Question: I plan to propagate Winterberry. Will all new plants be the same sex as the parent plant? Answer: Abi Griffith, Horticulture Community Education Assistant If you are propagating from cuttings, yes, they will be the sex of the plant you have taken a cutting from.
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Question: How do I save seeds from fresh squash to use for planting later without them rotting? Answer: Lynne M. Holland, Horticulture and Social Media Professional Seed saving is both an art and a science. We have a bulletin on the topic Seed Saving for Home Gardeners that explains the general process. Some things to consider when […]
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Question: Description of the area: A gradual slope down to the lake the area is barren now with hard soil and plenty of tree roots. It’s shaded because there’s some pine and oak trees on this space. We are looking for a walkable ground cover. The area needs to be accessible from the basement and […]
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Question: I have some small creature eating my lettuce. It gets into my greenhouse, which only a small rodent could do. It eats a fair amount of lettuce down to almost ground level. The larger creatures that also devour what I grow — porcupines and skunks — I am able to trap and relocate. I […]
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Question: I want to start planting perennials and some bushes and I need advice with: 1. Overall landscaping plan 2. What kind of soil to get delivered for the plants? Answer: Abi Griffith, Horticulture Community Education Assistant Start here – Designing Your Landscape for Maine. This Bulletin will walk you through all the things you want […]
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Question: Our River Birch has leaf spot that I noticed at the end of Sept, 2021. It was followed by an early drop of leaves. Would fertilizing the tree help or do we need to spray with a fungicide? And if spraying is recommended, what is the safest product to use? Answer: Abi Griffith, Horticulture […]
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Question: Japanese Beetles invade my blackberry bushes. How do I kill the insect so they stop destroying my berry bushes? Answer: Abi Griffith, Horticulture Community Education Assistant Japanese beetles can be very frustrating to deal with! For detailed information about the insect’s life cycle and control, see UMaine Extension’s Pest Management Fact Sheet on Japanese […]
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Question: I live in Belgrade. I’m trying to figure out what frost dates to use but every search seems to give me a different answer. It seems to be anywhere from 4/27-5/27 for Spring and 9/17-10/9 for Fall. Can you please recommend a date to use? Answer: Abi Griffith, Horticulture Community Education Assistant Because we […]
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Question: Is there a generalized recommendation for fertilizing ornamental trees? Answer: Abi Griffith, Horticulture Community Education Assistant In general, as long as a tree or shrub appears healthy and is growing at an acceptable rate, we don’t typically recommend fertilizing. Hopefully the species of ornamentals have been well chosen for the site. If you are selecting trees to plant, […]
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Question: I am the founder of a community garden and we are looking to start our season with a presentation on pollinators and bee friendly gardening. We would like to see if you have any references? Answer: Abi Griffith, Horticulture Community Education Assistant That’s great! You should definitely check out our Pollinator Program webpage which has a lot […]
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