by Connie Oswald Stofko Here’s a question from a reader: I have beautiful tuberous begonias that I want to overwinter. Do I have to take them out of the soil or can I bring the window box in? Rosemary K. Lyons, Buffalo I thought this was a question many readers might be interested in, so I took it to David Clark, a nationally known gardening educator who teaches the Horticulture I and Horticulture II classes at the Buffalo and Erie…...
You can submit original artwork and photography for the official 2018 New York State Arbor Day Poster. The deadline is Dec. 31. To enter, complete the artist information form found here and email your photo or artwork to arborday@dec.ny.gov. Photographs must be taken in New York State. The winning artwork will be used on the poster and distributed at schools, libraries, government offices, nursery and landscaping businesses, and environmental organizations throughout the state. Producing the posters has been a longtime…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko It was 90 degrees Fahrenheit– 22 degrees above normal– on Sunday at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, breaking the previous record of 88 degrees set in 2010. When I called the National Weather Service in Buffalo early Monday afternoon to find out about this hot autumn weather, it was already 89 degrees, breaking the previous record of 87 set in 2007. Not only is it unusual to have temperatures that are so much above normal, but…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Here’s a question from a reader: Hello , I was wondering if you know if it would be OK for me to deadhead my oakleaf hydrangea or if that would negatively affect next year’s blooms somehow. Seems OK to me but thought I would check before I do it! Donna, Town of Tonawanda First: Deadheading means cutting off the dead flower. I’m not a gardening expert, but there are lots of gardening experts in Western New…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Our summer was so wet, you may have fallen out of the habit of watering your plants. But the last few days have been hot and dry, and we may have a little more summer-like weather on the way. And even when our weather becomes more autumn-like, you need to keep watering! Don’t give up on your garden now! Here’s why: You probably have wonderful plants in your garden that you’ve been enjoying this summer– and…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko A while back, I got this question from a reader. I apologize to whomever sent this in– I lost your email, but I did keep your question on my list and I am finally getting around to addressing it! The question is: How do you overwinter coleus? I asked David Clark, nationally known garden educator, who teaches the series of horticulture classes at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. The basic idea for overwintering coleus…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Yes, you can plant perennials now, and there are advantages to planting in autumn rather than waiting for spring. While some people say you can plant perennials into October, the folks at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses recommend getting them in the ground by mid-September to make sure they get established before the first frost. The first frost can vary from year to year, and when you should expect your first frost depends on where in Western…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Caution. Warning. Dangerous. Keep out of reach of children. That’s what you’ll find on the labels of pesticides and other chemicals that people routinely spray on their lawns, said Paul Tukey, and he used to spray them, too. Tukey shared his story of how he went from routinely using chemicals with warning labels to using all-organic practices in his landscaping business. Now he is chief sustainability officer for Glenstone, a contemporary art museum in Potomac, Maryland…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko One of the things I like about garlic is that planting it gives you something to do in late fall when there is nothing else to do in the garden. I have always heard that you’re supposed to plant garlic in October. But is there any reason you can’t plant it earlier? Since you harvest in July or August, I think it might be convenient to take cloves from your best heads of garlic and plant…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko I got my white phlox from a neighbor maybe 20 years ago. They’re beautiful and dependable and slightly fragrant and I love them. But in the past several years I’ve been getting flowers that show up pink or slightly pink. Why? A lot of phlox are hybrids, said John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County. Two different plants are crossed to get the new plant. Without warning, the hybrid can revert back…...
© 2017 Buffalo-Niagara Gardening. All rights reserved.