Two native species of trees, sassafras and spicebush, are at risk of an invasive fungal disease called laurel wilt. The disease has been detected on Long Island. It’s the first detection of the disease in New York State. Note: Mountain laurel, despite its name, is not in the same family and isn’t impacted by the disease. Also, spicebush is relatively small; it can be grouped as a shrub or as a small tree. The groups working on this are: Why we don’t want…...
Join Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County Master Gardener Program volunteers as they host three in-person fall gardening classes in September. The cost for the public is $15 per class or three classes for $45. The cost for Master Gardeners in any county is $15 per class, or three classes for $40. Register online here. For more information, contact (716) 652-5400, ext. 176 or jah663@cornell.edu. For accommodations for persons with special needs, contact (716) 652-5400, ext. 176 or jah663@cornell.edu at least five days prior…...
The good news is that we haven’t seen an Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) in Western New York. The bad news is that this invasive insect kills maples and other broad-leafed trees. That’s not good for our street trees–or for our forests. And it could wipe out the maple industry. The good news is that you can help by watching for the ALB; it’s active now. This quick video gives you the high points. Get a fact sheet with photos here…....
Oak wilt is a disease that can kill both red and white oak trees, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Symptoms are more noticeable in red oaks, which can die in as little as six weeks after infection. Residents and visitors of Niagara and Erie counties should especially be alert to signs of this disease. Oak wilt was found two years ago in the Ontario municipalities of Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Springwater. It may be…...
Late blight has been found in Cattaraugus County, according to the Cornell Vegetable Program. “As the disease spreads quickly, I would urge everyone in Chautauqua County and other surrounding areas to be on the lookout,” said Katelyn Walley-Stoll, agriculture team leader at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauqua County. If you suspect you might have infected plants or have more questions, contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension office in your county. What is late blight? Late blight is a quick spreading, easily traveling,…...
Here are just three of the many tips in the garden checklist for July from the Master Gardeners of Orleans County. Find lots of details within those tips–and more!–here. Do you have gardening questions? Contact the Master Gardeners in Orleans County here. If you live in a different county and have questions, find your Cornell Cooperative Extension office here…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko Chautauqua County is now the fourth county in Western New York where the box tree moth has been identified, according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The other counties where box tree moths have been identified are Niagara, Erie and Orleans. Box tree moths are invasive insects that can quickly damage or kill boxwoods. The other counties in Western New York—Genesee, Wyoming, Cattaraugus and Allegany—haven’t yet detected box tree moths. If you…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko There are two kinds of thistles you might have in your garden now: the Canada thistle and the bull thistle. Both have these harmful traits: The bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is fairly easy to dig up with a shovel. You can see more at WNY PRISM about the bull thistle and what it looks like. On the other hand, the Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is a gardener’s nightmare, so we’ll concentrate on that. (See more here…...
Here’s a bonanza of tips that you can use now from the Master Gardeners of Orleans County. Plus, for folks in Orleans County, the Master Gardeners are launching a program to encourage gardeners to support pollinators Save your spring holiday flowers If you received potted flowers this spring, you may be able to keep them going outside in your garden. See this article by Nancy Walker, Master Gardener. What to do in your garden now See the great list of…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko The rabbits killed half of my blackberry bush; only three healthy canes, or stems, are left. My neighbor’s five-foot rose of Sharon that she has been nurturing for ten years looks like a skeleton. Many gardeners around Western New York have the same question: Why was there so much damage from rabbits this winter? First of all, we have a lot of rabbits in Western New York, said John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in…...
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