by Connie Oswald Stofko I’ve been growing sunchokes (also called Jerusalem artichokes) for several years now. These cool plants can grow 10 feet tall in one season. They get small yellow flowers. Not only that, you can eat the root! See more here. They’re very easy to grow– perhaps too easy. They spread a lot. Even if you try to harvest all of the tubers, it’s easy to miss a piece. The next year, you find you have sunchokes growing…
The annual fall Orchid Show will be held by the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society and the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 10 and 11 at the Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Dozens of orchids, including award-winning orchids, will be dispersed throughout the Botanical Gardens for visitors to enjoy. Informal educational presentations will be held both days on growing orchids and other aspects of indoor orchid gardening. You can…
by Lyn Chimera of Lessons From Nature Many people dread raking up autumn leaves, but you should look forward to it. Leaves are a free resource for your landscape, a bonus from nature. Don’t throw them away! Here are five tips on using autumn leaves in different parts of your landscape. Leaves on the lawn If there is a light covering of leaves on your lawn, you can mow right over them and leave the chopped-up leaves on the lawn. They…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Don’t believe what you see portrayed in Halloween decorations. Bats aren’t scary– They’re amazing! To encourage people to welcome bats into their landscapes, “Habitats for Bats” will be the theme of the 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Agriculture and Markets and Department of Education. Posters must be submitted by Dec. 21 to your local DEC regional office to allow time for judging and printing of the artwork. See…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Back in May, we told you about the spotted lanternfly (SLF), a new invasive insect that can damage many plants and can secrete so much messy “honeydew” that people can’t go outside without getting honeydew on their hair and clothes. In September and October, both dead and live SLF have been found in New York State. Autumn is the time that the SLF lays eggs, so look for egg masses as well as adults. Updates on SLF found…
by Connie Oswald Stofko I grow garlic– lots of it. And I recommend that you try growing garlic, too. Here are six reasons why you should grow garlic: Garlic is so easy to grow! You plant it, then you sit around for several months, then you harvest it. I haven’t been able to grow zucchini, but I can grow garlic. You have a wide window for planting. You can plant anywhere from August through November– even into December if…
by Connie Oswald Stofko When the weather was hot last week, you might have been one of the many Western New York gardeners who experienced what seemed to be an invasion of brown marmorated stink bugs. The bugs hung outside on window screens, trying to get into the house. And when they did get into the house, they crawled up walls and curtains, looking for a place to settle down for the winter. My husband and I killed two…
by Connie Oswald Stofko I’ll have a table at the vendor and craft show to be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Leonard Post 6251 VFW, 2450 Walden Ave., Cheektowaga. Admission is free. It’s a fundraiser being held by the 8th District Federated Garden Clubs of New York State, Inc. to support local community services provided by the local garden clubs of the 8th District. The event will feature a variety of crafters and other vendors. It’s a great way to get an…
by Connie Oswald Stofko My photos, taken in harsh afternoon sunlight, don’t do justice to the landscape of Molly and Douglas Mailey, which I saw on the Hamburg Garden Walk in July. Molly has lush and colorful garden beds. Just by looking, you may be able to pick up on some of the techniques she uses to add beauty to her landscape. She has shady areas, and chooses her plants well to fit the lighting conditions. Her garden beds curve and are…
Pumpkins have become part of our autumn decorations, but don’t forget that you can use them as food, too. In this month’s issue of WNY Gardening Matters, produced by the Master Gardeners of Erie County Cornell Cooperative Extension, the article “Let’s Celebrate Pumpkins” gives you ideas on how to use pumpkins. It also shares a history of pumpkins. In the article “This Month in the Garden,” get great suggestions and reminders for October gardening tasks. In “Fall Webworm,” find out about this…