Garden tips for the Buffalo area.
by Connie Oswald Stofko The gardening season isn’t over yet! You can plant garlic now. Here are six reasons why you should plant garlic. (The first reason is that garlic easy to grow. I can’t grow zucchini, but I can grow garlic!) That article also covers how to plant garlic and how to harvest garlic and garlic scapes…....
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by Connie Oswald Stofko With three exhibits going on at once, there’s a lot to see at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Gardening tip: It’s fun to stroll through the exhibits, and while you’re doing that, keep your eye open for something you can replicate in your own garden. Coleus & Creatures Exhibit Colorful creatures made out of live plants are on display during the new Coleus and Creatures Exhibit. The exhibit includes a…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko The official first day of autumn arrived last Thursday, and immediately, it seemed, Western New York temperatures took a nose dive. An overnight frost advisory was issued last week for Cattaraugus and Allegany counties. This week overnight temperatures may dip into the 30s in many parts of Western New York. That’s significant because frost can occur even if the air temperature is above freezing, according to our previous article. The article also explains why even 36-degree…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko “I’ve planted bulbs, gone into the house, and the squirrels come back ten minutes later to steal my bulbs,” said Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager at Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market. “They’re viscous little things!” Jablonski-Dopkin offers tips for keeping squirrels away from your newly planted bulbs. You still have plenty of time to buy and plant bulbs. In Western New York, plant bulbs in October or November. The soil should be cool, about 55 degrees Fahrenheit. In…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko “Who doesn’t have Japanese anemones?” Margaret Raupp asked as we toured the flower gardens at her home in Eden. Me. I don’t have Japanese anemones, and I bet many of you don’t have then either. Why? Because we don’t visit gardens when they are blooming. That’s why I asked Raupp, who shares her landscape on Open Gardens, to show me some of the flowers that bloom in September. I visited her about 10 days ago, on…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know where all your perennials are–now. But what about next spring when all the plants–perennials and weeds alike– are tiny? You can take a guess on what’s in that spot. Or you can invest some time now so that, in spring, you’re not weeding out your beloved flowers. First, take photos of your gardens now while your perennials are still standing. See more here. Second, label your plants. Tip: I have used…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko Freshen up your landscape with autumn annuals. From traditional mums to a newer variety of ornamental peppers, Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses has plants to brighten up your autumn landscape. Let’s start with mums. There are early-season, mid-season and late-season mums. They bloom at different times, depending on the variety. Early-season mums are available now. When I took these photos last week, the flowers were just opening. Some people like to choose a plant whose flowers aren’t…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko More than one-third of native pollinators in a recent survey are at risk of becoming extinct in New York State. “It is a sobering finding,” said Erin White, zoologist and project coordinator with New York Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP). The recently released Empire State Native Pollinator Survey 2017-2021 confirms concerns about the health of some pollinator populations in New York State, but there are things we gardeners can do to turn things around. Some findings about…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko “While the big box stores have bulbs available before Labor Day, bulbs should not be planted before the beginning of October,” said Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager at Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market. “Our bulb suppliers won’t send them till the end of September. We usually have them in stock by the first week in October.” Autumn is the time to plant bulbs that flower in spring, but planting them too early could damage or even kill them. When…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko Cheryl Harris of Buffalo was surprised when she was asked to share her large backyard on Urban Farm Day. She doesn’t view it as a farm, even though it’s a large space that grows plants in the city. But what else describes an urban farm in Western New York? Like our gardening, our urban farms are innovative, unusual and quirky. One lets you pick your own worms. Another grows microgreens inside. Still another supplies a pay-as-you-can…...
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