Question: I planted a Honeycrisp apple tree last summer and the leaves curled about a month later. It’s in a southeast open location and gets plenty of sun and water. The soil is sandy with rocks about a foot below and the ground slopes slightly. I want to know if the rocks below could be […]
Read more
Question: I have a few young apple and stone fruit trees. Which pests and diseases should I spray proactively and which should wait until I see activity or damage? Answer: Renae Moran, Fruit Tree Specialist, Highmoor Farm We have a website on spraying fruit trees. Insect Pests – Cooperative Extension: Tree Fruits Pests that are […]
Read more
Question: Do you know of any good pollinator trees that are native to Maine that I could use in coastal Cumberland County? Answer: Majorie Peronto, Extension Educator, Hancock County Thank you for your great question! In his book Bringing Nature Home, University of Delaware Entomologist and Professor Douglas Tallamy shares his research on native trees […]
Read more
Question: We just bought a place in Sweden, Maine, zone 5a, with Adams type soil/outwash sand and I’m looking to plant a few apple trees. What varieties of apple would you recommend? It’s not an exposed site; fairly sheltered from wind. We will be clearing an area for the trees. Answer: We have a lot […]
Read more
Question: I am growing peach trees here in Wiscasset, Maine. I have never grown them and I am learning the hard way. Is there a guide book or publication of what to do and when? Answer: They can be a challenge, but many home orchardists find the effort worthwhile. We have a good amount of […]
Read more
Question: How do I prep my strawberry bed for winter? Answer: Much depends on whether you have June bearing strawberries or day neutral strawberries, and how old the planting is. Generally speaking, mulch should be applied over strawberries in the late fall between Thanksgiving and Christmas to protect the plants from extreme winter cold and […]
Read more