Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

sprouts at Mischler's Florist and Greenhouses

How do the professionals plant thousands of seeds? Get a sneak peek!

While it’s still too early for you to plant seeds inside, the professionals at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses have already started many of the 200,000 plants they will sell at their yearly 49-cent Perennial Sale. The sale will begin Friday, April 24 at Mischler’s, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. They can start seeds now because they have equipment you probably don’t have, such as a thermostat-controlled germination chamber, heated misting benches and, of course, a greenhouse. There’s also a fascinating…...

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Feb 10, 2015

Jacob's Cattle Beans from Jim Tammaro in Williamsville NY

Heirloom gardening seminar set for Feb. 21 at Genesee Country Village & Museum

An heirloom gardening seminar will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21 at Genesee Country Village & Museum, 1410 Flint Hill Rd., Mumford. The day-long program will feature sessions on growing and using herbs, cooking with heirloom vegetables, seed saving and an exclusive look at the heirloom seed catalog collection at Cornell University. There will also be an opportunity to taste some special dishes prepared by the museum’s village staff for those seeking a unique culinary…...

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Feb 5, 2015

floral clock photo illustration by Connie Oswald Stofko

Building a shade garden, 20 Gardening Tips to be presented at Hosta Society

by Connie Oswald Stofko I will be one of two speakers at the meeting of the Western New York Hosta Society on Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Town of Aurora Senior Citizens Center, 101 King St. at Oakwood Ave., East Aurora. Doors will open at 1 p.m. and the program will begin at 2 p.m. Dennis James of DJ’s Greenhouse in Transfer, PA, will give a presentation on “Building a Shade Garden.” Then I will share “20 Gardening Tips in…...

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Feb 5, 2015

Artichoke-ImperialStar from WAtleeBurpee

Want a plant that is different, pretty and yummy? Try artichokes

by Connie Oswald Stofko If you want to try something different in your spring garden this year, the folks at Lockwood’s Greenhouses suggest the artichoke. If you like to cook and eat artichokes, you’ll naturally be drawn to this plant, but it’s interesting in several ways to gardeners. First, it gets beautiful gray-green foliage, making it a wonderful accent plant, said Teresa Buchanan, garden center manager. You can enjoy it as a lovely addition to your flower bed. The plant…...

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Feb 3, 2015

Spring sale of tree, shrub seedlings under way in counties & through State DEC

During the Spring Seedling Sale, you can buy tree and shrub seedlings through various counties or through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Orders will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Stock is limitied, so order early. The seedlings will be shipped to a central location in your county where you can pick up your order on a certain day. Ordering deadlines vary. If you live in a county that doesn’t have a central location…...

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Feb 3, 2015

Wave petunias from Powarski in West Seneca NY

Lush flower garden grows from cracks in concrete driveway in West Seneca

Some of us have trouble growing flowers in our garden beds, but Jerry Powarski of West Seneca can get them to grow in his concrete driveway! Powarski didn’t plant the flowers; they were “volunteers.” The seeds dropped off from flowers that had been growing the previous year in nearby pots and found their way into the cracks in his driveway. Not only does he allow them to grow in the driveway, he weeds out any competing plants. The really difficult…...

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Feb 3, 2015

People hated yesterday’s weather, but at least groundhog didn’t see its shadow

by Connie Oswald Stofko I used to think Groundhog Day was silly, but now I really like it. Not because it’s accurate, of course. Let’s take a look at what Western New York’s own Dunkirk Dave has predicted. Since he is billed as the world’s second longest prognosticating groundhog (or woodchuck), he has some experience. In 2012, Dunkirk Dave didn’t see his shadow, which is supposed to mean we would have an early spring. That year we had record-breaking hot…...

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Feb 3, 2015

Start seeds outside now using milk jug, other containers in ‘winter sowing’

by Connie Oswald Stofko This is actually an update of a tip from David Clark, the nationally known horticulture speaker who teaches at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Winter sowing is great because it gives us gardeners in Western New York something to do when it’s cold and snowy out. You plant hardy seeds in old milk jugs or other containers and set the containers outside now. The seeds will know when they should sprout in the spring…....

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Jan 27, 2015

Database helps you find trees, shrubs that work for your garden in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko When we’re planning our gardens, so many of us forget about what should make up the backbone of our gardens: trees and shrubs. Trees and shrubs are larger than most other plants in your garden, so you want to plan around them. Once you plant them, they should stay put–It’s harder to relocate a tree placed in the wrong spot than it is to move a 12-inch flower. Trees can be expensive, too, so you…...

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Jan 27, 2015

Call 811 before you dig new garden to prevent damage to utility lines, injury

Before you dig up an area for a new garden or plant a tree or dig holes for a fence, you should call 811 or use the online Single Address Ticket. When you call or make your request online, your local utilities come out– for free– and flag where their lines are so you don’t accidentally hit them with your shovel or rototiller. You’d be pretty embarrassed if the whole neighborhood lost its cable because you cut the line. And…...

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Jan 27, 2015