Uncategorized Archives - Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

Snow November 9 2025 on Stevenson Blvd., Eggertsville NY

Drought, rain & snow in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko Drought & rain Good news! We’re almost out of the drought. The announcement came last Wednesday from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Recent rainfall has improved dry conditions, and all of Western New York is now at the lowest level of drought, called “Drought Watch.” The counties moved from the drier “Drought Warning” to “Drought Watch” are Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara and Orleans. Wyoming County already had been downgraded to…...

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Nov 11, 2025

National Recycling Day is Nov. 15: What to do with electronic devices

by Connie Oswald Stofko If you’re reading this, you’re using an electronic device. At some point that device will be obsolete. What will you do with it then? National Recycling Day is Nov. 15, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) offers two tips here on how to keep your old equipment out of a landfill. Old cell phones In New York State, you can take your old cell phone to any wireless service provider’s retail store…...

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Nov 11, 2025

How to choose wildflower seeds, plus more tips from Erie Master Gardeners

You may be looking now for “wildflower” seed mixes to sow later in winter, wrote Peggy Koppmann in “This Month in the Garden,” an article in the newest edition of WNY Gardening Matters. Gardeners may look for wildflower seeds to create a meadow that attracts and supports pollinators, said Koppmann, a Master Gardener. But a meadow is complicated and it’s important to choose the right seeds. Purchase only seed mixtures that list the botanical names, she said. That way you…...

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Diggin In: Clean your tools & more

Here is the newest edition of Diggin In, the newsletter published by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County. Articles for November Clean Up in the Toolroom by Nancy Walker, Master Gardener Volunteer November Garden Checklist: A Little More Time to Plant, by Lydia Fernandez, Master Gardener Volunteer You can have a mission, too by Lydia Fernandez, Master Gardener Volunteer When Julia Bender decided to join the Master Gardener Program in 2024, she came with the specific…...

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Nov 4, 2025

homegrown flowers in centerpiece at Mischler's Florist and Greenhouses in Williamsville NUY

Get homegrown flowers for Thanksgiving at Mischler’s

by Connie Oswald Stofko If you want fresh flowers–very fresh flowers–stop in to Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses in Williamsville. Mischler’s grows many of their flowers right in their greenhouses, then cut the flowers fresh. “I don’t think anyone else in Western New York is doing this,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s. While Mischler’s still buys some flowers, “we’re trying to grow more here,” he noted. The floral staff is always working on new arrangements, such as the new…...

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Nov 4, 2025

orchid show at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Enjoy hundreds of flowers at Orchid Show this weekend

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens and the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society will host their popular biannual Orchid Show on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 8 and 9. Times are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The show will feature hundreds of exotic and award-winning orchids, expert orchid growers and sellers, as well as other orchid vendors. Exhibitors at the Orchid Show include members of the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society. You will have the opportunity to see hundreds of exotic and award-winning orchids from expert growers, and you can shop…...

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Nov 4, 2025

Cozy herb for autumn & winter: rosemary

by Sarah Sorci Rosemary is my most reliable herb to grow on a winter windowsill–no grow light is needed. While my outdoor garden sleeps, rosemary nestles up with me for the coziest months of the year. Cultivation When nighttime temperatures dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall, I move the containers indoors to a bright window. When your rosemary is planted in the ground–especially in heavy clay soils–you should avoid overwatering it. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean; it…...

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Oct 28, 2025

What to do with worn-out pumpkins

by Connie Oswald Stofko Do you think Halloween monsters are horrible? Here’s something more horrible: throwing a jack-‘o-lantern into the trash! When you’re done with your pumpkin, compost it. You can smash it, too. It’s quite entertaining! Before you place your rotting pumpkin in your compost bin, you need to get it into smaller parts so it will decompose more quickly. You could use a knife, but smashing it on a hard surface is faster, easier and more fun. Remember…...

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Oct 28, 2025

fallen leaves autumn in Amherst NY by Stofko

What should you do with fallen leaves?

by Connie Oswald Stofko What happens when you rake leaves in fall? That’s what Max Ferlauto, a Maryland State entomologist, wanted to find out. In particular, he wanted to explore what happens to insects in the soil, according to this article from the College of Computer, Mathematical & Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland. Ferlauto was one of the researchers who wanted to answer this question: If you remove the leaves from a lawn in autumn, would that reduce…...

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Oct 21, 2025

Floating Fen Preserve in Brocton in Chautauqua County NY

Take a scenic hike at Floating Fen Preserve

Enjoy scenic vistas on a two-mile hiking trail at the Floating Fen Preserve, the newest preserve of Western New York Land Conservancy. The trail takes you around the a bog-like area called the “floating fen,” which gives the new preserve its name. The Floating Fen Preserve, situated in Brocton in Chautauqua County, is home to beautiful sundews—carnivorous plants that sparkle in the sunlight—and awe-inspiring colonies of blue flag iris, highbush blueberry and mountain holly. Small blackgum trees dot the fen, and beautiful…...

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Oct 21, 2025