As far as we know, the Asian longhorned beetle has been found only in the New York City area, but never in Western New York. Still, we want to keep a lookout for this invasive insect that attacks and kills maples, birches, willows, and other hardwood trees. The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is active now through Labor Day, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Pool owners are asked to regularly check their pool filters and report…...
Check out these two publications from Master Gardeners in Western New York–they’re full of great information. Learn about soil blocks in the newest edition of The Optimistic Gardener, produced by the Master Gardeners in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. You don’t need containers for seedlings when you have soil blocks, according to Mark Messinger, Master Gardener apprentice. “You can see the roots fill out the blockscompletely, and instead of swirling around and tangling themselves, each root just stopswhen it hits the…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Open Gardens start this Thursday and Friday, and six garden walks will be held this weekend. Tip: When you visit these gardens, take note of things that interest you, such as the flowers flowing out of the picture frame in the photo here. See it in the garden of Courtney Gorman, who will share her landscape on the Snyder-CleveHill Garden View. “One of my best friends, Sandy Hoffman, made this easel for me out of scrap…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko I saw a post on social media today from a gardener at the West Seneca-South Buffalo border who said she saw two adult spotted lanternflies. However, at this time of year, Western New York probably has nymphs, an earlier stage of the spotted lanterfly, rather than adults, said Brian Eshenaur, Senior Extension Associate with Cornell University and the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program. We probably won’t see adults in Western New York until early August…....
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Master Gardener Program is celebrating National Pollinator month by sharing information and resources to help create a garden for your favorite pollinators. by Shannon Rinow, Master Gardener Coordinator, Chautauqua County Butterflies and honeybees may come to mind when you think of pollinators, but pollinators also include wild native bees (there are 450 native species of bees in New York State), beetles, moths, bats, wasps, birds, specialized flies and other beneficial insects. They all play an important…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Creating a theme for the Fourth of July in your garden isn’t as easy as it might seem. While there are many red and white flowers to choose from, finding true blue flowers is difficult. “Blue flowers are never blue, even if they’re named as such,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. “They tend more to purple.” If you want flowers that are closer to blue, try these plants…....
The season of garden walks will kick off this weekend with Lewiston GardenFest from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 17 and 18 on Center Street in Lewiston. Here are some photos–and tips!–from a couple of the gardeners who will be sharing their landscapes during the Lewiston GardenFest. You can see and learn more during the actual event. “Celebrate summer at Lewiston GardenFest and come away inspired to enhance your own green spaces,” said Mary Ann Yates,…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Gardeners worried about how the smoke from the recent Canadian wildfires would affect vegetable plants in Western New York, but “The good news is the impact will be minimal at worst,” according to Steve Reiners, professor in Horticulture at Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech. Smoke-filled skies decrease sunlight and reduce photosynthesis, but only to a small degree and temporarily, Reiners said. Despite the shade, there was still enough diffused light penetrating the smoke to maintain growth. Smoke…...
Ladybugs can take care of aphids for you–if the ladybugs are in your garden. If your aphid-filled plants are waiting for ladybugs, wait no longer. Buy ladybugs at Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market, 428 Rhode Island St., Buffalo. The ladybugs are in stock now. Urban Roots also sells beneficial nematodes. Read this previous article to learn more about releasing ladybugs. For more information, stop in to Urban Roots or contact them directly at (716) 362-8982 or info@urbanroots.org…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko Don’t let this happen to you! My husband and I were out of town this past week. We weren’t away long, just a few days. We took a taxi from the airport, and as we pulled up to our house, the driver pointed to my hanging basket of calibrachoa. “I just bought one of those,” he said. “How long do they live?” “They will flower all summer,” I said, then glanced up, horrified to see my…...
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