weather Archives - Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

sign in Ellicott Creek Park Tonawanda NY about harmful algal bloom HAB

Gardeners: Help prevent harmful algal blooms in Western New York

by Connie Oswald Stofko Algae are important in our creeks, ponds and other waterways in Western New York. But when algae grow out of control—or blooms—that’s a big problem. Harmful algal blooms (HAB) can produce toxins that make fish, pets and people sick. But gardeners can help prevent HABs. Conditions that create harmful algal blooms HABs are happening more often in Western New York as our climate continues to warm and extreme weather events increase, according to Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper….

Aug 20, 2024

incomplete garden path in Amherst NY copyright Connie Oswald Stofko

Heat wave in WNY: Protect your garden and yourself

by Connie Oswald Stofko There’s a heat advisory for Western New York through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. (There might also be thunderstorms and damaging winds, so watch the forecast in your area.) What do high temperatures mean for your garden–and for yourself? Protect your garden in heat wave Watering is a high priority for your garden during a heat wave. High temperatures will quickly dry out the soil, so it’s important to keep watering your plants. Which…

Jun 18, 2024

Can you plant tomatoes on Mother’s Day? Memorial Day? Be patient

by Connie Oswald Stofko by Connie Oswald Stofko “Let me tell you a story,” said Kelly McDonald, executive director and Master Gardener at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Cattaraugus County. “Last year my husband and I planted tomato seeds in the house with grow lights. The plants were getting bigger, so we moved them into gallon buckets. The weather got warmer and we moved the plants in and out of the garage (to protect them from cool nights). “Then we got…

May 7, 2024

crocus with honey bee in Amherst NY copyright Connie Oswald Stofko

Gardens look like April, not March: weather in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko Does it seem that your crocuses, daffodils or other plants are budding—even blooming—early this year? “There’s no question about it,” said John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County. “We are ahead of where we would normally be. It looks like April instead of March.” The Southern Tier has also seen warmer temperatures than usual, said said Kelly McDonald, executive director and Master Gardener at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Cattaraugus County. While it’s…

Mar 19, 2024

bent arborvitaes after snow storm in Hamburg NY

Did snow & wind damage your WNY garden? Don’t panic

by Connie Oswald Stofko David Clark, CNLP has sad arborvitaes in his Hamburg yard. “They’re about 15 feet tall, but they’re bent lower than my knees,” he told me over the weekend. While that’s bad, it’s not as bad as it could be because the soil wasn’t frozen yet. The roots of the arborvitaes could come out of the ground a little bit and allow the shrubs to tip, preventing the trunk from snapping. Your azaleas and rhododendrons will be…

Jan 23, 2024

rain barrel pouring water into used milk jug

Reminder: Keep watering your plants

by Connie Oswald Stofko Blue skies! Highs in the 80s! What more could we want in Western New York? We might be celebrating, but are your plants happy? We haven’t had much rain in the past month, plus we’ve had hot, breezy conditions. That sucks the moisture out of the soil. Make sure you are watering often enough. Concentrate your watering efforts on these plants: See the U.S. Drought Monitor here. Most of Western New York is abnormally dry, while…

Oct 3, 2023

Winter solstice: days will be getting longer in WNY

by Connie Oswald Stofko Surprise! Tomorrow is the first day of winter. Yes, Western New York has snow on the ground, and parts of Western New York got 80 inches of snow in November, but that’s just weather. We’re talking about how close–or far away– Western New York is to the sun. As the Earth spins on its axis, the Northern Hemisphere gets closer or farther away from the sun. When the Northern Hemisphere is at its farthest point, we…

Dec 20, 2022

arborvitae bent in snow in Hamburg New York

How to deal with snow damage in your WNY garden

by Connie Oswald Stofko “What a crazy thing this was!” said David Clark, who got about 80 inches of snow at his Hamburg home during the recent snow storm. The amount of snow dropped in Western New York varied. Buffalo’s Southtowns area was hit hardest while areas in the Northtowns got a foot or two. The snowfall varied in other WNY counties as well, with some parts getting just a few inches. If your landscape felt the brunt of the…

Nov 22, 2022

waterfall in Glen Park in Williamsville New York

You can vote on Environmental Bond Act: clean air, clean water, green jobs

by Connie Oswald Stofko Do you want New York State to borrow money for projects to help residents have clean air, clear water and green jobs? When you vote in the upcoming election, you’ll see that as New York State’s Proposition 1. Text of Proposition 1 This is the text you will see on your ballot: “To address and combat the impact of climate change and damage to the environment, the ‘Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond…

Oct 11, 2022

Drought watch ends in WNY; don’t burn leaves

Six Western New York counties have been taken off drought watch: Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming. The drought watch was designated in August due to the below-normal precipitation during the previous three months. There have also been low stream flows and low groundwater levels. The status of these counties was changed Oct. 9 because of recent rainfall and higher levels of ground and surface water. Now all of Western New York is is in the normal range. A…

Oct 11, 2022