Question: How safe is it to use horticultural vinegar on graveled drives? Is it safe to use it close to a well? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional “Safe” is always a relative term when using chemical interventions in the garden–horticultural vinegar is a 20% solution of acetic acid (4x stronger than household vinegar), […]
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Question: Last spring we planted an ornamental crabapple and there are a few crossing branches that we would like to prune out. We’ve waited because we were still getting snow but in looking things up online, we are now wondering if we left it too late. is it okay to prune it now or should […]
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Question: I am looking for suggestions on shade-friendly flowering plants or shrubs that slugs do not like. I’m open to all colors and annuals or perennials. Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional I have two resources to recommend: UMaine Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet #5036 “Slugs” (for identifying and managing the slug population in your garden) […]
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Question: I am wondering if I should try to gently rake out my fern patch before the ferns start to grow. Some cites suggest only cutting back the spent seed pods – never rake. It is a rather large patch. Perhaps I should just leave things alone and let the spent material fertilize the area […]
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Question: I am the chair of the grounds committee at a condo. We are discussing mulch, including using pine in place of other sources. I would appreciate it if you would direct me to information on: 1. Why use mulch? 2. Pro/con of different mulch 3. Is mulch good for windy conditions? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home […]
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Question: Wild violets are taking over area of front lawn and garden. What is the best way to rid them without harmful chemicals? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional I’m sorry to hear about the violet problems. Unfortunately, as you can read in this fantastic resource on wild violets from Penn State Univ’s Extension, “[w]ild […]
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Question: The warmer weather earlier in the Spring the last few years has shifted the treatment for grubs in landscapes to earlier and earlier. Do you know when the best time or date in the Spring is now for this year? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional Let me refer you to our UMaine Cooperative […]
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Question: I purchased a cottage and the garden has a lot of forget me nots in the garden beds. I’ve been removing invasives aggressively and successfully but I kept the forget-me-nots thinking that they were native. They did not bloom in 2023. This year I will want to pull them out if they don’t bloom […]
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Question: We’ve experienced serious erosion in recent storms with topsoil washing away leaving exposed clay. What can I plant to prevent further erosion and to make the bank look less like a war zone? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional I will offer a couple of fantastic resources on choosing plants for erosion control, […]
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Question: Late frost last year meant zip peaches. This year could be a huge crop. After thinning the tiny fruit, how do we physically support the still heavily laden branches? I can easily envision tripod supports for near horizontal branches, but what to do for the not-so-horizontal branches? I’m thinking the trees will look like […]
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