The Amherst Garden Club is offering a $1,000 scholarship for a college student who is a resident of Erie or Niagara County. Applicants should have completed at least one year of study by May 2020. Since the funds are intended to be used for tuition, applicants must be enrolled in an accepted program for the 2020-2021 school year. The student should be studying horticulture, landscape design, floriculture, conservation, ecology or another pertinent program. The deadline to apply is June 20…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko You’re probably familiar with four-packs and six-packs, those plastic containers that hold four or six small plants. This year Mike Weber Greenhouses is introducing something called Elle Pots. “Think of a four- or six-pack without all that plastic,” said Jen Weber, vice president and manager of Mike Weber Greenhouses, 42 French Rd., West Seneca. The Elle Pots start with a tube of strong, biodegradable paper that is filled with potting mix. Seeds or cuttings are planted into…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Garden centers seem to be catching up to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 situation. There aren’t as many changes this week as there have been in the last couple weeks. Here is the information I have for the businesses I work with. Things keep changing, so if you have specific questions about a business’s hours or what they have in stock, please contact them directly. You can see their contact information in our Gardening Directory…....
There are things you can do to help save life on Earth, and the newest edition of POLLINATOR is focused on the many ways we can help. POLLINATOR magazine is produced by the Pollinator Conservation Association, a non-profit based in Western New York. One thing we keep hearing about is planting trees, said Lynda Schneekloth in the article “Nature Based Climate Solutions” in the Winter 2020 edition. Schneekloth is professor emeritus at the University at Buffalo and longtime climate, social and…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Peas, lettuce, broccoli and beets are some of the vegetables you can plant in your garden now. These are cool-weather crops that don’t mind the chilly temperatures we have at this time of year. You can start these plants from seed or you can buy vegetable starts (small plants), said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. “With plant starts, you can have an instant garden,” Yadon said. But don’t…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Garden centers are working hard to make the necessary changes so that you can get plants and supplies while staying safe. In my Gardening Directory, I have added categories for businesses that are open or opening soon as well as where you can order online, get delivery or use curbside pickup. Here is the information I have for the businesses I work with. Things keep changing, so if you have specific questions about a business’s hours…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Please help me congratulate the three lucky winners in our recent drawing held by Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com. They are: Narcy Ryan of Bemus Point Gail Naylor of the Town of Tonawanda Ann Santiago of Buffalo The names were drawn at random. Everyone who was subscribed to Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com by March 24– even those who signed up years ago– were entered into the drawing. I’m happy to have so many new subscribers, and I love my loyal readers, too! Each of the winners…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko I know we are all excited to start planting, and there are some plants and seeds that you can work with now. But where can you buy them? I am doing my best to compile an updated list of my advertisers so you know where you can get the supplies you’re looking for. In my Gardening Directory, I have added categories for businesses that are open or opening soon as well as where you can order…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Don’t wait until you see the pretty yellow flowers. Look for lesser celandine and get rid of it now. If you want to use an herbicide, you must do it now before the plant flowers. Why you should get rid of lesser celandine If you’re not careful, lesser celandine can spread until you have no grass or other plants in your lawn. Even worse, it can spread into wild areas and wreak havoc there. Lesser celandine…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko I know that thousands of you are wondering: who are the three winners of our prize drawing worth more than $250? I notified the three winners last week, but only one got back to me by the deadline. That meant I had to move down to the next two subscribers on my randomized list. I sent them emails this morning notifying them that they are winners. A few hours later, one of them responded! The other…...