Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

How to deal with chipmunks in your garden

by Connie Oswald Stofko I’ve been hearing a lot of complaints lately from gardeners who are having problems with chipmunks. I talked with John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County, and my first question was whether we have more chipmunks in Western New York. “We have been getting occasional calls on chipmunks for many years, so I don’t think their populations have increased significantly,” he said. But they can be a problem for gardeners. “If their populations build…...

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Aug 25, 2020

Add interest to your garden; learn more in horticulture classes

by Connie Oswald Stofko “Color is the most fleeting experience in a garden,” said David Clark, horticulturist and CNLP. But color isn’t the only way to add interest to your garden. Clark, a dynamic instructor with a wealth of knowledge, will share insights with you during his class on Garden Design in October. It’s one of the classes he will teach online in Horticulture I and Horticulture II, hosted by the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. See details below. Look…...

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Aug 25, 2020

New crop: homegrown flower arrangements at Mischler’s

by Connie Oswald Stofko It’s the season for homegrown produce, and here’s another local crop you’ll love: homegrown floral arrangements. The flowers are picked daily at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. “We pick them every day and make sure they’re at the right bud stage,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s. “We don’t want them to open all the way, or to open all at once.” To ensure there’s a continuous supply, new flowers are planted…...

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Aug 25, 2020

Skirmish over Queen Anne’s lace leads to bigger discussions

by Connie Oswald Stofko It all started about two weeks ago when an anonymous neighbor complained to the Town of Amherst about the front lawn of Walter and Nan Simpson. The Simpsons mow their lawn, but when an interesting plant pops up, such as Queen Anne’s lace, they mow around it. The neighbor didn’t like that. When a town inspector showed up, he deemed the Queen Anne’s lace to be a noxious weed, according to the town code. Since the…...

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Aug 18, 2020

1-minute task now will help you identify perennials in spring

by Connie Oswald Stofko In April, my backyard is nearly flat. Most of my perennials don’t reach their full height by then– if they’ve poked out of the ground at all. So if I want to know where I can plant something new, or if I’m trying to decide if that sprout I see is a flower or a weed, it helps to know where things are already planted, what those plants are, and approximately how big those plants get…....

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Aug 18, 2020

seats under tree in driveway in South Buffalo

Don’t miss the last garden walk of 2020 this weekend in City of Tonawanda

You can visit gardens– in person!– during the City of Tonawanda Garden Walk from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22. Friday Night Lights will be held from 9 to 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21. Pick up maps at City of Tonawanda Hall, 200 Niagara St., or at the City of Tonawanda Library, 333 Main St., City of Tonawanda. See more information here or call (716) 957-4177. A garden walk has never been held so late in the season before…...

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Aug 18, 2020

Desmodium canadense or showy tick trefoil

What are the most popular categories of perennials?

by Connie Oswald Stofko What kinds of perennials are most popular with gardeners? Perennials that: That’s from Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. These categories are so popular that the staff at Mischler’s has grouped perennials from these categories together to make them easier for gardeners to find. There is still time to plant perennials, and many are blooming now! Let’s take a look at an example of one perennial from each group. Attract hummingbirds If you…...

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Aug 11, 2020

See DIY video on how to make a rain barrel; enter to win one

Rain barrels are pretty easy to make, and this video with step-by-step directions makes it even easier. The video was created by the Western NY Stormwater Coalition in partnership with the Central Library of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Libraries. The rain barrel made in the video will be raffled off. To be entered into the raffle, click on the survey link in the Facebook post or go to the survey by clicking here. You can also watch a…...

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Aug 11, 2020

tulips hyacinths daffodils at Buffalo Botanical Gardens

Fall gardening classes to be held online by Master Gardeners

Online gardening classes will be offered in September by Master Gardeners from Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. The classes will be presented via Zoom and the cost will be $15 per class or $40 for all three classes. Register here. The classes are: Bulbs and Tubers and Corms, Oh, My! Tuesday, Sept. 15, 6:30-8 p.m. There is a wide variety of bulbs, (and tubers and corms) available to brighten your spring garden. Learn what’s new and interesting in this…...

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Aug 11, 2020

You can garden in shade–even under a tree!

by Connie Oswald Stofko Do you struggle with shade? Find out how these gardeners created lush shade gardens–directly under large trees! The trick, the gardeners said, is using good soil with lots of compost. Note: Don’t pile soil up against the tree trunk and don’t create mulch volcanoes. See more here. “Make sure the soil is real good,” said Linda Monaco. She and her husband Chris live in Lackawanna and shared their landscape on Open Gardens last month. “In the…...

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Aug 4, 2020