by Connie Oswald Stofko How did your landscape look this autumn? Did you have lovely autumn perennials? Trees bursting with fall-colored leaves? How about shrubs? Chances are you don’t have shrubs with autumn interest, and if you do, it’s a popular shrub that is problematic. As you make your plans for next year, consider choosing a native shrub that is interesting in autumn in Western New York. Stunning, but problematic: burning bush I’ve got to admit, burning bush (Euonymus alatus),…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Have you accumulated extra paper bags since the ban on plastic bags at stores went into effect in New York State? I have. And I’ve done it on purpose. The other day I stopped into a store and bought one small item. It wasn’t raining out; I could have easily carried the item to my car with no help from a bag. But when the cashier asked me if I wanted a bag for just a…...
Cornell Cooperative Extension is accepting applications for the next Master Gardener training class for Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. The deadline to submit an application is Jan. 16. Space is limited. Get applications here; in person at the Chautauqua County office at 525 Falconer St., Jamestown, or by calling (716) 664-9502 to have one mailed to you. Classes will take place remotely from 6-7 p.m. Wednesdays from Feb. 8 through May 20. There will also be a few in-person classes each…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Most poinsettias are 18 inches tall, but Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses offers poinsettias that are about three feet tall–twice as tall as other poinsettias. One recent shopper called them “magnificent,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s. While they’re unusual, these poinsettias are, oddly enough, traditional, too. They aren’t a different variety of poinsettia; they’re just grown differently. Typically, poinsettias are pinched back (which means cutting back some stems), Yadon explained. That encourages the plant to branch…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Yes, Western New York has seen winter weather already, but the calendar says it’s still autumn. With a few days of milder weather in the forecast, get outside and do those late-season tasks while you can. Harvest herbs & cold weather veggies If you have any herbs or cold-weather vegetables, such as parsley, onions and peas, still growing, don’t let them go to waste. Harvest them now while they’re not hidden under a blanket of snow…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko “What a crazy thing this was!” said David Clark, who got about 80 inches of snow at his Hamburg home during the recent snow storm. The amount of snow dropped in Western New York varied. Buffalo’s Southtowns area was hit hardest while areas in the Northtowns got a foot or two. The snowfall varied in other WNY counties as well, with some parts getting just a few inches. If your landscape felt the brunt of the…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko I didn’t see many brown marmorated stinkbugs in October, which is the time when they are usually trying to get into our houses. Other Western New York gardeners have told me they have seen fewer–or even none–this fall. Could the population of brown marmorated stinkbugs be declining in Western New York? “It does seem to be that way,” said Liam Somers, state entomologist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Brown marmorated stinkbugs in…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko I hope you are warm, well and safe. And I hope that, no matter where you live in Western New York, you find things to be thankful for. I am thankful for everything gardeners do to help others, whether they quietly share plants and seeds with a neighbor, volunteer as a Master Gardener, give produce to food pantries, organize a garden walk or add a native plant to their garden or balcony. The gardening environment in…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Now that it’s autumn, have you turned your back on your gardens, or will your landscape give you pleasure even throughout winter? Keep your autumn and winter gardens appealing with these two tips from Jay Jinge Hu, who shared his Williamsville landscape on Open Gardens for the first time this year. Keep ceramic & cement pots from breaking in winter I have always advised gardeners to bring their concrete or ceramic pots inside for the winter…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko Thanksgiving is coming up next week, with more winter celebrations to follow. You may be cooking a lot–and cleaning up a lot. What should you do with the grease on the pots and pans? Let’s look at the choices. You may be surprised. Compost It’s generally recommended not to use fats, oils and grease in your compost because they can create odor problems and attract rodents. Some people say you can add small amounts of fats,…...