of the season in Western New York. Dubravac welcomed many visitors, who enjoyed the well-lit front and back yards. The tall lighted ornament you see in the front yard above left  is a sunflower…....

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Aug 9, 2011
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purple gladiolus in Buffalo NY area

Blooming in Buffalo area gardens now, gladiolus is flower for August

The gladiolus, which is blooming in many Buffalo-area gardens now,  is the birthday flower for August. I’m told you’re supposed to plant gladiolus bulbs in spring. That explains why they didn’t come up the first time I planted them– I planted them in the fall. After that fiasco, I again planted gladioluses (the plural is gladioluses, gladioli  or sometimes gladiolas). The only reason I tried them again was because I got bulbs as a gift.  (Technically, gladioluses have corms, not…...

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Aug 9, 2011
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blue spruce on Summer Street in Buffalo NY

Lush Buffalo garden with full-grown trees was planted on top of asphalt

A 20-foot blue spruce, along with a birch, crab apple, dogwood and Japanese maple, are part of what is essentially a giant container garden built on top of a narrow asphalt driveway in Buffalo. Ellie Dorritie of 415 Summer St. shared her gardens during Garden Walk Buffalo on July 30 and 31. More than 350 gardens were on display during the event, which is the largest garden tour in the nation. Dorritie’s back garden includes brick pathways, which you can…

Aug 2, 2011
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Heimiller Greenhouses celebrates 30th anniversary

Not your grandma’s garden plants: Trend is toward new varieties

Gardeners in the Buffalo and Western New York area have  more plants to choose from than they did just a decade or two ago. The plants are genetically better, too. This is one of the big trends Ron Heimiller has seen in his career as president and head grower at  Heimiller Greenhouses in Newfane. The business is celebrating its 30 anniversary. Breeders searched the world for plants that might do well in the United States and bred them for color,…...

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Aug 1, 2011
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'Daydream' and 'Tomato Soup' echinacea in Buffalo NY

Planting season isn’t over! Check garden centers for new arrivals

Many gardeners feel they must get their garden planted by Memorial Day weekend or they’ve missed some sort of deadline. They think that if they go to a garden center now, they’ll see nothing but shriveled-up specimens on a discount table. Surprise! It’s still planting season in Buffalo and Western New York, and garden centers are full of fresh, new perennials and trees that you can plant right now.  Plus, you get instant color and instant flowers because these fully…...

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Jul 26, 2011
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night garden walk in Buffalo NY area

Ken-Ton gardeners share tips for nighttime lighting

“We sit out here every night with a glass of wine,” said Kathi Schwab, as she surveyed her backyard. Soft lighting showcased tall flowers and reflected off the calm water of their inground pool. “Oh, it’s heaven,” Kathi said. The Schwabs shared their yard during Ken-Ton’s first “Saturday Night Lights” garden walk held July 23.  Eighteen gardens participated in the evening walk. The nighttime event was part of the Ken-Ton Garden Tour, which held a daytime walk on both Saturday…...

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Jul 26, 2011
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