by Connie Oswald Stofko Just when your outdoor gardens are waning, indoor succulents and cactuses are adding color through flowers. Autumn is the time for these plants to bloom, said Elle Kreuzer, who manages that department at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. Many varieties are blooming or budding now. Here are just a few. Lifesaver plant It’s easy to see why Huernia zebrina got the name of the Lifesaver plant. In the center of the flower…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Tomatoes like warm weather. They don’t do well with the cool days and cold nights that most of Western New York has been experiencing recently. But don’t worry; there are steps you can take to keep on harvesting! Tip 1: Make a mini-greenhouse This will work whether your tomato plant is a container or in the ground. Get a clear or translucent plastic bag that is slightly bigger than your plant. Slip the bag over your…...
Now through spring, you can help protect your trees by looking for and destroying spongy moth egg masses, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Egg masses appear as fuzzy, brown patches and can be found on trees, firewood, lawn furniture and other hard surfaces. Each egg mass contains 600-700 eggs. To get rid of the eggs, scrape them off into hot, soapy water. The spongy moth (formerly called gypsy moth) isn’t native; it came from France. Spongy…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko “We don’t do the usual; we do the unusual. We pride ourselves on that,” said Brian Olinski. That’s why so many people visit him and and his husband, Gordon Ballard, during Open Gardens. You will find plants in their landscape that no one else in Western New York has. And their “Bird Avenue Gardens” are big, situated on a double lot in Buffalo, with plants everywhere you look. But you don’t need a gigantic garden or…...
Grassroots Gardens WNY is taking applications now for people who want to create new community gardens or school gardens in 2025. The deadline for applying is Saturday, Nov. 30. Currently Grassroots Gardens WNY is considering only community gardens and school gardens located in the cities of Buffalo or Niagara Falls, NY. However, if you are a school in one of their nearby suburbs, Grassroots Gardens WNY may be able to support you in 2025. Priority is given to gardens in neighborhoods…...
Get a discount and explore the conservatory all day long on $10 Thursdays at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Every Thursday until November 14, the Botanical Gardens is open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. for only $10. Reserve a spot here. In addition to discounted admission, you can sign up for a special evening installment of Feed the Fish on select $10 Thursdays. Click here for a full list of dates. Attendance at Feed the Fish is available at a separate cost. …...
by David R. Clark, CNLP If your houseplants have been outside this summer, start preparing now to move them indoors. Here are some of my tips to get them ready for the move. When to move houseplants inside Move your houseplants to a shady place outside for one to two weeks to get them acclimated to the lower indoor lighting conditions. Bring your houseplants inside before you turn on your furnace. If the plants are outside in cool daytime temperatures,…...
Seed saving is just one of the topics in the newest edition of The Optimistic Gardener. Dianne Hovey, Master Gardener, discusses saving dry fruited seeds, such as beans and lettuce, and wet fruited seeds, such as winter squash and melons. The seeds of tomatoes and cucumbers should undergo a fermentation process. You’ll also find information on garden tool maintenance, planting garlic, what to do about the invasive spotted lanternfly, food preservation and a recipe for peach apple salsa. The publication…...
Erin Grajek, who has been the chief operating officer since 2021 at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, has been appointed interim president and CEO. She has held progressive leadership roles at the Botanical Gardens since 2006. The appointment came one week after the death of Mark Mortenson, the organization’s president and CEO. “Erin has been a trusted leader with the Botanical Gardens,” said Tisha Luciani, board chair of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, “and we are…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Autumn is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs, but planting them too early could damage or even kill them. When you plant bulbs that flower in the spring, the soil needs to be cool; around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, said Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager at Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market in Buffalo. Cool soil tells the bulb to grow roots, which is what you want. The bulb is getting established for spring, when it will send out leaves…...