by Connie Oswald Stofko Now that we can’t recycle as many kinds of items as we did before, can we find ways to reuse them in our gardens? We already use lots of odds and ends in our gardens, but today let’s reach a little higher. Let’s look specifically at items that you can’t recycle anymore — items that get thrown in the trash and end up in a landfill. And let’s look at things that you were throwing into…
You could win a dream vacation in the Travel Raffle held by the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. The Travel Raffle is offering three prizes: The grand prize is a dream vacation of the winner’s choosing. The second-place prize is a relaxing getaway to the Sterling Inn & Spa in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The third-place prize is a two-day vacation to Ellicottville. Travel Raffle tickets are $20 each and are available through Sept. 3. Each ticket has three chances…
If you want butterflies to stick around your garden longer, it’s not enough to think about gardening for butterflies. You need to think about gardening for caterpillars, too, said David O’Donnell of Eastern Monarch Butterfly Farm. You can find his article and more in the Spring 2019 edition of the Pollinator magazine. It is published by the Pollinator Conservation Association, which is based in Western New York. Butterflies have a mission, O’Donnell explained. In addition to keeping themselves nourished by…
by Connie Oswald Stofko You don’t have to be a member of the Western New York Hosta Society to enter the show to be held this weekend at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. The show will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 9 at the Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Admission is $11 for adults, $10 for seniors (ages 62 and older), $9 for students (ages 13 and older…
by Connie Oswald Stofko I don’t get deer in my yard, so I haven’t tested whether horse manure might keep deer away. But I know how desperate Western New York gardeners get when it comes to deer, so I figured I should pass along any tip that might help. I got this information from a blog post by Joyce Tomanek on Mother Earth News that was published in 1999. Tomanek lives in the Southeast, which may (or may not) make a difference….
Two invasive insects — one that can make you sick and another that damages your lilies— are discussed in this month’s WNY Gardening Matters. The publication is produced by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. Lone star tick The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is a scary tick that is now in New York State, according to Lyn Chimera in this article. The bite of the lone star tick can trigger a very dangerous syndrome called…
Some flowers, such as delphinium, may need support so they stand up straight and won’t break in a strong wind. Jen Weber, vice president and manager of Mike Weber Greenhouses, gives us tips on how to do it properly. Start with a bamboo stake that is taller than your flower. (You can get bamboo stakes at Mike Weber’s.) When you’re placing the stake, make sure you’re not too close to base of your plant. The stake should be at least…
The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is recruiting new volunteers to help in a variety of areas including horticulture, facilities, administration, visitor services, weddings, special events and education, as well as serving as docents. A volunteer orientation will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 12 at the Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo The orientation is free. The deadline to register for volunteer orientation is Friday, June 7. Register online or contact Karen Hammer, Program…
by Connie Oswald Stofko How can you deal with standing water in your yard? What can you plant to attract birds and butterflies? The North Tonawanda Botanical Garden Organization wants to share what they know about these topics and more. “Our ultimate focus is community education,” said Laura Pecoraro, secretary. The group, which became a nonprofit in July 2018, is in its fourth year of rehabilitating a long-neglected park. It’s located at 1825 Sweeney St., North Tonawanda, along the Tonawanda…
by Connie Oswald Stofko A gardener recently asked me how he could get grass out of his garden beds. It’s so difficult, he said, because when you pull up on the grass, you may think you’ve got it all, but the root just keeps going and going. All I could do was commiserate. I have stones lining my garden beds in an attempt to keep the lawn on one side and the garden beds on the other, but it doesn’t…