by Connie Oswald Stofko We have to start rebuilding nature in as many places as we possibly can, said Doug Tallamy, and you can help right in your own backyard. The conservationist spoke recently on “Nature’s Best Hope” in the Department of Environment and Sustainability at the University at Buffalo. If you weren’t able to attend the lecture, you can–and should!–listen to his talk here. He is a great speaker, easy to understand, and full of information that gardeners need…....
You may be looking now for “wildflower” seed mixes to sow later in winter, wrote Peggy Koppmann in “This Month in the Garden,” an article in the newest edition of WNY Gardening Matters. Gardeners may look for wildflower seeds to create a meadow that attracts and supports pollinators, said Koppmann, a Master Gardener. But a meadow is complicated and it’s important to choose the right seeds. Purchase only seed mixtures that list the botanical names, she said. That way you…...
It’s time to plant garlic, and you can learn more in WNY Gardening Matters, the publication of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. October planting generally results in bigger and more flavorful bulbs, said Peggy Koppmann in the article “This Month in the Garden.” Garlic needs a long period of cold temperatures, so fall planting gives cloves time to sprout and develop established roots. Read about winter watering, a bird buffet and more in “This Month in the Garden.” Other articles…...
July is the time to take inventory of the blank spaces in your garden, according to Peggy Koppmann in “This Month in the Garden.” That’s one of the articles in the most recent edition of WNY Gardening Matters, produced by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. “Perhaps a plant has died, or (gasp!), you killed it,” Koppmann said. “Maybe it got eaten by rabbits or it was overwatered or was in the wrong place. Maybe it was…...
Here’s a bonanza of tips that you can use now from the Master Gardeners of Orleans County. Plus, for folks in Orleans County, the Master Gardeners are launching a program to encourage gardeners to support pollinators Save your spring holiday flowers If you received potted flowers this spring, you may be able to keep them going outside in your garden. See this article by Nancy Walker, Master Gardener. What to do in your garden now See the great list of…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko It’s a heady time for gardeners—plant sales and plant exchanges from nonprofit groups are popping up all over Western New York! These plant sales are a great way to find bargains, connect with friends and neighbors and find out what other gardeners in WNY are planting. Some of the plants in the sales come straight from the gardens of the members in the organizations. Since those gardeners have extra plants to share, it’s a good sign…...
If you missed Wild Ones WNY‘s online talk on “Engaging a Community,” you can watch the video here. Gwen Alegre, NY Master Naturalist, spoke about the lessons she learned starting a community volunteer conservation program with the Craneridge Homeowners Association, located in Glenwood in Erie County. She listed six lessons that she learned, and said that those lessons could apply to any situation where you’re trying to engage volunteers or trying to involve community. Upcoming events MLK Park greenhouse tour…...
Master Gardeners in Erie and Orleans Counties offer helpful tips and advice in their monthly newsletters. Here’s the latest information. Orleans County Digging In, the newsletter by Master Gardeners in Orleans County, starts off with suggestions on taking it slow: We are all itching to get back into the garden, to clean up the leaves, cut back spent perennials, and dig in new plants. But there are reasons to take it slow. Yes, they include protecting our pollinators, but they also…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Does part of your yard turn into a pond in spring? Get some tips from the North Tonawanda Botanical Garden Organization. The organization has been working for about five years to rehabilitate a long-neglected park located at 1825 Sweeney St., North Tonawanda, along the Tonawanda Creek portion of the Erie Canal. The group aims to revitalize the native habitat as well as create a scenic destination. The volunteers also help with educational programs and community activities…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko How did you feel on Friday, that sunny day that hit 75 degrees at the airport? I have lived in Western New York my entire life, so I should know better, but to me, it felt like spring was here to stay. In weather like this, I always think of a cartoon, To Spring, that I saw on TV when I was a kid. It’s a lovely short cartoon movie created in 1936. A bunch of…...
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