{"id":46526,"date":"2025-10-06T16:04:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T20:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/?p=46526"},"modified":"2025-10-07T10:42:55","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T14:42:55","slug":"the-gardens-at-tidewater-farm-fall-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/2025\/10\/06\/the-gardens-at-tidewater-farm-fall-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gardens at Tidewater Farm: Fall 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Garden Update<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"ChokecherryWe\u2019ve reached fall!\u00a0 The colors and textures are changing daily at Tidewater as the season shifts. Chipmunks are busy digging endless holes to store their winter caches, and the landscape is alive with seasonal transitions. This time of year highlights plants and shrubs that offer late-season forage for bees and fruits for songbirds, like the goldenrod in the fields and the chokeberry near the Children\u2019s Garden.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"FreshlySeptember treated us to the golden light and mild weather of late summer, and we\u2019re deeply grateful for access to water and irrigation, especially as much of Maine experienced moderate to extreme drought. Despite the dry conditions, the annual flowers and most vegetables thrived, with reduced foliar diseases and extended harvests. Peppers, for example, are still going strong.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ColorfulIf you visited recently, we hope you had the chance to wander among the vibrant annual cut flowers filling out the Market Garden. Thanks to a dedicated team of Master Gardener Volunteers, over <\/span>130 bouquets<\/b> have been harvested and arranged for Northern Light Home Hospice and the Ronald McDonald House, with plenty of blooms left to be enjoyed by Tidewater visitors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Master<\/p>\n

So far this season, <\/span>1,545 pounds of produce<\/b> have been donated to P<\/span>ortland-area pantries, with more to come. Recently, MGVs harvested and cured all the storage onions, and the garlic crop was plentiful enough to share seed with other MGV projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"SummerA light frost in late September touched a few areas farther from the road, mainly affecting some summer squash plants. Thankfully, they had already produced an impressive <\/span>1,399<\/b> green and yellow zucchini<\/b>, counted as part of a seed trial in collaboration with Vitalis Organics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fall is also the perfect time to test your garden soil, just as we do at Tidewater every other year. We focus soil testing and amendments on areas used for production crops, like vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. Testing now gives us time to make any needed adjustments before spring planting begins.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Healthy<\/p>\n

And of course, we\u2019re keeping an eye on the tropical crops in the high tunnel, hoping for an abov<\/span>e-average harvest this year!<\/p>\n

As we begin to close out the season and look ahead to next year, we hope you\u2019ll consider <\/span>making a donation<\/span><\/a> to the UMaine Gardens at Tidewater Farm. As a self-funded project of the University of Maine, Tidewater relies on the generosity of our visitors and supporters to remain a vibrant, educational resource for the community. Every donation, no matter the size, helps support our mission of education, food security, and sustainable gardening. <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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Upcoming Events at Tidewater<\/b><\/h3>\n

Grow Your Own Garlic
\nWednesday, October 15, 2:00 – 3:00 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Join us for a hands-on workshop and learn how to grow your own garlic from planting to harvest! In this interactive session, we\u2019ll discuss how to select garlic varieties, plant garlic seed, provide seasonal care, and properly harvest, cure, and store your crop. Each participant will have the opportunity to plant garlic at Tidewater Farm and take home a garlic head to plant in their own garden.<\/span><\/p>\n

Register <\/span>online<\/span><\/a>, program fee is offered on a sliding scale. <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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Featured Recipe: <\/b>Curried Lentil Squash Soup<\/b><\/a><\/h3>\n

Cozy up to fall and savor every spoonful of this curried lentil squash soup!<\/span><\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/span><\/p>\n