There is still time to start some crops from seeds this year, said Ray Crawley, manager at Goodman’s Farm Market, 2227 Cayuga Dr. Ext., Niagara Falls, NY. Seeds are currently 50 cents per packet or three packets for $1. Lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard all do better in cooler weather, and you can start them from seed. You eat the leaves, so it doesn’t take long to get something to harvest. The farmers who supply Goodman’s Farm Market grow Swiss…
Tag: Herbs
Make a refreshing drink & other items too good to miss
Minted water is a refreshing summertime beverage For an easy and refreshing drink this summer, try minted water. I tasted this light beverage in the garden of Kathy and Ed Burke on Argyle Park during Garden Walk Buffalo. Simply place mint in cool water and let it set. Mint is easy to grow and spreads quickly, so this is a great way to use large bunches. It was hot during Garden Walk Buffalo and visitors appreciated this summertime treat. You…
Let us grow salad with ‘lettuce bowl’ container garden
by Colleen Morrissey, herb manager and container designer at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses If you love salad and enjoy gardening, plant a “lettuce bowl” container garden. It’s a quick and easy project. You don’t need much space, so you can have a “lettuce bowl” container garden on a sunny balcony, front stoop or just outside your kitchen door. Setting the container on a picnic table or other tabletop may discourage rabbits, slugs and other pests. This is also a…
Hurry and plant spring bulbs now. Plus, three other autumn reminders
Take advantage of this beautiful autumn weather we’re enjoying in the Buffalo area and tackle some gardening projects. Here are some reminders of things you can do right now. Reminder #1: Hurry and plant spring bulbs. If you want spring flowers such as tulips and daffodils, hurry and plant your bulbs now before the ground freezes. That tip is from the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, where today 16 volunteers and several staff members planted spring bulbs– 4,500 of…
Take a lesson from this elementary school garden in Hamburg
“All of this is to teach our children where food comes from,” said Tricia Miller, volunteer coordinator for the Giving Garden at Union-Pleasant Elementary School in Hamburg. “If children grow it and taste it, their willingness to eat it and try more things grows.” The garden at Union-Pleasant Elementary School started three years ago because parents were concerned about food in the schools, Miller said. They decided a garden would be a good way to educate children about healthy food…
Herbal remedies & pharmaceuticals both start with plants
by Connie Oswald Stofko Whether you treat your maladies with an herbal tea or a pill from the drugstore, your medicine probably got its start in the garden. At the kick-off event for the medicinal gardens at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Wednesday, a proponent of herbal medicine and pharmacists from D’Youville College gave their views on healing plants. Yolanda Smith, left, a member of the Seneca Nation of Indians, is a medicine gatherer and talked about the…
Herb gadgets make it easier for you to preserve your crop
The right tool for the job can make your work easier. If you grow herbs, check out the fun selection of herb tools available at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd. (between Main St. and Wehrle Dr.), Williamsville. Cut your sprigs into strips or mince away with a multiblade scissor. Use the rocking blade and concave cutting board to work on larger batches of herbs. Mash up and serve a refreshing mojito (a minty cocktail) with a traditional tall…
Herbs: versatile, tasty and easy to grow in Buffalo area
by Connie Oswald Stofko “People are so afraid of growing herbs, but herbs are easy to grow,” said Sue Duecker, past president of the Western New York Herb Study Group at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Duecker will present a free class called “All About Herbs” at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 14 at Zittel’s Country Market, Route 20 between South Park Ave. (Route 62) and McKinley Parkway in Hamburg. Although the event is free, please register at the…
Herbed vinegar makes a great holiday gift
by Connie Oswald Stofko Whether you need a hostess gift to take to Thanksgiving dinner, or you’re looking for a holiday gift with a personal touch, herbed vinegar is a good choice. Use herbs from your garden, buy a beautiful bottle for a couple of dollars and you have an elegant, yet inexpensive gift. It’s very easy to make herbed vinegar. I got the directions from one of my sisters. I didn’t follow the directions she gave me exactly, and…
Stretch the season with frost-tolerant annuals
by Connie Oswald Stofko We’ve had a frost, but that doesn’t mean you have to abandon flower gardening for the year. You can stretch the season well into November with frost-tolerant annuals. While many people are familiar with mums and pansies, there are many more choices, such as the straw flower, seen here. “Many people have them as annuals during the summertime, but they don’t realize the straw flower is frost tolerant,” said Mark Yadon, vice president of Mischler’s Florist…