Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

Thanks for making Western New York’s online gardening magazine so successful!

by Connie Oswald Stofko Thanks to my loyal readers, Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com has once again received a Constant Contact All Star Award! “The standards for becoming an All Star this year were tougher than ever,” said the folks at Constant Contact, “and that you managed to do it for consecutive years is quite an accomplishment.” Constant Contact, a marketing and email company, works with more than half a million small organizations worldwide, so to be given this award is an honor for…...

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May 26, 2014

plants from garden center in Western New York

5 tips for shopping for plants this weekend in Western New York

by Connie Oswald Stofko This weekend is probably the biggest shopping weekend for gardeners. Our gardens should be dry enough to dig in by now, and by the end of May, the danger of frost should have passed, so we’re all excited to buy tender plants and put them in our gardens now. To help you get the most out of your shopping excursion, take a look at these tips. Decide what you want to get out of your garden…...

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May 20, 2014

Get spectacular spring color without sacrificing summer splendor

by Connie Oswald Stofko So many of us are looking forward to the start of the 2014 gardening season, but Claudia Kolbe-Hawthorne of the Cleve-Hill section of Cheektowaga is already enjoying the third wave of color in her flower beds. First there were the hyacinths, which were followed by daffodils. When I visited her last week, there were masses of colorful tulips. But even after the tulips are gone, there won’t be a lack of color. The perennials, such as…...

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May 20, 2014

As you take photos, keep Western New York contests in mind

If you like gardening, you might like taking photos of gardens and nature. And if you’ve got some lovely shots, why not enter them into a photo contest? The deadline for the Jamestown Audubon contest is coming up quickly– June 30– but you have until Dec. 31 to get shots for the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens contest. Jamestown Audubon Society Anyone from beginners and professionals can enter their images in the fourth annual Nature Photography Contest held by…...

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May 20, 2014

Tomato Old German courtesy Terra Organic

Heirloom tomatoes aren’t pretty, but can be fun to grow

by Connie Oswald Stofko Heirloom tomatoes may look weird to you. They’re purple or creamy yellow or even striped. And that’s why some people like them. “From that angle, they’re really fun,” said Jen Weber, retail manager at Mike Weber Greenhouses, 42 French Rd., West Seneca. You can buy heirloom tomatoes now at Mike Weber Greenhouses, and if you want to plant them now, go for it, Weber said. She has checked with Western New York farmers and they are…...

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May 13, 2014

How to find a garden center that has the plant you’re looking for

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately from readers who want to know where they can buy certain plants. Whenever you want to know what garden centers have a particular plant in stock, it’s best to contact them directly. While some common plants might be carried by all garden centers, you’d be surprised at how widely the stock varies from shop to shop. In addition, garden centers will try out new plants each year and stop carrying other plants…...

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May 13, 2014

Grow tunnel and herb garden under leaves: Did the plants survive this cold winter?

by Connie Oswald Stofko In November, Caesandra Seawell, garden manager, showed us how she extends the growing season in the Pelion Community Garden at City Honors School in Buffalo. She insulated the herb bed by adding a thick blanket of leaves and, after two frosts this fall, the parsley was still green. On another raised bed with a grow tunnel, the broccoli, kale and cabbage were still doing well even though the temperature had dipped to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. But…...

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May 13, 2014

June 6 is deadline to register your garden for Ken-Ton Garden Tour

The Ken-Ton Garden Tour is now accepting applications to have your garden on this year’s tour, which will be held Friday through Sunday, July 18 through 20. New this year: The Night Lights tour will be held on Friday as well as Saturday; in the past it was held on Saturday only. Hours are 8:30 to 11 p.m. both nights. The daytime tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Applications to have your garden…...

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May 6, 2014

Find a good home for your extra plants by donating them to nonprofit gardens

When you’re thinning out your perennials, you probably feel sad when you have to throw those extra plants on the compost pile. Two Western New York organizations that would be delighted to find a good home for those plants are the Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford and Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo. Genesee Country Village & Museum The Genesee Country Village & Museum recreates a 19th-century country village with costumed interpreters in restored historic buildings. This season the gardeners…...

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May 13, 2014

Sign up by June 20 to show your garden on West Seneca Tour of Gardens

The deadline is June 20 to sign up to have your garden on the third annual West Seneca Tour of Gardens. To sign up, contact the organizers, Dave or Sharon Pulinski, at 824-3995 or email sharonpulinski@yahoo.com. This year the garden will be held for two days instead of just one, said Sharon Pulinski. That way even if the weather is bad on one day, there’s still a chance for better weather the next day. A gardener can choose to show…...

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May 6, 2014