by Connie Oswald Stofko For gardeners, one of the joys of winter is planning for spring! Start your planning now with the Great Plant Sale from the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Not only can you browse through the selections now, you can order now before anything is sold out. Pick up your plants on May 19 or 20. (The sale will be online only this year.) Joe Mannion, director of horticulture, noted that the Botanical Gardens has contracted…
What does Woodchuck Day mean to WNY gardeners?
by Connie Oswald Stofko When will spring get here? We’re supposed to find out on Thursday, Feb. 2: Groundhog Day. Maybe we should call it Woodchuck Day because we call these animals woodchucks. If the groundhog or woodchuck doesn’t see its shadow, that’s supposed to mean we get an early spring. So for an early spring, we want overcast weather on Thursday. But if it’s sunny and the groundhog does see its shadow, that means winter will linger for six…
5 reasons to buy tree & shrub seedlings; sales are open now
by Connie Oswald Stofko Sales of tree and shrub seedlings are again being held in Western New York through counties and through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Here are 5 reasons why you should consider buying tree or shrub seedlings: Tree & shrub seedling sales The sales have different ordering deadlines. The organizers suggest you order early to make sure the items you want are still in stock. The county sales generally have you pick up…
Brighten your day–or a friend’s day–with flowers now
by Connie Oswald Stofko If you’re tired of the gray, gloomy skies we’ve been seeing for weeks, get a little sunshine in your life with fresh flowers. Spread the cheer by sending flowers to your Valentine or to your friends. What might make you even happier is supporting a local grower and getting flowers picked that day. At Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville, they grow their oriental lilies in their own greenhouses. “We cut them fresh daily,”…
Garden Talks begin in Batavia & on line
The Genesee County Master Gardeners will hold monthly Garden Talks starting in February. Garden Talk programs start at noon and can be 30 to 60 minutes long, depending on the topic. They will be held on Thursdays. This free series is open to all, but registration is required. You can attend in person at the Cornell Cooperative Extension office, 420 East Main St., Batavia, or online via Zoom. To attend in person, contact Mandy at 585-343-3040, ext. 101 or amm532@cornell.edu. For a Zoom…
Weed or volunteer in WNY: wood sorrel
by Connie Oswald Here’s another article on the theme: What is this plant and do I want it in my garden? This pretty plant looks like clover with yellow flowers. It added itself to several of my pots. I hoped it was clover and would add nitrogen to my soil. Unfortunately, it isn’t clover. It’s wood sorrel. “It can be aggressive,” said Lyn Chimera of Lessons from Nature. Because it can spread easily, “if it’s in the lawn, I wouldn’t…
Winter damage to shrubs & trees, plus more from Master Gardeners
“Helping Woody Plants Survive Heavy Snowfalls” by Carol Ann Harlos is the topic of an article in the most recent edition of WNY Gardening Matters, produced by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. You can find more tips on dealing with damaged trees and shrubs in this previous article with David Clark. For information on how to prune, see the article on page 34 of the December 2020 edition of NYS Conservationist Magazine. _____ Also in…
Here are my gardening resolutions for 2023–what are yours?
by Connie Oswald Stofko Landscapes are constantly changing. What you did last year may not be what will work for you this year. Trees and shrubs get bigger, making your landscape shadier. Or trees and large shrubs are damaged or destroyed during storms such as this year’s November storm or the Snowvember Storm of 2014. The effects may last for years. I had an arborvitae that was damaged during the 2006 October Storm when a maple tree fell into our…
Buy, order or make art for your garden
by Connie Oswald Stofko Buy it from an artist. Commission something that fits in with the theme of your garden. Or make it yourself. As you’re planning next year’s garden, consider integrating art into your landscape. Buy garden art Beth and Brian Kreutzer of Cheektowaga, who share their landscape on Open Gardens, happily display a metal sculpture by Mike O of Yartworks titled “Mousetrap.” “I bought it at one of the first Buffalo Style Garden Art Sales,” Beth said. They…
For autumn interest, choose attractive shrubs that help WNY’s environment
by Connie Oswald Stofko How did your landscape look this autumn? Did you have lovely autumn perennials? Trees bursting with fall-colored leaves? How about shrubs? Chances are you don’t have shrubs with autumn interest, and if you do, it’s a popular shrub that is problematic. As you make your plans for next year, consider choosing a native shrub that is interesting in autumn in Western New York. Stunning, but problematic: burning bush I’ve got to admit, burning bush (Euonymus alatus),…