Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

Keep your garden looking colorful into autumn

by Connie Oswald Stofko “We don’t do the usual; we do the unusual. We pride ourselves on that,” said Brian Olinski. That’s why so many people visit him and and his husband, Gordon Ballard, during Open Gardens. You will find plants in their landscape that no one else in Western New York has. And their “Bird Avenue Gardens” are big, situated on a double lot in Buffalo, with plants everywhere you look. But you don’t need a gigantic garden or…...

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Oct 8, 2024

Start a community or school garden with Grassroots Gardens WNY

Grassroots Gardens WNY is taking applications now for people who want to create new community gardens or school gardens in 2025. The deadline for applying is Saturday, Nov. 30. Currently Grassroots Gardens WNY is considering only community gardens and school gardens located in the cities of Buffalo or Niagara Falls, NY. However, if you are a school in one of their nearby suburbs, Grassroots Gardens WNY may be able to support you in 2025. Priority is given to gardens in neighborhoods…...

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Oct 8, 2024

Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens in Buffalo NY

$10 Thursdays: discount & longer hours at Botanical Gardens

Get a discount and explore the conservatory all day long on $10 Thursdays at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Every Thursday until November 14, the Botanical Gardens is open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. for only $10. Reserve a spot here. In addition to discounted admission, you can sign up for a special evening installment of Feed the Fish on select $10 Thursdays. Click here for a full list of dates. Attendance at Feed the Fish is available at a separate cost. …...

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Oct 8, 2024

Houseplants on summer vacation? Time to bring them back inside

by David R. Clark, CNLP If your houseplants have been outside this summer, start preparing now to move them indoors. Here are some of my tips to get them ready for the move. When to move houseplants inside Move your houseplants to a shady place outside for one to two weeks to get them acclimated to the lower indoor lighting conditions. Bring your houseplants inside before you turn on your furnace. If the plants are outside in cool daytime temperatures,…...

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Oct 1, 2024

Learn about seed saving in the Optimistic Gardener

Seed saving is just one of the topics in the newest edition of The Optimistic Gardener. Dianne Hovey, Master Gardener, discusses saving dry fruited seeds, such as beans and lettuce, and wet fruited seeds, such as winter squash and melons. The seeds of tomatoes and cucumbers should undergo a fermentation process. You’ll also find information on garden tool maintenance, planting garlic, what to do about the invasive spotted lanternfly, food preservation and a recipe for peach apple salsa. The publication…...

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Oct 1, 2024

Grajek named interim CEO at Botanical Gardens

Erin Grajek, who has been the chief operating officer since 2021 at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, has been appointed interim president and CEO. She has held progressive leadership roles at the Botanical Gardens since 2006. The appointment came one week after the death of Mark Mortenson, the organization’s president and CEO. “Erin has been a trusted leader with the Botanical Gardens,” said Tisha Luciani, board chair of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, “and we are…...

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Oct 1, 2024

Get ready to plant spring bulbs in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko Autumn is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs, but planting them too early could damage or even kill them. When you plant bulbs that flower in the spring, the soil needs to be cool; around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, said Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager at Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market in Buffalo. Cool soil tells the bulb to grow roots, which is what you want. The bulb is getting established for spring, when it will send out leaves…...

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Sep 24, 2024

How to prepare your trees for storms

Did you have tree damage during Western New York’s summer tornadoes or winter storms? Proper planning and good care can help keep trees healthy, which prevents expensive damage, according the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. September is National Preparedness Month, so this is a good time to review your emergency plans for storms. Tip: If your community is ready to get started with storm mitigation, see the new Storm Mitigation Workbook and Template available now. Trees Start right Plant the…...

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Sep 24, 2024

maple leaf copyright Connie Oswald Stofko

Bat conservation & seasonal trees are topics in gardening symposium

The Jamestown Garden Club will hold its fall gardening symposium from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 5 at the YWCA Lake Lodge, 185 East Terrace Ave., Lakewood. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $15. Jonathan Townsend, bat biologist at EDR, will speak on “Conservation of Bats in Chautauqua County.” EDR is a firm that does environmental design and research. Bruce Robinson of Bruce E. Robinson Forestry Consultants, Inc. will speak on “Selecting Trees and Shrubs for Seasonal Beauty.”…...

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Sep 24, 2024

Reminder: Keep watering, weeding & harvesting

by Connie Oswald Stofko I was shocked when I saw the pitiful state of my impatiens. The flowers were limp, the leaves were sagging and the plant looked miserable. I don’t know when I had watered them last, but, obviously, it was too long. I felt bad. Luckily, impatiens spring back fast. I checked back a few hours later and they were perky and happy again. But don’t wait until your plants start wilting to let you know that they…...

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Sep 17, 2024