Gardening

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Albany County is your resource for information on soils, site improvement, plant selection, proper plant care, eco-friendly practices, integrated pest management, composting and so much more! We offer free or low-cost gardening classes and tours all year long, and opportunities to share your love of gardening as a volunteer! 

The Master Gardener Volunteers are on winter break until March 2nd. CCE Albany County staff will be answering the Hotline and responding to emails during this time. Please leave a detailed message when calling with your gardening questions and include pictures when emailing. We will try to respond within a few days. Thank you for your patience! 518-765-3514 |albanymg@cornell.edu

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Seasonal Resources:

Protecting Berries from Rabbits

Looking to prevent rabbits from snacking on your raspberry canes and small blueberry bushes this winter? Try fencing the raspberry and blueberry beds with chicken wire.You can also wrap individual blueberry bushes in burlap.These strategies also work for other young, deciduous shrubs of interest to rabbits in winter.

https://www.extension.iastate.edu/smallfarms/prote...

Leave the Leaves

Save yourself the work of bagging leaves and give beneficial insects a place to overwinter.Rake leaves into garden beds, and under trees and shrubs.Or select a small section of yard for a large leaf pile. In addition to helping insects, the leaves can provide insulation for perennial plants and, when they break down, add nutrients to the soil. 

https://xerces.org/blog/leave-the-leaves

Winter Composting

Cold weather does not mean that you have to stop composting.You can continue to add food scraps to your pile/bin/rotating drum.Insulating a pile with bags of leaves or mulch can keep it active.You can also make a pre-compost bucket to reduce trips to the pile in the cold, layering greens and browns.

https://blogs.cornell.edu/nysipm/2016/11/07/how-to...

Capital Region Christmas Tree Farms 2025

Last updated November 24, 2025