by Connie Oswald Stofko What is bolting versus flowering? In both cases, the plant produces a flower. Flowering occurs as a natural part of the plant’s life and generally doesn’t affect the taste of leaves. Bolting occurs when a plant is stressed, often because the temperatures got too warm for that plant’s liking. The plant wants to reproduce before it dies, so it sends up a flower that will go to seed. Bolting diverts resources away from the leaves, which…...
I got this great tip when I visited a garden on the East Side Garden Walk on July 20. Garden walk season isn’t over yet. There’s the Northwest Buffalo Tour of Gardens this weekend and the Black Squirrel Home and Garden Walk coming up on Aug. 10. Make sure you water the roots The vegetable garden at 261 Maple St. is huge and it takes two days to water, said David Lewis. Lewis maintains the garden for his relative, Cecil…...
Late blight, a devastating disease of tomatoes and potatoes, has been detected in northern Pennsylvania (Erie County, Pennsylvania). If you see it on your plants, please contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension in your county. Late blight is best known for causing the Irish Potato Famine and can kill plants in just one week, according to Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauqua County. It is caused by a fungus-like organism that spreads dozens of miles on storm fronts, so it could come to your…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko “You rebuild, and rebuild better,” said Krista Palgutt, whose landscape was damaged when their neighbor’s garage burned down. The back of the Palgutts’ house was charred. The patio, which they had just installed the previous year, had to be redone because the plastic furniture melted onto the patio. “But all the perennials came back,” Palgutt said, “except for the old growth hydrangeas.” No one was hurt in the fire, and I saw how their landscape made…...
Garden Walk Buffalo, the largest garden tour in North America, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 27 and 28. This is the 25th anniversary of Garden Walk Buffalo and you’ll see some new features. About 435 gardens will be open to the public. The event is free and self guided, and no tickets are required. What’s new in 2019 Expanded footprint of the walk. Garden Walk Buffalo now includes the Park Meadow and Parkside…...
Volunteers are needed to help with the gardens at Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village, 3755 Tonawanda Creek Rd., Amherst. The gardeners work from 9:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, weather permitting. They start in May and work through October. You don’t have to be experienced; the group has Master Gardeners who are happy to share their knowledge. Please take your favorite hand tools. For more information, contact Rosalind Rivers at rdrivers123@roadrunner.com…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko The leaves on the bottom of my tomato plants are turning yellow, then brown. Don’t worry; it’s normal, says Jen Weber, vice president and manager of Mike Weber Greenhouses at 42 French Rd., West Seneca. “That’s what happens when the plant starts making tomatoes,” she said. “It’s better to have an ugly plant with lots of tomatoes than the other way around. By the end of summer, you should have a dead-looking tomato plant.” That’s what…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko The large landscape of Sue and Russell Rich in Hamburg is full of gardens, with flowering perennials packed shoulder to shoulder. Sue made all that happen. Russell mows the lawn and does the edging. So what is the one thing that people ask most often about this impressive landscape? To Sue’s chagrin, they ask about edging. People always want lessons on edging. I visited the Riches’ landscape during the Hamburg Garden Walk last weekend, and Russell…...
Due to the much publicized and well researched problems caused by neonicotinoids, the Environmental Protection Agency has banned 12 pesticides because of the harmful effect neonicotinoids have on bees, according to “Good News for Bees and the Environment” by Lyn Chimera. Unlike traditional pesticides, “neonics” are systemic, meaning that when taken up by the root system, the entire plant becomes toxic to insects. That article is one of the three articles in this month’s edition of WNY Gardening Matters, produced by…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Geranium plants are better than they were decades ago, said David Mischler, 80. He should know. “I’ve been working with geraniums since I was about 12,” he said. Now the office manager at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, he shares a quick history of geraniums as well as a tip about making geraniums look good for your next party. He will also be giving tours as Mischler’s holds its 75th anniversary celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday,…...