Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

For butterflies & fragrance, choose common milkweed!

by Connie Oswald Stofko If you like butterflies, you probably have a kind of milkweed called butterfly flower (Asclepias tuberosa). You may even have swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). Consider adding common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) to that mix. Not only is it a plant that monarchs love, it gets a pretty flower– and it’s fragrant! Dan Murak pointed out the fragrance this summer when I visited his landscape, which was shared on the Snyder-CleveHill Garden View. Another thing I like about common milkweed is that…...

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Sep 14, 2021

Bad news for boxwood: box tree moth has arrived in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko An invasive moth that damages and can kill boxwoods has arrived in Western New York. The box tree moth has been identified in Niagara County, said John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County. My sister in Cheektowaga has noticed damage to boxwoods in her area. That was probably caused by the box tree moth, too, Farfaglia said. This invasive pest “is expected to spread,” he said. If you haven’t seen it in…...

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Sep 14, 2021

illustration of sparrow eating lettuce and kale

Help a reader: birds eating lettuce

by Connie Oswald Stofko I received this question from a reader: Just wondering if anyone else has had sparrows eating their lettuce, Swiss chard or other greens. I planted a second crop fairly recently in planters and the sparrows act as if they are at a salad bar. They aren’t eating the seeds, just the leaves, picked them to pieces! I’ve just recently covered them with old windows that I use for cold frames and am hoping this stops them. I…...

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Sep 14, 2021

composite image for Growing Gowanda event

Turning Gowanda brownfields into tourist destination, agri-hub

by Connie Oswald Stofko Gowanda, a once-industrial village left with 18 contaminated or underutilized properties, is working to revitalize itself by becoming a destination for agri-tourism and a hub for agriculture businesses. Not only that, it aims to reinforce and strengthen all the agriculture in this region. Find out more and get a taste of agri-tourism at Growing Gowanda from 5 p.m. until dark this Friday, Sept. 10 at 10 Industrial Place, Village of Gowanda. It will be set up…...

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Sep 7, 2021

squirrel closeup for featured image by Stofko

Squirrel tips:How to keep them from digging up your potted plants in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko We’re getting into the time when squirrels start to store acorns for the winter. I don’t mind when the squirrels stash their hoard in my lawn, but I do object when they dig up a container that holds perennials. Here’s a tip from Lyn Chimera of Lessons from Nature: To keep squirrels and chipmunks from digging up potted plants, cover the top of the soil with a layer of pea gravel after the container is planted…....

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Sep 7, 2021

Gala at the Gardens to support ‘sprouting minds’ with virtual auction

The Gala at the Gardens Virtual Auction 2021 will celebrate the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens‘ commitment to sprouting minds through their educational programming. Browse and bid at your convenience on your mobile device on their virtual silent auction and basket raffle. Receive live text updates on your bids. New this year: You can purchase a delicious pickup meal provided by Salvatore’s Hospitality to enjoy at home while bidding. You can see the items to be auctioned now. Reserve your meal…...

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Sep 7, 2021

Add color now to your late-season garden in Western New York

by Connie Oswald Stofko “There’s a lot of color here,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, as he surveyed the tables full of flowering perennials and annuals at Mischler’s. As you look around your garden in late summer, do you still see exciting color? If not, try these tips. Plant perennials that flower now Go to garden centers such as Mischler’s now and you’ll see many perennials in bloom. Some of these weren’t blooming in late May…...

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Aug 31, 2021

lilacs and dome at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Horticulture classes & more to be offered on-site at Botanical Gardens

Some classes and workshops, including the poplular horticulture classes with instructor David Clark, will be returning on-site at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. On-site classes include: Introduction to Horticulture starting Sept. 4 Make-it, Take-it Workshops starting Oct. 2 Art workshop on Oct. 16 Foundations of Horticulture starting Oct. 30 Some programs are still being held online. See the online programs here. Horticulture classes David Clark, CNLP and horticulturist is a dynamic instructor with…...

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Aug 30, 2021

Why you should be a Super Reader

by Connie Oswald Stofko Have you ever found a helpful tip in Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com that you can use in your own garden? Do you like seeing the photos of amazing gardens? Have you ever gone to an activity listed on my Events page or had your group’s event listed there? Do you appreciate the timely reminders I send to keep your garden on track? Do you look forward to Tuesdays because that’s the day the newest edition arrives in your email?…...

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Aug 30, 2021

Congolese eggplants & more: see what farmers grow in the city!

You don’t have to drive out to the country to see people producing food on a large scale. Find out what’s happening in the City of Buffalo and City of Tonawanda on Urban Farm Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28. Like a garden walk, it’s free and self guided. Get the printable map here. Some of the things you can see are: A u-pick worm farm Pizzas cooked on site from the produce Culturally significant crops…...

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Aug 24, 2021