Ask the Expert

How do I get rid of jumping worms?

Question: I have discovered jumping worms in my raised vegetable beds. I traced the source back to my compost pile (the finished compost). I assume they are due to potted annual plants I purchased and then composted at the end of last season. I have a couple questions: 1. Various university websites suggests letting the […]

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How do I get bittersweet nightshade out of my pasture and how harmful is it to animals?

Question: How do I get bittersweet nightshade out of my pasture and how harmful is it to animals? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional Bittersweet/climbing nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) is toxic to wildlife, as you obviously know. The lengthy species page from the USDA and the US Forestry Service says: “Climbing nightshade contains solanine (glycoalkaloid and alkamines collectively), […]

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What is okay to prune at shorelines?

Question: What is okay to prune at shorelines? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional These two resources should be a helpful place to get started on shoreline pruning questions: State of Maine “General Standards for Vegetation Clearing” Pamphlet State of Maine “Clearing Vegetation in the Shoreland Zone” Happy gardening.

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Why are my high bush blueberry plants not doing well?

Question: I planted six high bush blueberries of different varieties three years ago. This year several of them are growing strangely. Some have a ton of berries, but minimal plant growth. Others had hardly any berries and others appear damaged or sick. Could you provide potential diagnosis and guidance as to how to help them? […]

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Can the shoots of my Macintosh apple tree be replanted?

Question: I have an old but productive Macintosh Apple tree. It is beginning to show sun scald and is putting out shoots 2-3 feet from the trunk. I would hate to lose this tree! Can the shoots be replanted and if so, how and when? It is a standard tree, not on a rootstock. Answer: […]

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Should I try to get rid of mugwort or leave it alone?

Question: What is you advice regarding dealing with mugwort? We have a patch that has appeared this past year and is growing vigorously. It’s along the edge of a field, and camouflages some large spruce stumps, so not altogether objectionable. Should we try to get rid of it or leave it alone?  Answer: Jonathan Foster, […]

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Is Redhead Fountain Grass invasive?

Question: I have just purchased Redhead Fountain Grass. Is it an invasive?  Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional Technically, the fountain grasses do not appear on the Maine Do Not Sell list, which is our database of officially recognized invasives. That said, it is considered invasive in a few other states, and just because a […]

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How do we deal with a critter digging up bushes that were just planted?

Question: We recently had a magnolia and lilac bush planted by a landscaper and there seems to be some critter that is coming and digging up these newly planted bushes. How do we deal with this situation? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional Unfortunately, it’s often difficult to identify what’s working at those roots, […]

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