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…...
Get “45 Gardening Tips in 45 Minutes” at Garden Friends of Clarence meeting
by Connie Oswald Stofko I will present “45 Gardening Tips in 45 Minutes” at the meeting of the Garden Friends of Clarence at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Clarence Town Park Clubhouse, 10405 Main St., Clarence. Like all the events we list on Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, this event is open to the public. I’ll share some of the best tips I discovered as I interviewed home gardeners and gardening experts for the online gardening magazine for Western New York. See…...
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…...
Gardeners can help the environment & save money, too
by Connie Oswald Stofko “Just because something is good for the environment, it doesn’t mean you have to spend more money for it,” said Albert J. Gilewicz. “Sometimes you end up paying less.” Gilewicz, who describes himself as a pragmatic environmentalist with a background in engineering and business, will present “The Garden Revolution: A Call to Trowels” at the meeting of the Ken-Sheriton Garden Club at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 576 Delaware Road, Kenmore…....
Want to start community garden in Buffalo? Apply to Grassroots Gardens by Feb. 17
If you are interested in starting a community garden in the City of Buffalo, you may be able to get assistance from Grassroots Gardens. The full application isn’t due until March 3, but a letter of intent is due Feb. 17. An open house will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 in the Grassroots Gardens main office, 2495 Main Street, Suite 408, Buffalo NY 14214. Staff will be on hand to answer questions and to help…...
Deadline is March 31 for vendors to sign up for Buffalo-style Garden Art Sale
I’ve received a couple questions from people asking how they can sign up for the Buffalo-style Garden Art Sale, so I wanted to share this information right away. You can get an application here, and the deadline for applications is March 31. The items for sale have to be garden- or nature-themed, or works that can be displayed in a garden setting. They can be done in any medium: Sculpture, plants, planters, metalwork, paintings, lighting, vintage, signs, woodwork, architectural remnants,…...