by Connie Oswald Stofko Large trees tower over the front lawn of John Dyster and his wife Lyn in Lewiston: a river birch, a redbud and two maples. But that’s nothing compared to the back of the house, which looks like a forest. “It’s always been wooded,” Dyster said, noting that the area has been like that ever since the house was built in 1950. The entire lot size is .62 of an acre, about 116 feet wide and 232…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko If your neighbors have lesser celandine, you will soon have this horrible, but cute, plant all over your gardens and lawn. What can you do? Talk to your neighbors–in a nice way. That’s what Devon Southall of Tonawanda did. Southall had some lesser celandine in her backyard, so she asked her neighbor if she could check along their shared fence. Yikes! Along the fence, Southall found a carpet of lesser celandine about 75 feet long. That…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko The predictions were worrying, but Western New York didn’t get much of a storm (yay!). Yes, there was a day with constant snowfall, but the snow fell in teeny, tiny flakes. Here in Amherst, even when the snow piled up, we could shovel easily because the snow was granular and very light. There wasn’t much wind, either, which helped. But things are different today. It’s windy, there’s lots of snow and it’s still super cold. (How…...
You may be looking now for “wildflower” seed mixes to sow later in winter, wrote Peggy Koppmann in “This Month in the Garden,” an article in the newest edition of WNY Gardening Matters. Gardeners may look for wildflower seeds to create a meadow that attracts and supports pollinators, said Koppmann, a Master Gardener. But a meadow is complicated and it’s important to choose the right seeds. Purchase only seed mixtures that list the botanical names, she said. That way you…...
Here is the newest edition of Diggin In, the newsletter published by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County. Articles for November Clean Up in the Toolroom by Nancy Walker, Master Gardener Volunteer November Garden Checklist: A Little More Time to Plant, by Lydia Fernandez, Master Gardener Volunteer You can have a mission, too by Lydia Fernandez, Master Gardener Volunteer When Julia Bender decided to join the Master Gardener Program in 2024, she came with the specific…...
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,…...
© 2026 Buffalo-Niagara Gardening. All rights reserved.