Garden tips Archives - Page 16 of 110 - Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

Help the pollinators so they can help your plants in Western New York

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Master Gardener Program is celebrating National Pollinator month by sharing information and resources to help create a garden for your favorite pollinators. by Shannon Rinow, Master Gardener Coordinator, Chautauqua County Butterflies and honeybees may come to mind when you think of pollinators, but pollinators also include wild native bees (there are 450 native species of bees in New York State), beetles, moths, bats, wasps, birds, specialized flies and other beneficial insects. They all play an important…...

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Jun 27, 2023

MixMaster annuals in flower box at Mischler's Florist and Greenhouses in Williamsville NY

For July 4: red, white & bluish flowers

by Connie Oswald Stofko Creating a theme for the Fourth of July in your garden isn’t as easy as it might seem. While there are many red and white flowers to choose from, finding true blue flowers is difficult. “Blue flowers are never blue, even if they’re named as such,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. “They tend more to purple.” If you want flowers that are closer to blue, try these plants…....

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Jun 20, 2023

decorative plates in garden in Lewiston NY

Lewiston GardenFest kicks off garden walk season in WNY

The season of garden walks will kick off this weekend with Lewiston GardenFest from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 17 and 18 on Center Street in Lewiston. Here are some photos–and tips!–from a couple of the gardeners who will be sharing their landscapes during the Lewiston GardenFest. You can see and learn more during the actual event. “Celebrate summer at Lewiston GardenFest and come away inspired to enhance your own green spaces,” said Mary Ann Yates,…...

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Jun 13, 2023

lettuce and climate change and tomato illustration in Western New York

Impact of wildfire smoke on veggies should be minor; tips on climate change

by Connie Oswald Stofko Gardeners worried about how the smoke from the recent Canadian wildfires would affect vegetable plants in Western New York, but “The good news is the impact will be minimal at worst,” according to Steve Reiners, professor in Horticulture at Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech. Smoke-filled skies decrease sunlight and reduce photosynthesis, but only to a small degree and temporarily, Reiners said. Despite the shade, there was still enough diffused light penetrating the smoke to maintain growth. Smoke…...

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Jun 13, 2023

Buy ladybugs & let them feast on your aphids

Ladybugs can take care of aphids for you–if the ladybugs are in your garden. If your aphid-filled plants are waiting for ladybugs, wait no longer. Buy ladybugs at Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market, 428 Rhode Island St., Buffalo. The ladybugs are in stock now. Urban Roots also sells beneficial nematodes. Read this previous article to learn more about releasing ladybugs. For more information, stop in to Urban Roots or contact them directly at (716) 362-8982 or info@urbanroots.org…....

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Jun 13, 2023

Nurture your new plants during this hot & dry weather in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko Don’t let this happen to you! My husband and I were out of town this past week. We weren’t away long, just a few days. We took a taxi from the airport, and as we pulled up to our house, the driver pointed to my hanging basket of calibrachoa. “I just bought one of those,” he said. “How long do they live?” “They will flower all summer,” I said, then glanced up, horrified to see my…...

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May 30, 2023

flowers and grass to illustrate how to start new garden in Western New York

Basics: Start a garden & keep it going in Western New York

by Connie Oswald Stofko Do you want to create a brand new garden bed? Extend a garden bed? Make changes to your perennial garden? Start growing vegetables–or grow them better? You’ll find lots of great gardening tips in these articles: Would you like to find out more on various gardening topics, such as deer, water features and pests & weeds? Browse all our Gardening Topics for Western New York here…....

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May 23, 2023

photo of food waste turning into compost

‘National Learn About Composting Day’ is May 29, but you can learn today

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Master Gardeners are marking “National Learn About Composting Day,” which falls on May 29, by sharing great composting tips. There are many good reasons to compost. You save money by making rich, organic soil fertilizer. You reduce erosion. You conserve and replenish groundwater. And you keep organic material out of landfills. Organic material sent to a landfill creates methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to the negative impacts of our environment. In his recent…...

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May 23, 2023

5 tips on shopping for plants in Western New York

by Connie Oswald Stofko It’s that time of year when gardeners in Western New York are happily buying plants. Here are some tips to guide you while shopping. Plan what to look for Do you want to grow food, have a pretty yard, help the environment, or a bit of all of those? Do you want plants that are easy to maintain? New and different? Fragrant? Tall? Even if you don’t know exactly what plants you want, have an idea…...

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May 16, 2023

Mosquitoes bugging you? Keep them out of your WNY landscape

One way to keep mosquitoes from biting you is by keeping them out of your yard in the first place. The most common mosquito in New York State is Culex pipiens, which has a very small territory. It usually stays within 300 feet of its breeding site, according to this page on mosquitoes from New York State Integrated Pest Management (NYS IPM). If you and your Western New York neighbors make sure there are no breeding sites, everyone can have a…...

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May 16, 2023