Question: I’m out in Bethel, and I’m looking at buying some trees, both fruit, and landscaping. I’m trying to understand some things about hardiness zones. We’re in zone 4 (I think), though we’re not far from Zone 5, but when I look at record low temperatures in Bethel, they’re well above -20F (which is minimum […]
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Question: Can I plant pachysandra underneath my service berry tree as a ground cover? The service berry is two years old and 7’ tall. I’m wondering if they would be compatible? Answer: Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator Many people do plant pachysandra or other ground covers beneath trees, and the trees survive, but it is not […]
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Question: When can I rake my flower beds and still protect the pollinators? Answer: Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator Great question. The longer you can leave the plant materials in place, the more likely you are to allow overwintering insects to emerge on their own time. Their emergence is directly linked to growing degree days, Understanding […]
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Question: Last year I grew husk cherries in 10″ diameter x 10″ high containers on a table topped with hardware cloth in my garden to make harvesting easier. I used a Fox Farm potting medium in the pots. For the first couple of month, the plants grew terrifically and the fruits were much larger than […]
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Question: I planted strawberries in a raised bed last spring. I covered it with straw for the winter. When is the right time to remove the straw that is still covering the plants? I peeked under the straw and noted some healthy leaves. Answer: David Fuller, Agriculture and Non-Timber Forest Products Professional IV It sounds […]
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Question: Last summer, I planted two raised gardens with green beans and flowers. Some type of animal burrowed into the ground and up into my beds, and disrupted several plants, and even moved some dirt out under and onto the lawn. What can I do to prevent this from happening again? Answer: Kate Garland, Horticultural […]
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Question: I left the leaves and remains of plants last fall to help overwinter the pollinators. I’m wondering when is the right time to remove them now? Answer: Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator Great question. I am making the same decision in my own gardens! The longer you can leave the plant materials in place, the […]
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Question: I have raised beds. What is the best green manure to put on the soil for the spring and then the fall? Clover? Rye? Answer: Tori Lee Jackson, Extension Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources The cover crops and green manures you choose to improve your raised bed garden soil (and potentially break some […]
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Question: We would like to paint the side of our barn where we have clematis growing on a trellis. There are already new buds appearing on last year’s vines. I want to be very careful not to disrupt it and damage this year’s blooms. Do you have any advice on how to accomplish the paint […]
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Question: We live on Little Deer Isle and are writing with a question about growing Maine wild blueberries. We have a patch approximately 15’x40′ that we had transplanted two years ago. We have added peat moss and sulphur, but the plants are not thriving. The patch abuts a field. We are having a dreadful time […]
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