by Connie Oswald Stofko You may already have some milkweed and other native plants in your summer garden. Can you try for a loftier goal? Here’s a suggestion from Kim Eierman, an environmental horticulturist and ecological landscape designer: Have three native plants blooming in your garden at any time throughout our entire growing season. “Pollinators don’t all wake up on the same day,” Eierman said. “What if all you had in your garden was milkweed?” In early spring, when we…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko If you’re like me, anytime you see tracks in the snow, especially if they are near a plant that has been nibbled on, you assume it’s rabbits. But sometimes I get surprised—we occasionally have deer, too. Or the random skunk. How can you tell what has been in your garden? You can get help with these Winter Tracks from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. In addition to drawings, there’s helpful text, too. For…...
Master Gardeners in Erie and Orleans counties share tips on moth gardens, what to do in your gardens now, a reminder about hardiness zones and more. Moth gardens Here’s a review on the book Gardening for Moths, a regional guide. The spectacular photos drew her in, but the text is attention grabbing, too, said Lyn Chimera, Master Gardener with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. Moths are responsible for a tremendous amount of pollination. We think about butterfly gardens, but…...
Jan. 30, 2025: There’s a new web-based form for you to report suspected cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in wild birds. The new link for reporting observations can be found on DEC’s the Animal Diseases webpage of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Of particular interest are reports of suspected outbreaks in all species of waterfowl, raptors, crows, shorebirds, and other waterbirds such as gulls, loons and herons. These species are known HPAI vectors, particularly vulnerable to the disease. The…...
Get scientific know-how through the Pollinator Steward Certification from Pollinator.org. This course is ideal for home gardeners, land managers (large and small), farmers and anyone that wants to do more to support pollinators. Topics include an introduction to the world of pollinators, how they live and thrive, and how we all can help. Details will be provided on habitat creation for pollinators in many landscapes, including parks, rights-of-way, urban gardens and farms. Additional information on pollinator identification and how to…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko “One of the craziest things people do is to rake up leaves and put them in a bag,” said Tom Kerr, senior naturalist at Buffalo Audubon Society. “Leaf litter is important, but some people scoop it up and throw it away!” Why you should leave the leaves Remember the food chain in science class? A plant is food for a certain insect, and that insect is food for a bird, and so on. If you took…...
It’s time to plant garlic. Find out about that and more in the newest edition of WNY Gardening Matters, produced by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. See these articles:…...
Bats are insect-eating machines, eating thousands of flying insects in a single night! That’s one reason why gardeners should help bats. And one way you can help bats is by planting a pollinator garden. The plants attract insects, and the insects pollinate the plants. Bats are a player in that, too, by keeping the insect population in check. We have nine species of bats in New York State and they all eat insects, according to the New York State Department…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko The goldenrod soldier beetle is a native insect that eats aphids and pollinates plants, which is good for our gardens. Yay! But if it comes into contact with a certain fungus, the unlucky beetle can die, become a zombie and help spread the fungus to other goldenrod soldier beetles. That’s sad for the individual beetles, but it’s not something gardeners need to worry about. Our garden helper The larvae of the beetle feed on soft-bodied insects…...
Ladybugs aren’t bugs at all. They’re beetles. That’s just one thing you’ll learn in the newest edition of the Optimistic Gardener. The publication is produced by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. Find the newsletter on the gardening page of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauqua County (on the lefthand side) and in Cattaraugus County (on the righthand side)…....
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