Garden tips Archives - Page 6 of 110 - Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

Protect peat bogs: article from Orleans County MG, plus tasks for March

We need to protect peat bogs. Learn more about that in the article “Peat Moss and Sustainability” by Kathy Contrino, Master Gardener in Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. Peat moss, which is used to help soil retain moisture, is grown in peat bogs. However, peat moss grows slowly and it grows only if the conditions are perfect. Peat bogs are also an environment for native carnivorous plants, so harvesting peat moss can disrupt that ecosystem. There are alternatives to peat…...

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Mar 4, 2025

goldenrod with grass-carrying wasp, ground yellowjackets and sweat bee in Amherst NY

Beyond milkweed: aim for native plants throughout our growing season

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…...

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Feb 25, 2025

stakes to keep deer out in East Aurora NY

Murals, deer fences & more in East Aurora

by Connie Oswald Stofko “It was just a makeshift thing,” said Kim Kaiser, talking about the wooden stakes that her husband Seth set up to try to keep deer out. “It was kind of ugly,” she said. “But the fence is too low, so I had to think of something. I could put up a better fence, but I don’t want to disturb the clematis on the fence.” Wooden stakes, the kind you would buy to stake trees, were set…...

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Feb 18, 2025

cool weather seeds at Urban Roots in Buffalo NY

Gardening season is starting now with cool weather veggies

by Connie Oswald Stofko There’s snow on the ground and more snow to come. As I write this, the temperature might reach a high of 16 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill as low as -5. Brrr! That’s the forecast in the Buffalo area, but the weather is pretty much the same in the rest of Western New York. Yet despite the weather, the beginning of gardening season is here! Now is the time to get your supplies, equipment and…...

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Feb 18, 2025

Plantain sedge (Carex plantaginea). Photo courtesy Jay Sturner at Creative Commons

What are sedges? Read more in WNY Gardening Matters

Sedges are as close to a carefree perennial as you can find, according to Lyn Chimera in the article “Sedges: Amazing and Hardy Perennials.” Native sedges have all the interesting features of grasses for your garden and much easier to care for. Other articles in this issue: WNY Gardening Matters is produced by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County…....

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Feb 18, 2025

Monarch butterflies could become extinct: See what you can do

by Connie Oswald Stofko In order to protect monarch butterflies, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) has proposed listing the monarch under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). “This is good news for conservationists and nature lovers,” said Jay Burney, a local conservation activist. The monarch would be listed as threatened, which means it is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future. (Endangered means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.) By…...

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Feb 11, 2025

Got a sick tree? Get a diagnosis for free!

If you have a sick tree in your yard, you can get help through the Forest Health Research Lab, part of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. While it talks about “forest health,” you don’t need a forest; a single tree is fine. But this lab is just for trees, not other kinds of plants. The Forest Health Research Lab is available year-round to help you diagnose tree diseases and potentially invasive insects–at no cost. They will also…...

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Feb 11, 2025

Who has been in your garden? See winter tracks

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…...

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Feb 11, 2025

Moth gardens, hardiness zones and more from Master Gardeners

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…...

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Feb 4, 2025

Spring is coming; start looking for small vases

by Connie Oswald Stofko One day I realized I had lots of large vases, but nothing that was suitable for flowers from my spring garden. It seemed like every flower was short: hyacinths, lilies-of-the valley, daffodils. And don’t forget the occasional gift of dandelions from a child. If you want to enjoy these flowers from your own garden, start looking for vases now. Thrift stores and garage sales are where I’ve been able to find small vases. The vases should…...

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Feb 4, 2025