Question: I had a quite a lot of moss growing in my raised beds. I’m sure the heavy rain didn’t help. I am going to get the soil tested. What is the best course of action for the moss—remove it or dig it under? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional You’re absolutely right that […]
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Question: I am starting a garden in a new area. All we have done is bush hogged the area. My question is what is my next step? Should I get it harrowed? I want to be able to dump rabbit manure on the area over the winter to help build up the soil. Answer: Lynne […]
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Question: What concerns should I have about the wider ecosystem if I’m considering adding Mycorrhizae to the soil around my roses? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Projects Assistant As you probably know, based on your question, mycorrhizae are soil-based fungal organisms that form symbiotic relationships with almost all terrestrial plant roots, exchanging their vastly greater surface area’s ability […]
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Question: Since the constant rains stopped, I have tried to replant crops that were ruined with no success. I have planted lettuce, beans, and peas several times with no germination (visible, anyway). Now, I find a lot of my neighbors have had the same problem. My garden was never under water, but we did have […]
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Question: Can coffee grounds be used to fertilize plants? Answer: Liz Stanley, Horticulture Community Education Assistant Thank you for your question about using coffee grounds as fertilizer. Yes, grounds contain some of the major plant nutrients and some important micronutrients, but in very small quantities. It’s probably best used as a soil conditioner in moderate […]
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Question: I’ve discovered dodder in the coreopsis in my flower garden. I am trying to stay ahead of a takeover by daily removal and sequester of cuttings. How did it get in my garden? Answer: Lynne Holland, Horticulture and Social Media Professional Dodder is spread by a relatively heavy seed so it generally comes in […]
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Question: I planted cucumber seeds in a raised bed 1 in early May and they did not come up. I was given some well established cucumber plants that I placed in the same raised bed and they nearly died within a week. I transplanted them to another raised bed and they are looking better… they […]
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Question: If I have planted red clover in raised beds that I won’t be planting into this growing season – as part of a rotation strategy – can I use one of those beds in Oct to plant my garlic into? How much nitrogen will the red clover have fixed in six months? How would […]
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Question: Last year I had a soil test done through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. The copper and iron levels were a bit low (copper=0.10/ iron-2.7). Do I need to increase these levels? How would I do that? I’ve read that the soil pH level affects uptake of these micronutrients. My soil pH is […]
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Question: I live in the midcoast region. I would like to start planting lettuces, but the temps have been low…30’s at night and 40’s-50’s during the day. Is it still too early/cold or can I plant the seeds? What other cold weather vegetables can I plant now? I will be adding compost and 5-10-5 to […]
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