Upstate Gardeners' Journal

12/08/2025

Garden Walk Buffalo Poster Contest!

Garden Walk Buffalo, America’s largest garden tour, is looking for submissions of original artwork to promote the annual event!

12/02/2025

The Miniature World on a Branch: Understanding Lichens 🌳🔍

Ever stopped to look—really look—at the bark of a tree? That splash of color isn't just dirt or moss; it's a biological masterpiece called Lichen.

Here is a breakdown of the fascinating growth forms shown in the diagram, along with the real science behind them! 👇

🌿 What is a Lichen?

First, a quick fact: A lichen isn't a single plant. It is actually two organisms (a fungus and an alga/cyanobacteria) living together in a symbiotic relationship. The fungus provides the structure, and the alga provides the food through photosynthesis. Teamwork! 🤝

🔍 The 3 Main Growth Forms (Morphologies)

The image illustrates three distinct ways lichens grow. Here is the science behind what you are seeing:

1. Leprose (The "Powdery" One)

The Look: As the image says, it looks "painted on," but specifically, Leprose lichens have a powdery or granular appearance.

The Science: Unlike other lichens, these lack a smooth outer "skin" (cortex). Because they are just a loose layer of fungal threads and algal cells, they look like dust or powder on the bark. They are extremely water-repellent!

(Note: These are often grouped with "Crustose" lichens, which form hard crusts that are impossible to remove without damaging the bark.)

2. Foliose (The "Leafy" One)

The Look: These have distinct lobes that look like tiny lettuce leaves or crumpled paper.

The Science: The name comes from "foliage." Unlike the painted-on types, Foliose lichens have a distinct top side and bottom side. They are attached to the branch by tiny root-like structures called rhizines, meaning you could theoretically lift the edges (though it's best to leave them be!).

3. Fruticose (The "Hairy" or "Shrubby" One)

The Look: These hang down like hair or stand up like tiny miniature bushes.

The Science: (Spelling Check: It is spelled Fruticose, derived from the Latin for "shrub" — no 'i' after the u!).

These are the complex, 3D lichens. Because they hang or stand out into the air, they are very sensitive to their environment. They absorb water v***r directly from the atmosphere like a sponge.

💡 Why does this matter?

Lichens are nature's Bio-indicators. Because they absorb everything from the air around them (nutrients and toxins alike), they typically only grow in areas with good air quality.

If you see a branch covered in big, bushy Fruticose or leafy Foliose lichens, take a deep breath—the air there is likely very clean! 🌬️✅

12/02/2025

INDOOR VERMICOMPOSTING IS FUN, EASY, AND A GOOD THING!
Composting indoors with worms (also called vermicomposting) is an easy and effective way to recycle kitchen scraps and receive "black gold" worm castings in return. It's especially convenient in the winter when a trip to the compost pile may require putting on snow boots and gloves and carrying buckets or bowls of veggie peelings to the far end of the garden. Worm bins by contract are best located conveniently in the basement. A well-tended bin does not smell and can be located under the sink or in a closet, but basements tend to be a bit cooler and easier to keep dark.

According to Oregon State University's publication linked below, "Most food waste in the United States is sent to landfills and makes up 20 percent (by weight) of all landfill materials. When this food decomposes in a landfill, it produces methane gas. Methane is a greenhouse gas (a gas that traps heat in the atmosphere). Methane is about 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, in terms of its warming potential." Vermicomposting recycles organic waste and solves this problem with landfill gas and also produces a wonderful product for our gardens and houseplants.

The red wiggler worms that are recommended for indoor composting are well behaved small worms that don't need much attention or equipment. The species usually recommended is the common red wiggler species (Eisenia fetida). This worm’s digestive system is good at converting food waste and other organic materials to a nutrient-rich compost. It is best to purchase a pound or two of this species to get a bin started. Do not use worms from your garden for indoor composting.

Inexpensive plastic opaque storage bins found at most big box stores can be modified within minutes to provide a good home. Worm bins need drainage holes and holes for air circulation so a few minutes with a drill is all that is needed to prepare the bin. Fill the bin halfway with bedding material such as newspaper, coconut coir, or paper egg crates torn into small pieces. Avoid shredded copy paper and magazine coated papers.

Worms have a gizzard similar to birds and therefore need grit to help break up food particles. The fact sheet linked below recommends about ½ cup to a 14-gallon bin every couple of months to aid digestion. There are several materials you can use: crushed oyster shell, pulverized egg shells, and sterilized garden soil among others.

The worms will eat most fruit and vegetable waste with a few exceptions. Citrus fruits like lemon and oranges, vegetables in the onion and garlic families, and processed foods of all kinds should be avoided. The same rules apply to indoor vermicomposting as regular outdoor composting, no meat, dairy, or grease. Whether or not coffee grounds should be used as food for indoor worms is currently being debated. While appropriate in moderation for large composting piles, the issue in a small bin is more about the texture of the grounds which can be abrasive to the worms' skin. Cantaloupe and watermelon rinds seem to be a favorite, but they add lots of moisture so don't overload them. Potatoes are okay but the worms don't seem to enjoy them and will leave them until everything else is consumed. Chopping food items into small pieces (½ to1 inch or smaller) ensures faster breakdown by microorganisms and prevents the bin from getting moldy or smelly.
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9034
MBS

11/29/2025

Reduce - Re-use - Recycle…..a gardener’s best friend!

Don't throw out those zippered plastic bags that sheets and blankets are bought in. They make a perfect little greenhouse! Just the thing for starting plant cuttings or nursing a plant that needs some TLC.

11/27/2025

11/27/2025

Your winter garden isn’t dead — it’s hosting one of the most important survival seasons of the year.
Care for it gently now, and it will repay you beautifully in spring.

🌱 Beneath the Soil
• Beetles, moths, butterflies, and native bees overwinter in the top few inches of soil.
• Roots conserve energy and begin slow underground growth.
• Earthworms move deeper but stay active in warm pockets.

🍂 Under the Leaves
• Ladybugs, fireflies, lacewings, and spiders shelter inside leaf layers.
• Leaf mold becomes a winter blanket that keeps soil life alive.
• Many moth and butterfly cocoons cling to the underside of leaves.

🌾 Inside Hollow Stems
• Overwintering solitary bees sleep inside dried stems of coneflower, goldenrod, and asters.
• Beetles and beneficial insects hide in the pithy tubes for protection.
• Cutting these stems removes entire generations of pollinators.

🪵 In Logs & Brush Piles
• Wrens, rabbits, chipmunks, and small mammals shelter from wind.
• Predatory insects control pests by overwintering in wood crevices.
• Fungi continue recycling nutrients even in freezing temperatures.

🌿 In Evergreens
• Birds hide inside dense foliage for warmth and safety.
• Juniper, holly, and pine offer berries, shelter, and windblock.
• Evergreens are living hotels in winter storms.

❄️ Under the Snow
• Snow acts as insulation, keeping the soil warmer than the air.
• Voles, mice, and insects move through tiny snow tunnels.
• Many plant crowns survive because snow protects them from wind burn.

11/26/2025

🌲 Read the November-December UGJ online today! - https://mailchi.mp/e52eef9e2f80/read-the-ugj-online-today-9947979

11/23/2025

11/23/2025

Mark your calendar! Make it a family event. Visit with Santa. Pick out your tree, greens, wreath and poinsettias. Go home and get your home ready for Christmas with the whole family!

11/23/2025

Here's the reminder :)
Our annual Xmas Open House is always the weekend after Thanksgiving....
All the trees, wreaths, and greens will be ready to go, as will all the Christmas flowers!
There will be all the decorated trees with lots of ornaments, gifts, and more.
On Small Business Saturday, every tree purchase gets you a little gift to show our appreciation for all the support you give us each season.....and there's free cookies!!