Volunteers are needed to help with the gardens at Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village, 3755 Tonawanda Creek Rd., Amherst. The gardeners work from 9:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, weather permitting. They start in May and work through October. You don’t have to be experienced; the group has Master Gardeners who are happy to share their knowledge. Please take your favorite hand tools. For more information, contact Rosalind Rivers at rdrivers123@roadrunner.com….
by Connie Oswald Stofko The leaves on the bottom of my tomato plants are turning yellow, then brown. Don’t worry; it’s normal, says Jen Weber, vice president and manager of Mike Weber Greenhouses at 42 French Rd., West Seneca. “That’s what happens when the plant starts making tomatoes,” she said. “It’s better to have an ugly plant with lots of tomatoes than the other way around. By the end of summer, you should have a dead-looking tomato plant.” That’s what…
by Connie Oswald Stofko The large landscape of Sue and Russell Rich in Hamburg is full of gardens, with flowering perennials packed shoulder to shoulder. Sue made all that happen. Russell mows the lawn and does the edging. So what is the one thing that people ask most often about this impressive landscape? To Sue’s chagrin, they ask about edging. People always want lessons on edging. I visited the Riches’ landscape during the Hamburg Garden Walk last weekend, and Russell…
Due to the much publicized and well researched problems caused by neonicotinoids, the Environmental Protection Agency has banned 12 pesticides because of the harmful effect neonicotinoids have on bees, according to “Good News for Bees and the Environment” by Lyn Chimera. Unlike traditional pesticides, “neonics” are systemic, meaning that when taken up by the root system, the entire plant becomes toxic to insects. That article is one of the three articles in this month’s edition of WNY Gardening Matters, produced by…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Geranium plants are better than they were decades ago, said David Mischler, 80. He should know. “I’ve been working with geraniums since I was about 12,” he said. Now the office manager at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, he shares a quick history of geraniums as well as a tip about making geraniums look good for your next party. He will also be giving tours as Mischler’s holds its 75th anniversary celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday,…
by Connie Oswald Stofko “My garden makes me happy,” said Mary Vescio. “I love all the colors, all the different plants that are flowering.” Vescio shared her landscape on the Grand Island Garden Walk on Sunday. See the list below for gardens you can visit this week. Vescio has found that perennials are easier than annuals to use in her garden because perennials come back every year. However, the flowers on the perennials don’t last all summer. To maintain some…
If you like to talk to people and have an interest in plants, consider becoming a docent at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Docents lead tours, teach hands-on programs and help with many educational events at the Botanical Gardens. An education background is not required, but a high level of interest and enthusiasm is. The docent training will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 8, 15, 22, 29 and Sept. 5 and 12 at…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Garden seating makes your yard appealing in so many ways. It invites you and your visitors to gather and relax. It can provide you with a warm spot in the sun or a cool refuge in the shade. And a seating area can be the place where you enjoy the wonderful vista you have created. In this article, we’ll look at garden seating in the Amherst landscape of Connie Krueger, which you can visit during Open…
by Connie Oswald Stofko You can generally harvest garlic in mid- or late-July. The foliage starts to die back, which is an indication that the garlic is ready. Once your garlic is harvested, you’ll have an empty spot in your garden until October, the recommended time to plant garlic. But do we have to wait until October to plant garlic? As we discussed in a previous article, maybe not. Last year, I planted my garlic in intervals starting in August….
The good news is that oak wilt, a serious disease for oak trees, hasn’t been spotted in Western New York yet. The bad news is that it has been identified in Ontario County, southeast of Rochester, as well as in other parts of New York State. See a map here. The good news is that if oak wilt is found, steps can be taken to keep it from spreading. July and August is the time to spot oak wilt disease,…