by Connie Oswald Stofko What plants will last through the winter in your garden? You can figure that out by knowing what hardiness zone you are in. And you may be in a warmer zone than you thought. A new version of the Plant Hardiness Zone Map was released last week by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. The zones go from coldest to warmest; 5 is colder…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Here are six reminders–or perhaps new ideas–for activities that Western New York gardeners can do in autumn. Start roses from seeds Yes, you can actually start roses from seeds, and autumn is the time to do it, said David Clark, CNLP. The seeds are inside the rose hip, which is the fruit of the plant. It’s a green or red ball that forms when the rose flower drops off. See more in the article “How to…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Some people can’t wait for spring; they want to see crocuses and tulips and other spring bulb plants blooming inside their homes while it’s still winter. If you’re one of those people, find out how to force bulbs with the great information here from Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager at Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market, 428 Rhode Island St., Buffalo. Now is the time to begin the process of forcing bulbs, that is, tricking the bulbs to flower…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Now is the time to think about overwintering plants so you can enjoy them next year. In “What plants do you overwinter in Western New York?”, you’ll find guidelines on which plants are happy outside in the winter, which plants you should bring inside and which plants might be difficult for you to overwinter. That article includes links to many other helpful articles. Here are more related topics:…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Is your hosta overtaking your heuchera? Or just getting too big for your small garden? You may need to divide your plants, and autumn is a good time to do it. Find out more about dividing plants with Lyn Chimera of Lessons from Nature. And if you need more tips, check out these articles:…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko We’re having 90-degree weather in parts of Western New York–I hope you don’t think it’s already autumn! Just because the kids are going back to school, it doesn’t mean it’s time to pack up our gardening tools. Here are some tips that you can use now or in the coming weeks as we prepare for autumn…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko Many years ago, I was visiting the grand Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua. I sat down on a bench and got a whiff of something nasty. It turned out to be a boxwood and I wondered why anyone would plant such a stinky shrub. It turns out that boxwood doesn’t affect everyone the way it affected me. Some people don’t notice a scent, and others actually think boxwood smells nice. On the other hand, I love the…...
Check out these two publications from Master Gardeners in Western New York–they’re full of great information. Learn about soil blocks in the newest edition of The Optimistic Gardener, produced by the Master Gardeners in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. You don’t need containers for seedlings when you have soil blocks, according to Mark Messinger, Master Gardener apprentice. “You can see the roots fill out the blockscompletely, and instead of swirling around and tangling themselves, each root just stopswhen it hits the…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Creating a theme for the Fourth of July in your garden isn’t as easy as it might seem. While there are many red and white flowers to choose from, finding true blue flowers is difficult. “Blue flowers are never blue, even if they’re named as such,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. “They tend more to purple.” If you want flowers that are closer to blue, try these plants…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko Do you want to create a brand new garden bed? Extend a garden bed? Make changes to your perennial garden? Start growing vegetables–or grow them better? You’ll find lots of great gardening tips in these articles: Would you like to find out more on various gardening topics, such as deer, water features and pests & weeds? Browse all our Gardening Topics for Western New York here…....
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