Master Gardener Lyn Chimera introduces us to a perennial with a pretty red and yellow flower called Spigelia marilandica or Indian pink in the newest edition of WNY Gardening Matters. While not native to Western New York, Indian pink is native to the southern United States. “This is a wonderful, unusual and pest-free plant,” Chimera wrote. “Hummingbirds love it, deer don‘t and it’s beautiful too!” It also attracts hummingbirds. “What’s not to like?” she wrote. See the whole article here…....
A destructive insect called the Asian longhorned beetle has been found–and eradicated– in downstate counties with the help of citizens. You can help here in Western New York, too. Watch for Asian longhorned beetles so that if they arrive here, we can detect them early and keep them from damaging our street trees and forests. The Department of Environmental Conservation is holding its annual Asian Longhorned Beetle Swimming Pool Survey. What to look for with Asian longhorned beetles During late…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko If you’re having trouble with your cucumber, melon, pumpkin or squash this year, you’re not alone. A disease called cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) has already been identified in Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Cattaraugus counties. This map shows the spread of CDM. Chautauqua County and Northern Pennsylvania expect to see the disease soon. Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauaqu County would like gardeners to send in samples of suspected cases of CDM. (See more below.) Unfortunately,…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Sick and dying songbirds have been showing up from Florida to Pennsylvania with strange symptoms: crusty eyes, blindness and headshaking. Birds may be found on the ground, disoriented and unresponsive. This has been labeled a “mortality event”– where a large number of animals die within a short period of time due to what appears to be a similar cause. No affected birds have yet been reported in Western New York, but one was found on July…...
Dandelions can produce clones, according to an article by Carol Ann Harlos in WNY Gardening Matters. These common plants can use a process called apomixis, which is asexual reproduction without fertilization. The plants produced are identical to the parent plant. Read more here. Other new articles are: Article 161: Adapting Gardening to Your Physical Needs Article 163: Gardener Assistance with Monitoring Downy Mildews Affecting Cucurbit Plants and Basil Article 164: Pollen WNY Gardening Matters is produced by the Master Gardeners…...
Don’t let a new invasive insect get established in Western New York. The box tree moth is an invasive pest that can significantly damage—and potentially kill—boxwood plants if left unchecked. Boxwood plants imported from Canada this spring could have been infested with the box tree moth. Box tree moths can produce several generations between June and October, so acting now is essential to prevent this pest from establishing itself in Western New York, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Now is the time that giant hogweed plants are blooming, making it a prime time to spot this invasive plant, according the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Giant hogweed can cause severe skin and eye irritation, including painful burns and permanent scarring. Getting even a tiny amount of the sap in your eyes can cause temporary or permanent blindness. The DEC also warns of wild parsnip, which can burn your skin. Giant hogweed…...
This spring, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) received reports of larger-than-usual gypsy moth populations and leaf damage on trees in the state. Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County found that last year as well. Gypsy moths are non-native but are naturalized, meaning they will always be around. Their populations spike in numbers roughly every 10 to 15 years, but these outbreaks are usually ended by natural causes such as disease and predators. Because of this, DEC and its…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko “It seems like a lot of people are battling aphids this year,” said Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager of Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market. A great way to get rid of aphids is to let ladybugs gobble up the aphids. But what if ladybugs haven’t discovered the aphids on your plants yet? You can buy live ladybugs at Urban Roots, 428 Rhode Island St., Buffalo. The ladybugs aren’t in stock today (Tuesday, June 8, 2021), but Jablonski-Dopkin…...
Gardeners and other residents are asked to look out for the spotted lanternfly (SLF), an invasive pest that poses a severe threat to our landscape trees–and to forest and agriculture as well. There’s bad news and good news. The bad news is that the SLF has been spotted in several locations in New York State. The good news is that it hasn’t spread to much of the state. Learn how to help in these online events: Monday, June 7 at 1…...
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