Garden Walk Buffalo

Downtown Hotels were booked solid. The weather for the most part cooperated, and thousands thronged to Buffalos West side for the 14th annual Garden walk in the nickel city.


With over 300 gardens and drawing more than 45,000 visitors the Garden Walk has become a must see summer event in Western NY.

Fresh Herbs At Your Fingertips

An indoor herb garden can be the perfect, and convenient, solution for those who like to cook with fresh herbs all year round. They also make perfect sense for those who live in units or apartments with no access to a yard. Herb gardens can be grown indoors relatively easily, even for those folk who may be subject to frosts or snow in the winter months. Try these handy hints for a successful herb garden even if you don't have a "green" thumb.

Position.
When deciding where to position your herb garden indoors there are 2 main factors to consider. Firstly, and most importantly, is available sunlight. For those living in the Northern hemisphere, a window facing south will provide the most daylight. For those down under, the opposite applies and the best outlook will be a north facing window.

5 to 8 hours of natural sunlight is best for optimal growing conditions. Those who live in locations with less sunlight can either utilize fluorescent lighting to provide artificial lighting, or alternatively, invest in a specific indoor garden lighting set.

Kitchens are always a popular location as there is normally a window, water is easily available, and most kitchen surfaces are easy to clean if potting mix is spilled. Other alternatives are enclosed porches and sun rooms. Be sure to select a spot that is also relatively draft free and is not exposed to dramatic temperature changes.

More - >

Get Your Grape On

Grapes have the longest history of all the cultivated fruits and are among the most widely grown. The fruits are used to make juice, jellies, wine, and pies, and the leaves can be used in cooking.

Grapes also are delicious eaten fresh, and their popularity has increased since the development of new seedless table grape cultivars for the Northeast and the Southeast. Choosing Cultivars Home gardeners can choose from a wide variety of grape cultivars, each differing in time of ripening, productivity, vigor, hardiness, fruit size, color, and flavor.

The grapes most widely cultivated in the Northeast are derived primarily from Vitis labrusca and are referred to as American bunch grapes. The following cultivars of this species produce well in much of New YorkState:

• Concord—the primary cultivar grown in the Northeast and the standard for hardiness.•

• Niagara—the leading white grape cultivar, though it is not as hardy as Concord and is moderately susceptible to several grape diseases.

• Catawba—a late-ripening red cultivar that requires a favorable site and a long growing season to reach full maturity.

• Delaware—one of the highest-quality American bunch grapes, both for eating fresh and for making white wine. It ripens two weeks before Concord. The tender skin of the red berries, however, is subject to cracking, and the leaves are susceptible to fungal diseases. It requires a deep, fertile, well-drained soil for satisfactory vine growth.

• Ontario—the best of the early-ripening American cultivars. It produces white fruit. Vines are vigorous but not as hardy as those ofConcord.

Propagating Grape Vines

There are several ways to accomplish the propagation of grape vines. First is to prune your existing vine to develop the plant into a productive vine. As you prune, you can collect the prunings to use as cuttings to make more grape vines. As you cut the vines from the plant, make a slanted cut at the bottom of each vine. The plant "knows" up from down. You must put the cuttings into the propagation medium (potting soil or garden) with the bottom down and the top up. This is very important.

If you make several cuttings from each pruned vine, make the top cut flat and then re-cut the next cutting to have a slanted cut at its base. Each cutting should be 4 to 8 inches long with several nodes (places where buds are located).

You can take some cuttings in the fall after the vines are dormant and all leaves have fallen. Do the major pruning in the late winter/early spring just before growth begins to avoid stimulating growth that can be killed by freezing temperatures. If you take cuttings in the fall, treat the base of the cutting with rooting hormone. Wrap the cuttings in moist (not soggy) sphagnum moss and store them in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator (not freezer) for at least 6 to 8 weeks. When you remove them from this cold storage (which simulates winter conditions and prepares them for growth), place them slanted end down (bottom down) into potting soil. You can put several cuttings in each pot if you wish.

Place the pot and cuttings in a plastic bag to maintain humidity around them. (I prefer long narrow plastic bags such as those surrounding newspapers on rainy days.) Place them in a bright, warm location but not in direct sun. (Direct sun will create too much heat in the bag.) Growth should begin in a few weeks but roots may not develop immediately, so keep them in the bag. As growth begins, you can open the top of the bag slightly or, with a sharp pencil, punch some holes in the bag to admit fresh air. As the vines outgrow the bag, you can open it completely and even take the plants from the bag. If they begin wilting, put them back into the bags but gradually expose them to drier air.

You can do the same thing in the spring as you do major pruning, but you won't need to treat them in the refrigerator. You can apply the rooting hormone and put them directly into the potting soil. After growth begins, you can cut some of the new tender growth and do the same thing. With the new softwood cuttings taken after growth begins, the humidity in the plastic bag is even more important. Without increased humidity, these cuttings with leaves will dry before roots can form.If you have many cuttings after pruning the vine, you may want to try rooting some cuttings in water. In this case, just prepare the cuttings and place them into buckets or jars of water.

Site Selection

A favorable site and climate is essential for successful grape growing. Specific requirements include:• full sun.• good air drainage.• a 150-day frost-free growing season.• minimum winter temperatures above –25 degrees F (USDAHardiness Zone 4b or warmer).• 2,000 growing degree days above 50 degrees F (see www.hort.cornell.edu/gardening/weather/ for more information on growing degree days).

• soil that is neither excessively wet nor droughty.Southern slopes or exposures protected by buildings or windbreaks are preferable to northern slopes and low ground, which tend to be cooler throughout the growing season and delay fruit ripening.

Grapes tolerate a wide range of soil types and are not as sensitive to extremes in drainage as other fruit crops. Still, they are most successfully grown on deep, well-drained sandyloams.It’s important to choose cultivars that are well-matched to your site. You can grow grapes just about anywhere in New York, but not all varieties will survive (much less thrive) in every location. If you are in Zone 4 or Zone 5, be sure to carefully check nursery catalog information about hardiness.

Cultivars vary in their susceptibility to winter injury. Temperatures below –15 degrees F can cause winter injury to all but the hardiest cultivars Planting and Early CarePrepare the soil and adjust pH and nutrient levels as indicated by a soil test the season before planting (see “Before You Begin,” page 1).

Plant purchased vines in spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Space vines a minimum of 8 feet apart both within and between rows, digging a hole large enough tospread out roots sufficiently.

After trimming away broken or excessively long roots, lay out the root system in the hole and cover completely with soil. Planting depth should be the same as in the nursery, usually about 2 to 3 inches above the root level. Remove all but the best single cane and tie it to a stake or the bottom wire of a trellis to hold it erect. This cane will become the trunk. It won’t grow straight without support.

After several weeks, buds should begin to grow. When the new shoots are about 10 inches long, remove all but the strongest as well as any other shoots that arise from the trunk. Also remove any flower clusters or side shoots as the single cane grows.

Fertilizing

Use no fertilizer the first year. In following years, apply 10-10-10 around the vines in early spring before growth begins:Year 2: 2 ounces per vineYear 3: 4 ounces per vineYear 4: 8 ounces per vineYear 5 and after: 16 ounces per vineCommercial grape growers usually test the soil and conduct leaf analyses at least every three years to detect nutrient deficiencies or imbalances. Choose grape varieties that won’t suffer winter injury in your area.Low Winter Temperature(USDA Hardiness Zone) Suitable Varieties0°F (Zone 7a) Almost any-5°F (Zone 6b) Most northern vinifera-10°F (Zone 6a) Hardy vinifera and moderately hardy hybrids-15°F (Zone 5b) Hardy hybrids and most American varieties<-15°F (Zone 5a and colder) Hardy American varieties

Stake canes at planting. They won’t grow straight without support.

Happy Gardening

Grow and Harvest Collard greens

Planting Collard greens in your vegetable garden makes a wonderful addition. Collards are rich in vitamins and minerals, can be successfully grown in many zones, are frost-tolerant, easy to grow, and offer an abundance of leaves to harvest all season long. Collard greens are grown for their large, deep green edible leaves that have a slightly bitter taste to them. They are very popular in the south and used frequently in southern cooking.

Collard greens are in the cabbage family and are a cool-season vegetable, which means they can be successfully grown in northern states and are frost-resistant. You can harvest collard greens well into the fall and early winter and often their taste improves as the weather cools.

Collards should be planted in the early spring to ensure a summer harvest and once more in midsummer for a late fall/early winter harvest. Plant the seeds about 1/4-1/2 inches into the soil, and thin the seedlings when they sprout to about 6 inches apart. You will eventually need about 18” between plants. You can eat the leaves of the plants you remove to increase space. After planting, it will take between 60-75 days for collards to reach maturity. Collards need to be kept adequately moist during summer heat and droughts, and checked for disease or insect damage.

Collard greens can be susceptible to aphids. Check for them on the underside of the leaves. Aphids can be gotten rid of by spraying the plant with soapy water or using an insecticide if that is not effective. They are also vulnerable to cabbageworms. There are three species that attack and damage collards: imported cabbageworms, cabbage loopers and diamond back moth worms. The damage is done during the larval or worm stage by eating holes in the leaves and head. The worms can be tricky to see as they blend in well with the color of the collard leaves. Adult moths or butterflies do not cause any damage but simply lay their eggs on the leaves. Cabbage worms can be very destructive and need to be controlled, either by manual removal if the amount if small, or with an insecticide if the numbers are large.

All parts of the collard plant can be eaten. Leaves should be harvested before they reach their maximum size for best taste. You can cut the mature plants (at least 6-10 inches in height) to the ground when harvesting, or simply harvest the outer part of the leaves. Some people prefer the smaller, younger leaves and harvest the inner part of the plant and allow the plant to continue to mature. Collards can be harvested at any time during the growing season. The leaves can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days. There are many delicious recipes available for using collard greens, including lots of southern and soul food.

Happy Gardening!

Vegetable Garden Guides

Harvesting Tips

Tomatoes. Tomatoes should be picked when they are firm and have reached full color -- crimson, red, yellow or other colors depending on the variety. It's probably a good idea to pick a range of ripening tomatoes every few days and let a few finish ripening after picking so you'll always have fresh, ripe tomatoes for salads and recipes. The ripening tomatoes will have slightly lower amounts of vitamins and minerals than the fully ripe fruits.

Peppers. Green peppers are picked and used before full ripeness. Gauge ripeness by the size estimate on a seed packet or in a seed catalog. Firmness also is a ripeness indicator. If the pepper feels as though it has thin walls, it is not ripe. When green peppers are allowed to ripen, they can turn into a rainbow of colors depending on the variety. If peppers have ripened to full color, use them quickly because they have only a few days of shelf life at that stage.

Zucchini. Zucchini tastes best when harvested at lengths from 6 to 10 inches. Don't let them grow longer than a foot. After 8 to 10 inches, zucchini gets tough and develops more seeds. Longer zucchini that escaped your attention during picking can be grated, or breaded and fried.
Cucumbers. Pickle cucumbers should not be grown beyond approximately 4 inches. Other types, such as some burpless or Oriental varieties, can reach ripeness at nearly 15 inches. The longer cucumber types are ripe when they retain a hint of the ridges and spinyness associated with immature cucumbers. Think of a cucumber as a balloon, if it's inflated to a perfect smoothness, it's too far gone.

Eggplant. Estimate ripeness by comparing the crop to the size and shape described on the seed package or catalog. The eggplant also should be shiny and glossy. The stem and cap should be mint green or purple, depending on the type.

Melons (muskmelons and cantaloupes). Most melons are perfectly ripe when they separate from the vine easily. A small tug should be enough. Other melon types are ripe when they turn from a greenish hue to a more yellow or orange color.

Watermelons. Each watermelon will have a pigtailed tendril of growth near the stem. As that tendril browns or dies, look at the underside of the melon. The underside should be slightly yellow. Inside, the seeds will be deep brown to black, not light tan.

Carrots. Because carrots invest most of their early growth into the plant leaves, the carrot, or root, does not mature until late summer or fall. Danvers varieties should be harvested when they reach about a 2-inch diameter. Nantes varieties should be picked when they reach 1 inch in diameter. To check diameter, just run your finger around the base of the plant and uncover the top of the carrot.

Leaf Lettuce and Spinach. Although gardeners can harvest the entire plant head early to thin the crop, I recommend removing and using the outer leaves of the plant as you need them. The plant will keep producing leaves until a killing frost. You can harvest chard and rhubarb the same way.

Onions. Because most onions are grown from sets, which means many of the plants grow too close together, it is recommended you thin out the plants. Onions are ready for final storage harvest when about half the plant leaves have turned brown or drooped. Push the rest of the leaves over and pick the onions about a week later. Leave the onions in the field to dry for a few days, then hang them. Onions forming a seed head -- the green shoot that looks like a spear coming out of the onion -- should be eaten immediately, because they won't dry out adequately for storage.

Snap (green or wax) Beans. The key to harvesting snap beans is to pick them before the pod shows any seed development. There should be no swelling where you can see the seed in the bean. Also, the bean should literally snap when you break it. If they're over rippened, the bean will be rubbery.

Broccoli. Broccoli plants produce a large central head comprised of tightly bound buds. The head should be harvested before any hint of yellowing appears and before the buds separate. Some broccoli varieties will continue to produce large shoots even after the central head has been harvested.

Flat Edible Pod Peas. These crops, known as Chinese peas or snow peas, should be picked when still flat, before the pod reveals the outline of the internal seeds. It is recommended that you check the size description on the seed packet or catalog as well.

Round Edible Pod Peas. Also known as snap peas, these varieties are the sweetest and most tender peas. They should be picked when fully round and smooth. The color should be mint green.

English Peas. The pod should be shiny and swelled enough to suggest the outline of the peas. All pea varieties should be cooled immediately after picking, because their sugars will turn to starch under warm conditions.

Happy harvesting!

Ccelery in the home garden

Growing celery in a home garden is not as common as say, cucumbers or green beans. Perhaps because it is more difficult to grow than other vegetables, requires more maintenance and has a longer growing season. For the gardener looking for a bit of a challenge and something new in their vegetable garden, celery is a good one to try. Finding celery seeds can be tricky, and locating seedlings can also be a challenge. You may have to do some searching to locate a source.

Celery is grown as an annual and is a cool-weather crop that requires 16 weeks of cool weather to come to harvest. Starting seedlings indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost to give them a head start is a good idea because of their long growing season. After you sow seeds indoors, thin them out until there remains only one in each pot. You can transplant to your outdoor garden about 1-2 weeks before the last frost date. In cool spring and summer areas, plant celery in early spring. In warm spring and summer areas, plant celery in late summer for harvesting in the fall and early winter. Space the plantings about 12 inches apart and in rows about 2 ½ feet apart.
Frequent weeding is required to avoid competition for moisture and nutrients. Celery needs a lot of organic matter, nutrients, and plenty of water. If the plants do not receive enough water the stalks become stringy, dry and remain small. Adding some compost or mulch will help to retain moisture in the soil surrounding the celery. Celery does not tolerate intense heat well and prefers a cool, cloudy spot to grow in. While you are planting, work in some general garden vegetable fertilizer. You will need to fertilize about one a month throughout the growing season. It will take 120-140 days for your celery to mature. Celery is fairly disease-free, but there are some insects and pests that are attracted to celery, including aphids, Slugs, Leafhoppers, and Celery flies.

You should blanch celery or the stalks may become bitter tasting. To blanch celery, you will need to cover and protect the stalks from the sunlight. You can use a paper milk carton, straw or other method to cover to the top of the stalks, with the leaves exposed. Blanch celery up to 10 to 14 days before harvesting. Celery that sits too long after blanching has an increased chance of rotting. After harvesting, celery will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. Celery can be dried, frozen or canned. Their seeds can be used as an Herb.

More on growing vegetables in the home garden

Pruning

Pruning your existing garden plants is an essential part of keeping your garden healthy. Almost all perennial garden plants need regular pruning, not only to promote healthy new growth but to help keep the plants from becoming diseased as well.

Pruning helps proper airflow throughout the plant, which helps to keep moisture on the plant down and prevents fungus from growing. Since many perennial plants, such as herbaceous perennials, die down to the ground over the winter, pruning also helps to remove dead and unsightly parts to the plant which makes them more aesthetically pleasing.

Choosing Your Pruning Tools

In order to prune your plants properly, you will need to have the proper pruning tools. Most common gardening pruning can be done with a pair of short-handled pruners or a pair of long-handled pruners. If you have very tall trees that you would like to prune, a long handled pruning shear or one with a telescoping pole will be required as well.

Pruning tools should be high quality tools that are ergonomically correct to make them easier to use. They should be kept very sharp and clean, and only used to cut plant based materials to help keep them from becoming dull.

Pruning in the Garden

Not all plants will need to be pruned in the same way. Some plants only need to be pruned back lightly. Other plants, you should remove at least half of the previous years growth. And in other cases, the plants should be pruned back almost to the ground to help make the plant grow better. For some plants, you will only need to remove any dead or diseased growth that you find in order to keep the plant healthy.

For most plants, even if you go a little overboard in your pruning, the plant will still be able to survive and come out safe and healthy. If you are concerned about pruning too much and do not want to prune your plant back too far for fear of killing it, at least make sure and prune any dead or diseased growth, any sucker vines that have grown at the base of the plant, or any branches that appear to be weak.

Common Plants that Need Regular Spring Pruning

The following are some of the most common plants that a gardener may have in their yard that require regular pruning every spring to ensure they grow well and stay healthy. If you have one of these plants in your yard, you will definitely need to make sure it gets pruned in the spring.

· Flowering Dogwood
· Lilac
· Rhododendron
· Roses
· Clematis
· Trumpet Vine
· Wisteria

If in doubt, you can always research the type of plant that you have, to determine whether or not it needs pruning. You should also easily be able to find information on how much pruning you should do, to ensure that the plant stays healthy and beautiful.