bromeliad silver vase

Fill your home with indoor plants that are trendy–and easy!

by Connie Oswald Stofko “There’s a resurgance” in growing indoor plants, said Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager at Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market. “Indoor plants aren’t just an accent item; people are filling their homes with them.” People who use a lot of plants in their homes don’t want more of the same plants they already have. “They’re looking for unique and different varieties,” Jablonski-Dopkin said. But new doesn’t have to mean fussy or challenging to grow. Here are some trendy…

tomato plants ripening inside in autumn

How to keep growing tomatoes on the vine after frost

by Connie Oswald Stofko There’s nothing like the taste of vine-ripened tomatoes, but frost will stop tomato production cold. There are ways to try to protect your plants from frost, but it can be difficult to accomplish. (See some tips here on how to prevent frost from damaging garden plants. So last year when Judy Clark of Hamburg excitedly told me, “It’s the end of November and I’m still getting fresh tomatoes,” you can bet that I wanted to know…

amaryllis Star of Holland

Amaryllis with no leaves: can it come back next year?

by Connie Oswald Stofko Here’s a question from a reader: Hi,I bought an amaryllis in a home hardware store. Bulb and container. It is blooming beautiful right now in January. It’s named “Holland Star.’ I have two stalks, lots of blooms but no leaves??? What does that mean? Hope you can give me some advice. So glad I found this site. I have bought these for my mother many years ago. I did not know they would keep from year…

snowball hydrangea

4 ideas for hostess gifts and holiday gifts for gardeners

by Connie Oswald Stofko Thanksgiving is this Thursday, and from there we rush headlong into any number of holiday celebrations. Here are four ideas for thoughtful gifts to give gardeners and non-gardeners alike. ‘Snowball’ hydrangea We’re starting off with the ‘Snowball’ hydrangea because it can serve as a festive accent in your home from Thanksgiving through all the winter holidays. This potted plant will last probably a couple months, according to Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville….