cannabis

Cannabis: Legal to grow June 29 in NYS

by Connie Oswald Stofko On June 29, it will be legal for adults, age 21 and older, to grow cannabis at home in New York State. Right now, only medical cannabis can be grown by private individuals in New York State. The patient must get authorization from a certified health care provider to grow cannabis. The rules that are in place now for growing medical cannabis will be the rules for home cultivation of cannabis starting June 29. A person…

orchid arches at Orchid Exhibit in Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Ladders on ceiling, arches on floor: See novel orchid displays

by Connie Oswald Stofko Colorful orchids are displayed in a way you’ve never seen before during a new Orchid Exhibit that will open Wednesday, Jan. 24 at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. The opening of the exhibit was postponed because of the weather, but it’s worth the wait. Enter through arches adorned with orchids. See orchids hanging from orbs and enjoy the masses of orchids in pots. Make sure you look up to…

orchid display by Niagara Frontier Orchid Society

Tips on caring for orchids; see orchid show day & at night!

by Connie Oswald Stofko “Orchids are easier to care for than people think,” said Donna Lipowicz, president of the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society. In this article, Lipowicz will give you tips on how to care for your orchids in Western New York. You can get even more information while you enjoy beautiful displays at the Orchid Show to be held March 3-5 at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Orchid Show and Orchids After Dark The Niagara Frontier Orchid…

looking at mint plant in Amherst NY

Garden Talks begin in Batavia & on line

The Genesee County Master Gardeners will hold monthly Garden Talks starting in February. Garden Talk programs start at noon and can be 30 to 60 minutes long, depending on the topic. They will be held on Thursdays. This free series is open to all, but registration is required. You can attend in person at the Cornell Cooperative Extension office, 420 East Main St., Batavia, or online via Zoom. To attend in person, contact Mandy at 585-343-3040, ext. 101 or amm532@cornell.edu. For a Zoom…

orchids courtesy Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Orchid Show this weekend at Botanical Gardens

Along with the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society, the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens will host the popular Orchid Show on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 12 and 13  at the Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Times are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Note: The Botanical Gardens will close at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11 and Sunday, Nov. 13 to allow all the exhibitors and vendors to set up and and tear down…

greenhouse whiteflies on leaf

Whiteflies in your WNY garden? Don’t worry

by Connie Oswald Stofko Here’s a message I got from a reader: Hi Connie, Would you consider adding the tiny whitefly infestation and organic solutions to rid garden of them in your next newsletter? In the garden, they are everywhere, likely thirsty! Wishing for rain tonight! Thank you, Brigitte Wagner-Ott, Eggertsville I didn’t even know what whiteflies were, and since Wagner-Ott lives down the street from me, I figured I should find out more. She saw something online, but wanted information…

wandering dude hanging baskets at Mischler's in Williamsville NY

Recharge houseplants outdoors while they fill in your landscape

by Connie Oswald Stofko Several weeks ago, the folks at one garden center suggested I do an article about houseplants–in summer! That’s an odd topic for this time of year, I thought to myself. Then another garden center suggested the same thing. When a third garden center brought up houseplants, I knew I had to find out more. Here are some reasons to pay attention to houseplants in summer: Healthier houseplants Your houseplants will grow better outside because they can…

Schlumbergera or holiday cactus from Bugwood

Learn about Christmas cactus & more in WNY Gardening Matters

Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera buckleyi) is an easy-to-care-for houseplant that can flourish for years, said Lyn Chimera in this article in the most recent edition of WNY Gardening Matters. “I still have a large plant that started out as a cutting from my mother over 50 years ago,” she said. Learn more about Christmas cactuses– and Thanksgiving cactuses, too– as well as how to care for them, in the article. Also in this edition is a graphic on principles of permaculture….

Haworthia succulents in Williamsville NY

One thing you didn’t know about succulents; find out more at Mischler’s

by Connie Oswald Stofko You might already know that succulents are easy to care for. You don’t need to fuss with them. They don’t need much water. And they don’t need a lot of light. But did you know that some succulents need more light than other succulents? We’ll discuss that in this article, and you can get more details on the best growing conditions for succulents in a talk at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 12 at Mischler’s Florist and…

Monstera deliciosa in Williamsville NY

Want to add variety to your houseplants? Take a look at aroids

by Connie Oswald Stofko “Aroids are great for collectors,” said Luke Schiavone, houseplant specialist at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses in Williamsville. “It’s a big family with lots of variety for a plant connoisseur.” Get a glimpse of that variety with just a few examples of aroids in this article. You can see aroids in person—and get a discount on houseplants—during Houseplant Week at Mischler’s from Friday, Jan. 28 to Saturday, Feb. 5. Find out more about aroids during a talk…