by Connie Oswald Stofko People often ask me how I can offer weekly subscriptions to Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com for free. The answer, of course, is that this great online magazine is supported by local businesses and organizations who want to connect with gardeners. That means that when you’re looking for gardening products and services, this website is a great place to start. Not only can you find wonderful merchandise and services, but these folks are right here in Western New York! Start…...
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Feb. 26 is deadline to register for Gardens & Landscapes Day in Jamestown
Hear and talk to regionally renowned authorities on garden design, maintenance and plant selection at the 2014 Gardens and Landscapes Day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 1 in the Carnahan Theater at Jamestown Community College, 525 Falconer St., Jamestown. Registration is required and will close on Wednesday, February 26. Register by calling Jamestown Community College Center for Continuing Education (716) 338-1005. Cost is $40 and includes a catered lunch. Space is limited. The event is hosted by…...
Garden Walk Buffalo to absorb National Garden Festival; expect events to continue as usual
by Connie Oswald Stofko The National Garden Festival, which has been looking for ways to become a sustainable organization so that it can continue into the future, will be absorbed by Garden Walk Buffalo, the largest garden walk in the United States. Visitors probably won’t notice any differences in events this year, said Cindy Loomis, president of Garden Walk Buffalo. “We anticipate the National Garden Festival will continue this year as it has, and after Garden Walk Buffalo, we’ll figure…...
Mystery of the empty bird feeder solved, plus a tip on woodchucks
by Connie Oswald Stofko When I was at the recent meeting of the Garden Friends of Clarence, Linda Klimczak, one of the members, told me about the mystery of her empty bird feeder and sent me the video that you can see below. Klimczak had gotten a squirrel-proof bird feeder and set it out on her back patio. Although the bird feeder holds quite a lot of seed, the next day it was empty. The mystery of the empty bird…...
Learn how to keep chickens & more at urban farming event in Buffalo
You can tour an urban farm, learn about keeping chickens and learn the basics of aquaponics during Growing Green Spring Urban Agriculture Training, hosted by the staff of Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP). It takes place Friday through Sunday, March 7 to 9 in Buffalo. The cost for Saturday only is $150; for Sunday only, $125; free for the Friday evening reception, and $225 for all three days. The deadline to register is Feb. 28. Click here to register. At the…...
Cool table decoration: colorful frozen spheres
by Connie Oswald Stofko I have been fascinated with making decorations out of frozen spheres. I made a large arrangement of frozen spheres for my porch, then I added candle holders made out of ice. I kept thinking that you should be able to use this idea inside, too, but I quickly recognized some drawbacks. The spheres in the large arrangement don’t just balance; they’re sort of glued in place. I poured water in between the spheres. When it froze,…...
Get custom potting mix for indoor plants at Lockwood’s
Now is a good time to repot your houseplants, but don’t use just any soil—Use what the professionals use at Lockwood’s Garden Center, 4484 Clark Street, Hamburg. Lockwood’s Garden Center creates their own soilless potting medium, and you can buy the same mixture they use. It contains a slow-release fertilizer and is great for African violets, houseplants and outdoor window boxes and pots. While you’re there, pick up some new houseplants, too. Lockwood’s carries a wide variety of plants including…...
Rain barrel-painting contest set for high schools in Erie & Niagara Counties; register by Feb. 24
Students in grades 9-12 in Erie and Niagara Counties can enter a rain barrel-painting contest with cash prizes held in conjunction with Earth Day 2014. Schools are encouraged to enter a team, either through a class or an after-school program. The team will design and paint a rain barrel provided by the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Buffalo, Inc. All participating schools will receive their final painted rain barrels to use, donate or raffle as desired. The deadline to register is…...
Inspiration: Look for the diamonds in the snow
by Connie Oswald Stofko You have to brush off your car every time you want to go anywhere. There’s shoveling. Then there’s more shoveling. Then there’s still more shoveling. The air is so bitter that if it touches your forehead, you get brain freeze, also known as an ice cream headache. Only there’s no ice cream. There are a lot of reasons to irritated, fed up and cranky. If you want to pout and complain, you’re justified. And sometimes it…...
Want blooms inside during WNY winter? Get a cyclamen
by Connie Oswald Stofko If you’re looking for a blooming flower in winter, especially for Valentine’s Day, check out cyclamen. Some attentive gardeners may find cyclamen tricky to care for, but that’s because cyclamen don’t need much care. “They don’t want to be overloved,” said Mark Yadon, vice president of Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. Cyclamen like it a little on the dry side, so you shouldn’t overwater them, he said. They also like to dry…...
