FAQs

Houseplants

Usually, it’s best to wait until the plant tells you that it’s crowded (drying out faster, miniaturized new growth, general malaise, etc). When repotting, go only 1-2” bigger in pot diameter at a time, try to provide drainage with a hole in the new pot or by staging a nursery pot inside a cachepot (rocks in the bottom don’t count) and don’t pull the roots apart excessively. Expect to water the plant a little less as it adjusts to the new pot. Hoya, snake plants, and zz plants like to stay more crowded in general.

For most houseplants, fertilizing with a general houseplant fertilizer (chemical salt based or organic) from March through October diluted according to the package instructions is sufficient. If your plant is actively growing in winter, fertilizing could be considered at this time also, but in general you run the risk of excess salts unused by the plant accumulating in the soil. Plants like orchids, cacti/succulents, and african violets have more specialized nutritional needs and should be fed their own specific fertilizers. Tropicals grown for their blooms could be candidates for bloom-boosting fertilizers, but this is not a necessity.

Small, gray-bodied, flying insects observed especially around the soil of plants kept inside are usually fungus gnats. They do not feed on the leaves of your plants, but instead use the top few inches of the soil to lay their eggs. They are attracted to moisture, and therefore one of the first methods of defense against them is to let your soil dry out as much as possible without damaging your plant. When this is not a viable or effective strategy, other methods of control include a hydrogen peroxide ‘rinse’ through the root system, adding cinnamon to the soil surface, and usually best of all, applying a biological control called mosquito bits/beater/dunks. This substance will only affect the gnats and is not toxic to people, pets, or plants.

It is completely normal for all orchids (including the phalaenopsis orchids most commonly encountered) to lose their flowers at some point. When the flower spike that bore them is brown and dry to the base of the plant, it can be removed. If it is still green, then inducing the orchid to grow a secondary branch of flowers is possible. When the orchid is devoid of flowers it will usually begin to grow vegetatively (new leaves and roots) which is important for its long-term survival. Phalaenopsis orchids can generally flower once a year, and giving them a fall ‘cool-down’ is often enough to trigger them to bloom again in the spring.

Most orchids are epiphytes in nature, and as such, require a lot of air circulation around their root systems. This is why orchid media is very chunky – often composed of lava rock, fir bark, charcoal, and peat chunks. This can be layered with sphagnum moss to allow more water retention. When repotting your orchid, it’s best to wait until it’s not flowering but is actively growing new roots. Aerial roots that stick out of the pot can be tucked into the new media when you repot, or left out in the air. Specialized orchid pots with many holes in the sides exist to allow even more airflow to the roots, but are not critical to have.

Carnivorous plants in our garden center are either fully tropical (as in the case of most sundews, most butterworts, and Asian pitcher plants) or temperate, meaning they require an annual dormancy to survive long-term (venus fly traps, American pitcher plants). Ways to offer this needed dormancy are best explored through research and individual situations (e.g. a small venus fly trap could be provided a dormancy in an unheated sunroom, whereas a bigger american pitcher plant could be kept in an attached garage, etc.). When any carnivorous plant is actively growing, it requires distilled or rainwater, as it cannot process minerals the way non-predatory plants do. Keeping them in a high-humidity environment, with bright light, sitting in water is ideal. They are mostly bog-plants, after all. If you feel your carnivorous plant is not getting enough to eat, it can be fed fish food or dried blood worms from the pet store. Do not overfeed, as it can be harmful to the plant.

All plants need light. Many tropical plants grow in the understory of their natural habitats and therefore can survive and thrive in the mostly indirect sunlight available inside a home. They exist on a spectrum of light tolerance, from low (generally 6-10 feet from a light source), medium indirect (generally 2-6 feet from a light source), and high direct/indirect (generally 1-2 feet from a light source). The best plants for low light are snake plants, cast iron plants, and zz plants. They tolerate almost any light quantity in fact, as long as they are not overwatered. One step up from that for medium indirect light are many of the aroids (philodendrons, pothos, monstera, etc.). Adding a grow light is also an option for supplementing in any spot.

All plants purify the air to some degree. What varies is their efficiency at removing VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) from the atmosphere. Examples of the best choices are: aloe vera, ficus, snake plants, bromeliads, peace lilies, calatheas, gerbera daisies, spider plants, pothos, pilea, and chinese evergreens. Some plants are prone to releasing their oxygen and/or scent at night, which can be helpful for improving sleep quality, such as aloe vera, many palms, chinese evergreens, jasmine, lavender, and orchids. Keep in mind that many plants would be required to make a huge difference in indoor air quality. 

Toxicity exists on a spectrum for plants. Some are especially damaging if ingested, such as dieffenbachia and euphorbia. All of our houseplants that are considered completely pet safe for dogs and cats are marked with the words ‘pet-friendly’ on the lower right hand side of their tags. If this is missing from a plant’s tag, then it falls somewhere on the toxicity spectrum. Many commonly kept houseplants are somewhere in the middle.

Moss poles’ purpose is to mimic the natural growing conditions experienced by many vining plants. By planting them in the pot and introducing them to the plants, you are essentially tricking the plants into attaching themselves to the pole and having it act as a pseudo tree for them to climb. This often leads to aerial roots growing into the pole and a faster size increase in new leaves produced. Moss poles also help stop these kinds of plants from flopping and keep them more manageable as they grow. They are not strictly necessary, but are a good option in many cases, especially with aroids.

  1. Quarantine your new plants for a week or two to ensure your plant is clean and to decrease how likely it would be for any pests to spread to other plants in your home.
  2. Inspect Regularly This could be anytime you water your plant. Look for any discolored or distorted leaves along with any webbing or insects on your plant.
  3. Isolate If you do find any pests to ensure the least amount of spread possible.
  4. Proper Watering can impact plant health. Learn the best way to water your plants to ensure you aren’t overwatering/underwatering. Overwatering can lead to fungus gnats and underwatering can lead to spider mites. Some plants even prefer bottom watering to overhead watering so its important to know what works for your specific plant.
  5. Humidity can be just as important as watering for some plants. Plant leaves can dry out due to our heaters, vents, and ACs which can make our plants more susceptible to spidermites that love dry conditions.
  6. Cleaning plants can help discourage any pests from making a home in your plants. Removing dead/dying leaves along with dusting off your leaves every once in a while will help keep your plants looking good and keep them pest free.
  7. Know your plant. Certain plants are more prone to certain bugs than others. Knowing how to keep your plants happy and knowing which bugs can affect your plant can help save you time when it comes to identifying any issues with your plant in the future.




Annuals & Perennials

Trimming or deadheading annual plants is an important maintenance practice that can encourage continued blooming and maintain a neat appearance. Here are some general guidelines to help you know when to trim your annuals:

  • Faded Blooms:
    • Deadhead or trim off faded flowers regularly. This prevents the plant from putting energy into producing seeds and encourages it to produce more flowers.
  • Regular Inspection:
    • Check your annual plants regularly for spent flowers, yellowing or diseased foliage, and overall plant appearance.
    • If you notice any signs of decline or if the plant looks leggy or unkempt, it may be time for a trim.
  • Mid-Season Maintenance:
    • Consider a mid-season trim for certain annuals to promote branching and bushier growth. This is particularly relevant for plants that tend to become leggy or have a sprawling growth habit.
  • Encourage Rejuvenation:
    • Some annuals benefit from a light trim midseason to encourage new growth and refresh the plant’s appearance.
  • Promote Air Circulation:
    • Trim back crowded or dense growth to improve air circulation. This helps reduce the risk of diseases and promotes overall plant health.
  • Remove Yellowing or Diseased Foliage:
    • Trim away any yellowing or diseased foliage promptly. This not only improves the plant’s appearance but also helps prevent the spread of diseases.
  • End-of-Season Cleanup:
    • As the growing season comes to an end, consider a more substantial trim to prepare the plants for the changing conditions. Remove any dead or dying foliage and cut back stems.
  • Know Plant-Specific Requirements:
    • Different annuals have different growth habits and requirements. Some may benefit from constant deadheading, while others may require less frequent attention.
  • Observe Growth Patterns:
    • Pay attention to how your annuals are growing. If they are becoming leggy, floppy, or overly tall, trimming can help promote a more compact and sturdy plant.
  • Monitor Overall Plant Health:
    • If your annuals start to look tired or stressed, trimming can sometimes rejuvenate them by removing old, tired growth and promoting new, vigorous shoots.
  • Consider Seed Saving:
    • If you want to save seeds for future planting, allow some of the flowers to mature and collect the seeds. However, be mindful of the fact that some plants may stop flowering if allowed to go to seed.

In general, annual plants cannot tolerate frost. This means they should not be planted before the last frost date of your growing zone. For us in WNY, it’s usually not completely safe until Memorial Day weekend in May. Regardless of the timing applicable to your zone, annuals should always be hardened off gently to outdoor conditions. This entails exposing them in increasing increments to direct sunlight and outdoor temperatures, usually over the course of a week.

Plants intended for full sun require at least six full hours of direct sun. Between four and six hours of direct sun is appropriate for part sun plants, and less than four hours is best for shade plants. 

To promote continuous flowering, annuals should be fertilized with diluted all purpose or bloom booster fertilizer every time you water.  Perennials should be planted with some compost or slow release starter fertilizer their first year, and only fertilized annually after that.

Shrubs & Trees

Some varieties of hydrangea will only flower on old wood. This means that they set their buds in late summer for the next spring. If your hydrangeas are pruned after this point or hit by a frost and unprotected, those buds may be compromised or lost. If you have a hydrangea that flowers on new wood and still aren’t getting blooms, it’s likely that your plant is not getting enough sun, is not getting enough nutrients, or is suffering some other stress that’s suppressing its ability to produce flowers.

When selecting plants for your landscape, consider the needs for your plants to thrive and the characteristics of the proposed site. Most plants love the sun, and need plenty of it to grow healthy. If it’s a flowering type shrub or tree, the sun will provide energy for blooms. There are many exceptions where part sun (4 hours or less) is all that’s needed for the plant to do well. Also consider the mature size of the plant, and allow enough room for the plants to grow. Be aware of pests in your community, and understand the steps to take to protect your plants from being eaten and destroyed.

If replacing a dead shrub, you must remove most of the existing roots. When preparing a site, whether a replacement shrub, a total renovation, or a new installation, it may be a good idea to amend the soil to ensure plenty of nutrients for your new plants to grow in. While top soil is a good planting medium for stability, it lacks nutrients to really jump start your plants for a long & prosperous life, and can be ‘heavy’ for a lot of plants. Most trees & shrubs require well-draining soil. If you have clay-type soil, add plenty of organic matter (compost, manure, peat moss), to give you the necessary drainage requirements.

The hydrangeas that change color do so because they are sensitive to the gradient of pH in soil. Acidic soils typically produce blue flowers and more alkaline soils typically produce pink flowers. Before you attempt to alter the pH of your site, you should always perform a soil test. 

Dig a hole up to twice as wide as the container or root ball, but no deeper than the existing root ball. The soil at grade level should be just about even with the soil level of the root ball, but never higher. In some cases where you are planting in very poorly draining soil, 2-4″ of the rootball should be above grade level, and mulched to the crown of the plant, in order to alleviate the plant from drowning. In the case of a tree in this situation, as much as 1/3 of the root ball can be left above ground and covered with soil and then mulch.



If the shrub or tree is balled & burlapped, or has a wire cage, keep it intact when putting in the hole. Removing these materials isn’t necessary, as the burlap will decompose and the roots will be able to penetrate it. Our experience has taught us that untying the burlap, and tucking it down under the sides of the root ball will provide even more successful results if possible.

If the shrub or tree you’ve purchased is in a container, remove carefully by gently laying the plant on its side and slide the container off (a second set of hands is sometimes needed) . If the plant is root bound, meaning the roots are circling the pot, gently pull at some of the roots to free them and give them a good opportunity to reach out in their new surroundings. Once the plant is in the hole, if you need to adjust the soil level, remove plant and add necessary adjustments. Again, it is important that your plant be at or slightly higher than grade level. Be careful to not disturb the root ball so as it falls apart. Back-fill half way with amended soil, and water in, allowing the soil to settle. Fill remaining space with soil, and pack down firmly to ensure plant is stable, and there are no ‘pockets’ for water to sit. You can usually adjust the level of a plant by simply applying more pressure on the needed side.

A little time-release fertilizer will do your plant good, or add in some compost/dehydrated manure when amending the soil. We recommend Osmocote, applied per product instructions, and work into the top of the soil surrounding the plant.




Your plant requires plenty of water to help it adapt to its new environment. If you’ve amended the soil as recommended above, a good soaking will go a long way. In order for your plant to prosper, you must provide it water regularly (every other day, sometimes daily on very hot days) until it is well-established during the first growing season, after which times most plants can tolerate dry spells. A wilted plant is not a dead plant, and most of the time, will spring back to life with a good watering.

• If possible, plant your tree or shrub as soon as you get it home. If you’ve purchased items in anticipation of site preparation/planting, items should be kept in a shady area and must be watered twice daily until you get them in the ground in order to maintain the warranty. A plant in a container dries out much faster than something in the ground!

• DO NOT use a sprinkler or hand nozzle. Use an opened ended hose on a slow, steady, flow. Lay the hose near the plants root system and let the hose run. Puddling is fine at this point. If you experience significant surface runoff, stick the wooden end of any garden tool into the soil and create a hole to put hose in and let water soak the area. Watering deeply encourages wide-spread root development.

• Water even if it rains.

• Watering is best done in the morning or evening, or both on a hot day.

• Is it best to water ‘from below’, that is, below a plants foliage and straight to a plants root system. Watering above, especially in the evening when a plant doesn’t have time to dry off before night sets in, opens it up to foliar diseases.

• Be careful not to water dark leaf foliage, like a Japanese Maple, as the sun can burn the leaves!

• There is a misconception out there that planting trees & shrubs in the Summer time is a no-no. While Spring & Fall are ideal times of year to plant these items due to cooler weather, you CAN plant year round-you just need to ensure to water well!

General Information

We grow thousands of plants and our stock changes daily. If you’re after something specific please give us a call at 716-741-3976 or stop in. 

We switched to a digital system for tracking our customers’ loyalty points in the 2024 season. Our point of sale automatically tracks your points and rewards with your phone number. You do not need to download the Cash App to participate in our program. If you have our old paper rewards cards, you may bring them in and we will still honor them.

We typically do all of our hiring in the beginning of the calendar year. Please visit our employment page for more details. 

We primarily offer a voucher program in the spring to accommodate these kinds of requests. Please visit our fundraising programs page for more details. 

Please contact meredith@lavocatsnursery.com for details about vending at our pop-up events.