Question: I have a large rhododendron that has developed a problem. I believe it has a nutrient deficiency but I don’t know what it is. I had a soil test done on 04/16/2021 (2029) that indicates I need to reduce the pH a half a point. What do you think is the problem? Answer: Rebecca […]
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Question: I have three blueberry bushes that I planted three years ago. They only produced berries the first year and nothing since. I add pine needles around them every fall. I have one of each: Bluejay, Jersey and Late Blue. What do I need to feed them or do I need more than three plants? […]
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Question: I am starting some raised beds this year. What is the best type of soil to use? I use Coast of Maine for starting my plants. Answer: Caragh Fitzgerald, Associate Extension Professor, Agriculture When you’re filling a raised bed, the primary material should be mineral soil, rather than a potting soil. Mineral soil is […]
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Question: My raised bed vegetable gardens were infested with grubs last summer and most of my crops failed because of the roots being chewed up by grubs. I applied milky spore last fall but my soil is still infested with grubs. Can I use beneficial nematodes this spring to knock back the grubs before I […]
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Question: I live in coastal Lubec and have zero soil around my house, as the builder infilled with pure gravel (good for drainage, if nothing else, right?!). I plan to trench the gravel to develop soil beds for native plantings, and need guidance for what to use / how to mix the right soils. I […]
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Question: Our garden is on a south-facing hill and we get a fair amount of wind. While the soil has tested as good+, it is light and dries out quickly. We’re adding compost but wonder if there is something else that would add heft? Answer: David Fuller, Agriculture and Non-Timber Forest Products Professional IV You […]
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Question: I have a raised garden bed that I have used for two years so far. I was wondering what I should do to prepare it for this year’s planting? Do I need to change the soil or fortify it? Answer: Pamela Hargest, Horticulture Professional I encourage you to submit a sample to our lab […]
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Question: Thank you for helping me identify two invasives last year: goutweed, and quackgrass. I used buckwheat to smother a patch of quackgrass (yes, it seems to working!) and have tried blackout and pulling for two other areas where goutweed has heavily taken over, including infiltrating established daylilies and lilies of the valley, many of […]
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Question: Where can I get my soil tested? I live in Camden Me. Answer: Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator If you’d like the Maine Soil Testing Service to analyze your soil, please go to the following website to request that a soil test box and form be sent to you, Analytical Lab and Maine Soil Testing […]
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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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