Pests & Weeds Archives - Page 17 of 23 - Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

Don’t let your lawn get to this point, dig up lesser celandine now

by Connie Oswald Stofko I’ve been getting emails from people wanting to know what to do with lawns filled with lesser celandine. My best advice is to not let it get that far. Dig it up now. And do it this year when you have only a few patches! This is a serious weed, said Carol Ann Harlos, Master Gardener, garden writer and speaker. “You have two choices,” Harlos said. “You can either spend the time and dig it out…...

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Apr 25, 2017

Prune oak trees now to protect against spreading disease called oak wilt

Pruning oak trees in winter can help protect the oaks from becoming infected with oak wilt, a fungal disease that can be deadly for oaks, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The disease was discovered in six new locations in New York State last year and can be spread by beetles that are attracted to freshly cut or injured trees. Benefits of winter pruning: Diseases are rarely spread during this time, since insects and fungi are inactive. A tree’s…...

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Jan 17, 2017

soap slivers to keep deer and rabbits out of your garden

Simple and cheap tips for preventing deer & rabbits from eating your plants

by Connie Oswald Stofko You can never have too many tips for keeping deer and rabbits away from our plants. Even if we find something that works, the animals often get used to that technique and we have to try something else. Here are a bunch of tips. One is from me, but the rest are ones that local gardeners have shared with me. (These tips are often shared in quick conversations, so I often don’t have the name of…...

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Nov 15, 2016

For desperate gardeners, new idea to keep deer out of your garden

by Connie Oswald Stofko I saw some beautiful gardens when I was in Atlanta a couple weeks ago to attend the conference of GWA: The Association of Garden Communicators. But since the climate is so different there, I wasn’t sure I would be able to bring back any tips that would help us here in Western New York. Then we went to the home of Lee Dunn and her husband Mike. There I saw something that should interest gardeners who…...

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Oct 4, 2016

Oak tree suddenly lose leaves in August? Tell DEC

If you see an oak tree suddenly lose leaves during August, report it to the New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The tree could have oak wilt, a very serious tree disease in the eastern United States, killing thousands of oaks each year in forests, woodlots and home landscapes. Report suspected cases of oak wilt to the Forest Health Information Line toll-free at 1-866-640-0652 or email foresthealth@dec.ny.gov. The DEC and Department of Agriculture and Markets announced that oak…...

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Aug 15, 2016

Is it a weed or a plant? Common mullein & more

by Connie Oswald Stofko John Jankowski of Batavia sent me a photo that he wanted me to identify, then asked, “Is it a weed or a plant?” Now, usually I’m no help when people want a plant identified. I’m not a gardening expert, so I almost always have to tell people to contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension office in their county. However, I happened to know this one because I have it in my yard. It’s mullein (pronounced mull-en). Is…...

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Aug 2, 2016

Look for this invasive insect in your pool

It’s again time for pool owners to check their filters and skimmers for the Asian longhorned beetle. If you find one, please report it during the annual Citizen Pool Survey being held through Aug. 30 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). If you don’t have a pool, you can still help. DEC expanded its survey to include photo submissions from anyone who spots a suspect beetle, even if the beetle isn’t found in a pool. You…...

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Aug 2, 2016

How are gardeners dealing with red lily leaf beetle?

by Connie Oswald Stofko Here’s a question from a reader: “My Asiatic lilies were attacked by the lily beetles last year. “This year they (the red lily leaf beetles) are back in my garden. I literally pulled about 6-8 of my lilies and just tossed them out because they were so bad and distressing me– I even tossed out the soil around them. I still have some beetles and twice daily, I go out and look for them and catch…...

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Jul 19, 2016

Coneflowers with aster yellows disease: Keep healthy plants, but pull diseased ones

by Connie Oswald Stofko Here’s a question from a reader: Hi Connie, Last summer we were warned about aster yellows destroying coneflowers. My coneflowers were all infected but I didn’t remove the plants from my garden. Now I’m watching them sprout and I’m wondering if I should be worried. Should I take them out now? Thanks, Eileen Welborn Buffalo Yes, if you saw symptoms of aster yellows disease last year on your coneflowers and you didn’t pull out and carefully…...

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May 10, 2016

Now is time to look for red lily leaf beetle in WNY; watch for brown marmorated stink bug

by Connie Oswald Stofko Last year we told you about two invasive insects that could cause problems in your garden: the red lily leaf beetle and the brown marmorated stink bug. The red lily leaf beetle is the one that causes the most concern right now. It eats lilies and did extensive damage in some gardens last year. If you had lily leaf beetles last year, expect to have them this year. Start watching for the red lily leaf beetle…...

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May 3, 2016