by Connie Oswald Stofko We have already accumulated so many tips on keeping gardens safe from rabbits, deer and other pests that it surprises me to find that gardeners have found even more clever ways to deal with critters. Here are more tips that local gardeners have shared with me. Deer and rabbits Previously, we told you that placing dryer sheets in your garden could keep deer and rabbits away, but when the smell goes out of the dryer sheets,…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko One of the most popular features of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com is our Events page. Now that our website makeover is complete, it’s even more user-friendly than before. Take a look! (Note: I will post the dates for garden walks for 2018 as soon as I have them.) ____________________ ____________________ ____________________…...
Artwork is being sought for a garden art competition that offers multiple opportunities for artists including publication in a book, feature on a garden walk poster, and an exhibition. The “Beauty in Our Backyard: 2018 Gardening Art Competition,” produced by the University Heights Arts Association (UHAA), will offer three cash prizes plus an exhibition of the top 25 finalists’ work. The first-place winner’s art will be used to create the official poster for the Samuel P. Capen Garden Walk. The cash prizes are, first place, $100;…...
by Steven Jakobi, Allegany County Master Gardener volunteer One of the hardest things for me when the weather turns cold is to let go of my annuals. I mean, these are my babies. I started them from seed early in the spring, nurtured them throughout the summer, saw them flower and fruit and then, with the first hard frost, I have to see them perish. To prevent their demise, I bring as many of them as I can into the…...
Pruning oak trees now through the end of February can help protect the oaks from becoming infected with oak wilt, a fungal disease that can be deadly for oaks, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The disease is caused by the oak wilt fungus. One way oak wilt spreads is by the fungal spores hitching rides on insects. Sap beetles, one of the main culprits, are extremely attracted to fresh tree wounds. If you prune when the insects…...
Master Gardeners are planning educational events in Batavia, Alfred, Buffalo and East Aurora. See all the details below. Genesee County The Genesee County Master Gardeners will hold a monthly Garden Talk series from 12:15 to 12:45 pm. on the first Tuesday of the month at the Cooperative Extension office, 420 E. Main St., Batavia. Take your lunch. The series is free. Registration is not required. The first Garden Talk of the year will be “A Photo Garden Tour of Chanticleer Gardens” on Tuesday,…...
Applications are now available for Marvin Lunenfeld Beautification Grants, named for Garden Walk Buffalo’s founder. Completed applications are due Feb. 28. The initiative has funded more than 100 garden beautification projects across the West Side of Buffalo totaling more than $100,000 since 2005. Find eligibility requirements and applications online or call 716-247-5004 and they will mail you an application. One objective of Garden Walk Buffalo is to give back to the community by supplying funds to block clubs and neighborhood…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Home gardeners aren’t planting acres and acres of gardens anymore, so we have to get more out of the few plants we choose to include in our landscapes, Kerry Ann Mendez told me in a phone interview. The award-winning garden designer, author and lecturer noted that the two largest age groups in our country now are millennials and baby boomers, and both groups are choosing smaller spaces. Millennials are gravitating toward urban settings rather than sprawling suburbs, and…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko I’m been working on a makeover of the Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com website, and I’m happy to unveil it in the first issue for 2018. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be pointing out some of the helpful features of the site. But you don’t have to wait for me— feel free to explore on your own. I’d love to get your feedback. You can leave a comment below or email me at Connie@BuffaloNiagaraGardening.com. See the image below to…...
The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens will kick off its popular lighting event called Lumagination with a Launch Party from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26 at the Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Enjoy signature cocktails and delicious appetizers and be among the first to see the Botanical Gardens lit up with light displays, creative designs and interactive features. Tickets for the Launch Party are $45 and are available online. Lumagination continues on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 27 and 28; Thursday through…...