03/02/2026
❗️New Species Spotlight❗️
We are offering nine (9) new species this year in our 2026 Tree and Shrub Program Catalog!! Orders are due on March 11th! Ending our Species Spotlight with some Local Legends!
🍓Honeoye Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) is our own Honeoye, New York strawberry that was developed by Cornell University in 1979 to be a high-yield but cold-hardy strawberry plant to thrive in our northern region! This is an early/midseason variety with a high yield and long harvest season (starting around June). It prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. When mature, it will be around 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide. Plant the bare root seedlings 12-18 inches apart in rows 3-4 feet apart to prevent overcrowding and competition. In the late fall, when plants start to go dormant, mulch over/around the plants with straw to protect them during winter. In the spring, pull the mulch aside and let them grow! Like many varieties, harvest begins the second (2nd) year! In the first year, remove the flower buds to help become more established and produce fruit the following season!
🍇Niagara White Grape (Vitis labrusca 'Niagara') is another NY celebrity! Developed in Niagara County in 1868, this species is derived from Concord and Cassady Grapes and is famous for its sweet, juicy, and aromatic flavor! This is a vigorous, self-fertile, and cold-hardy vine that is perfect for a home garden. Mature width is 15 feet, and it is recommended to plant with 6-foot spacing, so make sure to have proper size trellis or other structure! The plant will bloom mid to late spring, where they will then turn into large greenish white fruit in the late summer/early fall (August – September!). The seedless grapes have a lower acidity than most, and have a very strong, sweet floral flavor (great for jams, jellies, wines, and even champagne!). This plant does best in full sun with moist, well-drained soil but does well in clay and loam soil (if not heavily saturated). Avoid windy spots, as it can damage the plants. In the second and third year of growth, the vines should be staked after a heavy prune (2-3 buds per stem).
Catalog Link: https://www.geneseeny.gov/Department-Content/Soil-and-Water-Conservation-District
