You can find information on invasive species through the 2014 New York State Invasive Species Speaker Series organized by Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM). Selected recordings can be found at the NY Invasives You Tube Channel. People who don’t feel tech savvy may feel most comfortable accessing the information there. If you’re a little more confident when it comes to technology, you may want to sit in on one of the monthly teleconferences. You’ll find information on how…...
Tag: Environment
Get a sneak peek of ‘Innuendo: The Secret Sex Life of Plants,’ then see it live!
by Connie Oswald Stofko Birds do it. Bees do it. And birds and bees help plants do it. In the video below, we bring you a sneak peek of “Innuendo: The Secret Sex Life of Plants,” the kick-off presentation of Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens’ 2014 Science Café Series. In this entertaining video, David Clark, horticulture instructor at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, shows us some of the strange ways plants create more of themselves. Clark is…...
Winter has been bitter, but all that snow should help WNY gardens
by Connie Oswald Stofko This has been one bitterly cold winter. On the plus side, it has been snowy. You may think the cold and snow combine to create a double whammy, but when it comes to our gardens in Western New York, it would have been worse without the snow. “If you see snow, you should be happy,” said Carol Ann Harlos, Master Gardener coordinator for the Erie County Cornell Cooperative Extension. The air temperature and soil temperature can…...
Make food a permanent part of your Western New York yard with edible landscapes
by Connie Oswald Stofko When we want to grow food, we generally think of smallish plants that we would categorize as “vegetables” or “herbs,” such as tomatoes or zucchini or parsley. Today we’re going to challenge you to think bigger. When you think of food, think of trees and shrubs. The concept is called edible landscapes, said Fred Safford, who is in charge of trees and shrubs at Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark Street, Hamburg. It’s a way to work with…...
Rain barrel-painting contest set for high schools in Erie & Niagara Counties; register by Feb. 24
Students in grades 9-12 in Erie and Niagara Counties can enter a rain barrel-painting contest with cash prizes held in conjunction with Earth Day 2014. Schools are encouraged to enter a team, either through a class or an after-school program. The team will design and paint a rain barrel provided by the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Buffalo, Inc. All participating schools will receive their final painted rain barrels to use, donate or raffle as desired. The deadline to register is…...
Gardeners can help the environment & save money, too
by Connie Oswald Stofko “Just because something is good for the environment, it doesn’t mean you have to spend more money for it,” said Albert J. Gilewicz. “Sometimes you end up paying less.” Gilewicz, who describes himself as a pragmatic environmentalist with a background in engineering and business, will present “The Garden Revolution: A Call to Trowels” at the meeting of the Ken-Sheriton Garden Club at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 576 Delaware Road, Kenmore…....
90-acre farm in WNY will remain agricultural land under conservation easement
Even those of us who grow vegetables in our gardens still depend on farmers for most of our food. But that food supply could be constrained if we lose Western New York farmland to housing and other development. The Western New York Land Conservancy is working to protect local farmland. Earlier this month it announced that the 90-acre Meyer Farm in the Town of Eden is now permanently protected from development and will remain farmland for future generations. This $244,000…...
Good news: Funding completed for scenic overlook in Town of Aurora
Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians will be able to enjoy the view at a scenic overlook to be constructed on Mill Road in the Town of Aurora thanks to the successful conclusion of a three-year fundraising effort. The Friends of Mill Road, in partnership with the Western New York Land Conservancy and the Town of Aurora, announced that the John R. Oishei Foundation has awarded the Mill Road Scenic Overlook project $75,000, completing the fundraising for the project. The Mill Road…...
Gardeners who love birds: Participate in 114th Christmas Bird Count
For many of us, part of the enjoyment of our gardens is watching the birds that come to visit. You can help scientists learn more about the birds in our area by participating in Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count. The census events take place around Christmastime, from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5. The Buffalo Audubon Society and Jamestown Audubon will hold events, and beginners are welcome. The events are: Saturday, Dec. 14 The Jamestown Audubon will hold an event in Warren,…...
Think about your garden when you de-ice your sidewalk
How can you make your sidewalk safe in icy weather while still protecting your garden? John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County, shares some tips. First, instead of buying rock salt, look for products that are labelled plant or pet safe. These products use calcium chloride, which pose less risk of damaging your plants with soluble salts, Farfaglia said. Still, you shouldn’t overdo it, he said. Don’t spread the calcium chloride product heavily and don’t use…...