Pests & Weeds Archives - Page 22 of 30 - Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

New group forming on permaculture; intro presentations set for Feb. 4 & 11

by Connie Oswald Stofko A new group called Permaculture of Greater Buffalo will hold an introductory presentation on permaculture from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 in Ashker’s Juice Bar & Cafe, 1002 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo. The same presentation will be given at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 at Ashker’s. The room is small, so attendance is limited to 15 people at each meeting. Please RSVP online. At the group’s very first meeting, held earlier this month, an informal…...

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Jan 31, 2017

Prune oak trees now to protect against spreading disease called oak wilt

Pruning oak trees in winter can help protect the oaks from becoming infected with oak wilt, a fungal disease that can be deadly for oaks, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The disease was discovered in six new locations in New York State last year and can be spread by beetles that are attracted to freshly cut or injured trees. Benefits of winter pruning: Diseases are rarely spread during this time, since insects and fungi are inactive. A tree’s…...

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Jan 17, 2017

What to do about mealy bugs on houseplants

Mealybugs can be a problem for your houseplants during winter. Find out what to do about this pest in the newest edition of WNY Gardening Matters, published by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. Mealybugs are tiny, but they’re a problem because they suck fluid from plant, weakening the plant and making the plant susceptible to diseases. Save Save Save Save Save…...

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Dec 13, 2016

soap slivers to keep deer and rabbits out of your garden

Simple and cheap tips for preventing deer & rabbits from eating your plants

by Connie Oswald Stofko You can never have too many tips for keeping deer and rabbits away from our plants. Even if we find something that works, the animals often get used to that technique and we have to try something else. Here are a bunch of tips. One is from me, but the rest are ones that local gardeners have shared with me. (These tips are often shared in quick conversations, so I often don’t have the name of…...

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Nov 15, 2016

For desperate gardeners, new idea to keep deer out of your garden

by Connie Oswald Stofko I saw some beautiful gardens when I was in Atlanta a couple weeks ago to attend the conference of GWA: The Association of Garden Communicators. But since the climate is so different there, I wasn’t sure I would be able to bring back any tips that would help us here in Western New York. Then we went to the home of Lee Dunn and her husband Mike. There I saw something that should interest gardeners who…...

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Oct 4, 2016

Oak tree suddenly lose leaves in August? Tell DEC

If you see an oak tree suddenly lose leaves during August, report it to the New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The tree could have oak wilt, a very serious tree disease in the eastern United States, killing thousands of oaks each year in forests, woodlots and home landscapes. Report suspected cases of oak wilt to the Forest Health Information Line toll-free at 1-866-640-0652 or email foresthealth@dec.ny.gov. The DEC and Department of Agriculture and Markets announced that oak…...

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Aug 15, 2016

Is it a weed or a plant? Common mullein & more

by Connie Oswald Stofko John Jankowski of Batavia sent me a photo that he wanted me to identify, then asked, “Is it a weed or a plant?” Now, usually I’m no help when people want a plant identified. I’m not a gardening expert, so I almost always have to tell people to contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension office in their county. However, I happened to know this one because I have it in my yard. It’s mullein (pronounced mull-en). Is…...

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Aug 2, 2016

Look for this invasive insect in your pool

It’s again time for pool owners to check their filters and skimmers for the Asian longhorned beetle. If you find one, please report it during the annual Citizen Pool Survey being held through Aug. 30 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). If you don’t have a pool, you can still help. DEC expanded its survey to include photo submissions from anyone who spots a suspect beetle, even if the beetle isn’t found in a pool. You…...

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Aug 2, 2016

How are gardeners dealing with red lily leaf beetle?

by Connie Oswald Stofko Here’s a question from a reader: “My Asiatic lilies were attacked by the lily beetles last year. “This year they (the red lily leaf beetles) are back in my garden. I literally pulled about 6-8 of my lilies and just tossed them out because they were so bad and distressing me– I even tossed out the soil around them. I still have some beetles and twice daily, I go out and look for them and catch…...

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Jul 19, 2016

healthy impatiens in Lancaster NYJune 2013 closeup

You can plant impatiens in your shady garden if you want to play the odds

by Connie Oswald Stofko If you want to plant impatiens this year, you can take steps to decrease your chances of having your flowers killed by the blight called downy mildew, said Margery Daughtrey, senior extension associate with the Section of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology at Cornell University. One thing you can do is to plant your impatiens in hanging baskets where they might be more sheltered from the disease. You can also plant them among other plants so…...

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May 17, 2016