basket of tomatoes and cucumber by Stofko

Reminder: share your extra produce

by Connie Oswald Stofko Are you one of those gardeners who don’t know what you’re going to do with all that zucchini? Or maybe you had a bumper crop of tomatoes. Or peppers, squash, basil… . There are places near you that would be thrilled to take that extra food off your hands. FeedMore WNY distributes food to hungry people throughout Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties. They partner with 300 agencies. You can find food pantries near you on the…...

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Aug 23, 2022
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pruning hemp closeup courtesy NCCC

Cannabis for WNY gardeners: increasing interest, college courses available

by Connie Oswald Stofko Perhaps as soon as January, patients with a medical card can legally grow cannabis at home in Western New York, and in about two years, home gardeners will also be able to legally grow cannabis. “There’s increasing interest in growing cannabis at home,” said Carolyn Stanko, professor and co-coordinator in the Horticulture Program and coordinator in Biology at Niagara County Community College (NCCC). NCCC is the lead institution for a $1 million grant from New York…...

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Aug 16, 2022
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colorful perennials at Mischler's Florist and Greenhouses in Williamsville

Reminder: Still time to plant perennials, some in bloom now!

by Connie Oswald Stofko Gardening season in Western New York is longer than many people think–it doesn’t start and end on Memorial Day weekend. There’s still time to plant perennials, including ones that are blooming now. And you can freshen up your garden with summer annuals as well as autumn annuals. And some of these plants may be on sale! Planting perennials in late summer You can safely plant perennials now through mid-September, said Mark Yadon, vice president of Mischler’s Florist…...

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Aug 16, 2022
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dinosaur made of plants at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

New Coleus & Creatures Exhibit set at Botanical Gardens

Colorful creatures made out of live plants will be on display during the new Coleus and Creatures Exhibit at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from Saturday, Aug. 20 through Monday, Oct. 31. Look for dinosaur succulent topiaries, a coleus peacock, moss-made dinosaurs, a giant buffalo, a dragonfly, a shark and more. You’ll also be dazzled by hundreds of vibrant colored coleus throughout…...

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Aug 16, 2022
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daisy fleabane in Amherst NY backyard

Weed or volunteer in your WNY garden: daisy fleabane

by Connie Oswald Stofko Sometimes we get plants that just show up in our gardens. If we want to keep those plants, we call them volunteers. If we don’t want those plants in our garden, they’re weeds. An interesting plant arrived in one of my garden beds this spring. I didn’t know what it was and wasn’t sure whether it was going to be a volunteer or a weed. It grew about five feet tall and got pretty little daisy-like…...

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Aug 9, 2022
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hostas daylilies and iris at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Garden

Hosta, Daylily & Iris Sale at Botanical Gardens

The Hosta, Daylily & Iris Sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 in the Administration Building at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Admission to the sale is free. It’s hosted by the WNY Hosta Society, Buffalo Area Daylily Society and Buffalo Iris Society. Hundreds of daylilies, hostas and irises will be labeled and described for sale at reasonable prices. Experts will be on hand to answer your plant questions. Note: There…...

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Aug 9, 2022
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leaves with beech leaf disease

Beech leaf disease found in all of Western New York; report affected trees

Beech leaf disease (BLD), which affects all species of beech trees, has been identified in in all eight counties of Western New York. DEC is asking the public to submit reports through NYimapInvasives if they encounter a beech tree showing signs of BLD. The main symptom to look for on beech foliage is darkened striping between the veins, which is best seen when looking up through the canopy. Leaves with severe symptoms can be heavily banded and crinkled, with a thickened leathery…...

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Aug 9, 2022
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pond at Graycliff in Derby NY

Summer is the time to see Graycliff at its best; great events, too

by Connie Oswald Stofko Perched on a cliff overlooking Lake Erie, Graycliff is a wonderful spot to catch a cooling breeze and enjoy the view. No wonder Isabelle and Darwin Martin had their second fabulous estate built there. “This was the Martins’ summer home,” said Anna Kaplan, executive director of Graycliff. “Summer is the time to see it!” This architectural gem, designed in the 1920s by Frank Lloyd Wright, features newly completed restoration projects. They include stone benches looking out…...

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Aug 2, 2022
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greenhouse whiteflies on leaf

Whiteflies in your WNY garden? Don’t worry

by Connie Oswald Stofko Here’s a message I got from a reader: Hi Connie, Would you consider adding the tiny whitefly infestation and organic solutions to rid garden of them in your next newsletter? In the garden, they are everywhere, likely thirsty! Wishing for rain tonight! Thank you, Brigitte Wagner-Ott, Eggertsville I didn’t even know what whiteflies were, and since Wagner-Ott lives down the street from me, I figured I should find out more. She saw something online, but wanted information…...

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Aug 2, 2022
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amaryllis blooming inside in Amherst NY

Reminder for WNY: Bring amaryllis inside soon so it blooms at Christmas

by Connie Oswald Stofko If you want to force your amaryllis to bloom inside around Christmas, bring it inside around the middle of August. That’s the advice from David Clark, CNLP, who teaches the horticulture classes at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. See our previous article here to find out about the timing for amaryllis. Find out more about growing amaryllis here…....

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Aug 2, 2022
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