Upstate Gardeners' Journal

11/08/2025

11/08/2025

11/08/2025

Tonight, we’re helping light the world in teal with the Alzheimer's Foundation of America during . We are proud to raise awareness of this disease that affects more than 6.9 million Americans and over 55 million people worldwide. For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, to get support from licensed social workers, or to get a free memory screening, call AFA’s Helpline at 866-232-8484 or visit www.alzfdn.org.

11/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/ErieCountyParks/posts/pfbid02W4Z9rRSFqk8HgkaGw3w1uacTUHaGPr2VZLvjbkmPWdnhcdzc1TGkZtQz5cy2qgJCl

11/05/2025

Did you have any monarchs late this year in your gardens? That is the generation that flies south to Mexico. Enjoy this beautiful video of those butterflies arriving in Mexico. Enjoy!

Monarch butterfly & Day of the Dead

11/04/2025

Hey, that’s our cover! Follow .leaves for more fun leaf art! 🍁

10/30/2025

You see these in many garden supply locations but best to pass them by. Transmission of disease is one of the biggest drawbacks to these items. Best ways to support our native bees: no pesticide use, plant native species, incorporate natural/untended areas into your property, and resist fall cleanup until the weather warms in the spring. Leaves, hollow stemmed plants, and more provide natural and safe winter habitat for these creatures…just as they always have. 💕🐝

Pollinator houses are so cute and tempting. But did you know they may not be beneficial and may do more harm than good?
The only thing that actually uses them is solitary bees and wasps love them! But solitary bees would not naturally nest this closely. And studies show it sets them up to be preyed upon by predators and potentially spreads disease.
Some more natural options:
-Leave 8 inches or more of your woody perennial stems as you do your winter clean up. Insects will burrow into them or use the hollow openings. And by the following year they have rotted and decayed.
-Leave logs, stumps, and fallen branches. This is hard for a lot of us but an aesthetically pleasing way to do this is to purposely set logs into the garden. Use stumps or large logs as a potted plant stand. I like to use downed limbs to line the walkway of my woodland garden. It gives it a rustic look and looks purposeful for the neighbors. Not to mention it keeps garden guest on the path and provides habitat for salamanders, toads, snails, and the millions of microbes that are improving my soil.
-If you are feeling crafty, you can bundle 8-10 inch pieces of hollowstem joe pye w**d with biodegradable twine. No more than 5-6 bundled together. And make sure they are cleverly hidden in your garden. A year later the whole bundle can be tossed in the compost bin.

10/30/2025

Fall morning at Durand Eastman 🍂🦢 📷:

10/30/2025

10/28/2025

10/28/2025

In your gardening planning for 2026, please work using no peat moss into your plans. Peat accumulates so slowly that it is not a sustainable garden product. Environmentally the harvesting also destroys habitat and releases much sequestered carbon. If you would like a deeper dive to learn more, search for "peat moss alternatives" and "peat moss sustainability."

Stop buying Peat Moss!

10/28/2025