Garden tips Archives - Page 72 of 110 - Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

lawn problem from Martha Neri of Williamsville NY

Can you help this reader with a lawn problem?

by Connie Oswald Stofko A reader came to me with a gardening question. Do you have any suggestions on how she can resolve her problem? If so, please leave a comment. Here’s her question: I have an area of my lawn that has had moss, bare spots and grayish/brown grass for several years. It isn’t getting smaller despite suggested treatments from my lawn maintenance company. They recommended lime but it didn’t work. They tested the pH and it is within…...

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May 12, 2015

Use old CD’s to keep deer & rabbits away, plus more tips on garden pests

by Connie Oswald Stofko When it comes to dealing with pests such as deer and rabbits, the bad news is that there is no single technique that works all the time. The good news is that there are lots and lots of things you can try. When I speak to gardening groups, I get a chance to talk with gardeners, and they’re happy to share what works for them. I’m always coming across new ideas on how to deal with pests…....

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May 5, 2015

garden retaining wall made of books in Hamburg NY

Creative garden retaining wall is made of books; see other examples of walls

by Connie Oswald Stofko Now is a good time to install hardscapes in your yard—things like paths, trellises and retaining walls for raised beds and slopes. Here’s a creative idea for a retaining wall that I saw at Plantasia in March. It’s made out of old books. While this wall was in place for only a few days and was displayed inside a building where it never got rained on, I think it could work in the real world. The books wouldn’t…...

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Apr 21, 2015

dog and cat with halo from Goodman's Farm Market in Niagara Falls

Animal lovers: Show your feelings with statues & markers for your garden

by Connie Oswald Stofko One marker says “Dog crossing” and another announces “I love my cat.” For gardeners who don’t want to take sides, there’s a marker that says “Bless all the creatures of the garden.” Express your feelings for whatever animal has stolen your heart with garden ornaments from Goodman’s Farm Market, 2227 Cayuga Dr. Ext., Niagara Falls. Maybe your dog joins you in your garden, creating holes in places where you need them, or more likely, where you don’t need them. You can…...

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Apr 21, 2015

Moonflower opens before your eyes; it’s a new offering at Mischler’s 49-cent perennial sale

by Connie Oswald Stofko The moonflower (Oenothera acaulis, also known as a mountain dandelion) is an amazing plant. The light yellow flowers open in the evening, and they open so fast you can watch it happen in real time. “They open before your very eyes like time-lapse photography,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses. “They spin open— they open that fast.” I don’t have a photo, but you can see a video here. Yadon said some people place bets…...

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Apr 14, 2015

cut dead perennials in spring in Buffalo NY

17 reminders for your early spring garden in Western New York

by Connie Oswald Stofko As I sat outside yesterday in shorts and bare feet, it felt as if summer was here to stay. But that’s how it feels every spring in Western New York, and every year our spring weather takes us on a roller coaster ride. The high was in the 70s yesterday, yet you know we’re still going to get freezing temperatures before summer really arrives. Some years we’ve had flakes of snow flying around in the air in May. I know…...

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Apr 14, 2015

hellstrip with flowers in Buffalo NY view from sidewalk

Tips for planting an unused space: the ‘hellstrip’ between street & sidewalk

by Connie Oswald Stofko People call it the “hellstrip.” It’s that section between the sidewalk and street where people generally grow nothing but grass. It’s where the plows deposit the heavy, salty snow from the street. Garbage cans get tossed there. Dogs do their business there. What in the world could you grow there? Flowers and herbs. That’s what Elaine Clutterbuck of Buffalo grows in the three-season garden she has established in her hellstrip. This past summer her garden was…...

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Apr 7, 2015

pruning photo from adamr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Learn about pruning & get your tools sharpened at Lockwood’s; birding seminar, too

Because the first one filled up so fast, Lockwood’s Greenhouses is holding another seminar on pruning at 1 p.m. this Saturday, April 11 at Lockwood’s, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg. The session will be taught by gardening expert Sally Cunningham. It will focus on damage from the Snowvember Storm, but will also cover common problems in the landscape caused by severe cold and animals grazing on your garden plants. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer period. You can even bring photos of particular shrubs…...

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Apr 7, 2015

Fascinating green roof project under way in Springville; you can help

by Connie Oswald Stofko The Springville Center for the Arts is seeking volunteers to start seedlings for its green roof project. You’ll get seeds that you are asked to start in containers and nurture until they’re ready to be transplanted onto the green roof. You don’t have to live in Springville to participate. In addition to the seedling program, volunteers are needed for the installation of the green roof on the building that the arts center is rehabilitating at 5 East Main…...

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Mar 31, 2015

bulb gardens from Mischler's in Williamsville

Get a bulb garden at Mischler’s to enjoy a taste of spring

Yes, the calendar says it’s spring, but it might not feel much like spring in your garden. Even if you have daffodils and hyacinths poking up in your beds, there probably aren’t any blooms to pick and bring inside. Get a taste of springtime with an indoor bulb garden. They’re available at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. They’re wonderful for your own home and make great hostess gifts, too. As we told you at the end of last…...

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Mar 30, 2015