by Connie Oswald Stofko It’s November, but there is still plenty to do in your garden in Western New York. Compost pumpkins Are your jack-o’-lanterns drooping? It’s time to compost them. Don’t compost pumpkins that were painted, bleached or glittered. The pumpkins will decompose more quickly if they’re in smaller pieces. This is the fun part! Just hold the pumpkin as high as you can and throw it on the ground. It works best if you smash it on concrete,…...
The Niagara Frontier Orchid Society will present “Orchids Under Glass” this weekend at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. The show will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10. The show is included with admission…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko “One of the craziest things people do is to rake up leaves and put them in a bag,” said Tom Kerr, senior naturalist at Buffalo Audubon Society. “Leaf litter is important, but some people scoop it up and throw it away!” Why you should leave the leaves Remember the food chain in science class? A plant is food for a certain insect, and that insect is food for a bird, and so on. If you took…...
Two hands-on classes are being held now at Henry’s Gardens, 7884 Sisson Hwy., Eden. The first is a floral class, where you can arrange dried flowers in a pumpkin. The second is a gardening class where you can plant three kinds of spring bulbs, all in one pot. Mark your calendar: Henry’s will hold its Christmas open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30 at Henry’s. Santa will be there from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The…...
Celebrate the beauty of New York State’s trees by participating in the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest organized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Submit your photography or artwork to be considered for the 2025 New York State Arbor Day poster. DEC prints thousands of posters for distribution to schools, the New York State Fair, libraries and other venues every year. Contest guidelines: Visit DEC’s website to read the full guidelines of the contest and to submit…...
It’s time to plant garlic. Find out about that and more in the newest edition of WNY Gardening Matters, produced by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. See these articles:…...
Bats are insect-eating machines, eating thousands of flying insects in a single night! That’s one reason why gardeners should help bats. And one way you can help bats is by planting a pollinator garden. The plants attract insects, and the insects pollinate the plants. Bats are a player in that, too, by keeping the insect population in check. We have nine species of bats in New York State and they all eat insects, according to the New York State Department…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko After 15 years of publishing this gardening magazine for you and all my wonderful readers, I need to step down. Not immediately, but in the near future. I love Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, and you have told me that you love it, too. There are the great gardening tips that help you in your garden, the landscapes that give you inspiration, the long list of events and so much more. Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com is basically a one-person business. It’s time for…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Just when your outdoor gardens are waning, indoor succulents and cactuses are adding color through flowers. Autumn is the time for these plants to bloom, said Elle Kreuzer, who manages that department at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. Many varieties are blooming or budding now. Here are just a few. Lifesaver plant It’s easy to see why Huernia zebrina got the name of the Lifesaver plant. In the center of the flower…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Tomatoes like warm weather. They don’t do well with the cool days and cold nights that most of Western New York has been experiencing recently. But don’t worry; there are steps you can take to keep on harvesting! Tip 1: Make a mini-greenhouse This will work whether your tomato plant is a container or in the ground. Get a clear or translucent plastic bag that is slightly bigger than your plant. Slip the bag over your…...