by Connie Oswald Stofko If you want a really different kind of plant to grow indoors this fall and winter, grow tea. Yes, tea. The stuff you steep in hot water and drink. You can buy Sochi tea, a tea plant from the Sochi area of Russia, at Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg. Our climate is almost, but not quite, mild enough to grow tea outside all year long in our gardens, said Fred Safford, who is in charge…...
Tag: Indoor plants
How to keep basil over winter: Free class discusses growing tomatoes inside, too
by Connie Oswald Stofko The days are getting shorter and colder and soon we’ll be seeing snow in Western New York, but you can continue to grow food plants– inside! In this article, Jak Kochems, horticulture consultant at Arbordale Nurseries and Landscaping in the Getzville area of Amherst, gives us tips on how to bring basil plants inside and care for them over the winter. If you haven’t already brought your basil plant inside, do it now– a freeze can kill…...
Orchid Show set for Saturday & Sunday at Botanical Gardens
In conjunction with the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society, the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens will host the fall Orchid Show Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m.and Sunday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Whether orchids are your passion or simply just a hobby, the Orchid Show offers beautiful and award-winning displays. Get your orchid questions answered. Specialty vendors will also offer a plant sale including merchandise…...
Learn to make a fairy garden with holiday theme in hands-on classes at Mischler’s
Learn how to make a fairy garden with a Halloween or Christmas theme in workshops to be held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27 and 28 at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. Workshops will be held at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. Each workshop will last about two hours. The first half of each workshop will consist of an explanation and demonstration by Mischler’s creative staff. The second half of the workshop will be hands-on, with…...
Four spectacular ways to use succulents in your garden or home
by Connie Oswald Stofko The wonderful shows at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens can give you lots of great ideas that you can use in your own garden or home. Here are four spectacular looks from last year’s succulent show that you could adapt for your own home. Get more ideas at this year’s succulent show to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from Saturday, Sept. 7 to Sunday, Oct. 6 at the Botanical Gardens,…...
7 great plants to create a tropical feeling in your backyard oasis
Want to add a tropical feeling to your yard? Here are seven plant suggestions from the folks at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Road, Williamsville. You can see some of these plants when you visit Mischler’s next week at Plantasia, which has a theme of “Backyard Oasis.” (See the related article for details on Plantasia.) Check out these plants to add a tropical feeling to your backyard. #1, 2 and 3: Anthurium, peace lilies and other indoor plants…...
Grow celery from the stump!
I saw this idea in several places on Pinterest and I just had to try it. When you’re done with a bunch of celery, you’re left with a stump. I used to toss that stump into the compost pile. Then on Pinterest I saw that you can use it to start a new celery plant. It’s really simple. Just set the stump into a small jar or bowl. Add just a little bit of water– about a quarter inch is…...
Check on your amaryllis and other items too good to miss
I walked into my basement this weekend and was surprised to see that my amaryllis bulbs were leafing out. I shouldn’t have been surprised; this is precisely what they were supposed to do. I am forcing them to bloom indoors so I can enjoy gorgeous flowers in the middle of winter. But out of sight, out of mind. I wasn’t paying attention and didn’t notice their activity until the leaves were quite long and I had a flower bud. If…...
Poinsettias are white and pink and speckled– explore new varieties
The traditional poinsettia is beautiful with its red and green coloring, but there are many varieties that you might like even more. You can see many new and nontraditional varieties of poinsettias at Mischler’sFlorist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. Mischler’s grows their poinsettias right in their greenhouses in Williamsville. A new one is Picasso, which Yadon describes as “naturally airbrushed,” with shades of cream on red. One of my favorites is White Glitter, which is red with white…...
Easy way to turn a leftover pumpkin into a Thanksgiving centerpiece
If you have a whole pumpkin left over from Halloween, here’s an easy way to fancy it up for Thanksgiving. This idea comes to us from Becky Watts, CNLP, garden consultant at Lockwood’s Greenhouses. Take a whole pumpkin. (Note that the green pumpkin in the photo is a real, fresh pumpkin. It’s a variety called Ghirardelli.) Glue Spanish moss to the top of the pumpkin using Aleen’s Craft Glue. Watts said she spreads a band of glue about two inches…...