Question: Are oak catkins good for mulch in vegetable or flower beds? Answer: Katherine Garland, Horticulturist The catkins (a collection of inconspicuous flowers) produced by oaks are fine to use in your garden as a mulch. They’re quite fascinating to look at up close. Here’s a website with some fantastic pictures and helpful descriptions that explain the function and […]
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Question: I have a lilac, that I purchased last year, that has grown and has many blooms, but almost no leaves. It looks like flowering sticks. Is there anything you recommend that might help? Answer: Rebecca Long, Sustainable Agriculture and Horticulture Professional Rather than a disease or insect issue, it seems more likely the plant […]
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In This Issue: June Is the Month to . . . A Gardener’s Balancing Act: Encouraging Pollinators and Managing Ticks Four Steps to Making Your Landscape Pollinator-Friendly June Maine Garden Harvest Guide Growing Wild Blueberries at Home Northern Flicker A Therapist’s Garden: Using Plants to Revitalize Your Spirit. by Erik Keller (Black Rose Writing, 2022) […]
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Question: Why are my purple lilacs turning white? Answer: Rebecca Long, Sustainable Agriculture and Horticulture Professional There are a couple possibilities: one is that the plant is “reverting.” Many of our interesting horticultural cultivars come from genetic mutations. These are not always stable and parts of a plant (like a whole branch or part of […]
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Question: I have an Arborvitae bush, about five feet tall, that was planted last fall. Since the snow has melted, I’ve noticed that it is drying out. The most notable area is at the bottom of the bush, but it seems to be creeping up. I want to save it and need to know what […]
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Question: I observed Peach Leaf Curl on Nectar, White Lady, Peregrin, and Indian Free peach trees. I have had this disease for the last several years. Last December, I sprayed these trees with a solution of Liqui-Cop at a rate of 6 tsp/gal of water. I needed to wait this late to get the 90% […]
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Question: Can you recommend a dwarf or standard hardy sweet or tart cherry tree for Bar Harbor? Answer: Rebecca Long, Sustainable Agriculture and Horticulture Professional Bar Harbor is a mild Zone 5b, so you will want not only a plant that is hardy, but also one with good spring bud hardiness so you are less […]
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Question: I believe that my tree has Apple Cedar Rust. Is there anything I can do to treat it? Answer: Katherine Garland, Horticulturist You are correct in that it’s a type of Gymnosporangium rust, but it could be one of three distinctly different species of rust. Without a sample to look at more closely, I can’t […]
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Question: I am growing lettuce and parsley in a salad table. The growing medium is Pro Mix with Milorganite. There has been recent news about PFAS in sludge based fertilizers. According to a Sierra Club and Michigan Ecology Center study of two PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, showed that these chemicals are present in Milorganite. […]
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Question: What are the best blight resistant tomatoes for our Maine climate? Answer: Pamela Hargest, Horticulture Professional I wouldn’t say there is one tomato that has the best blight resistance since there are several factors to consider, such as what’s available to you locally. If you plan on purchasing tomato seedlings locally, I’d recommend connecting […]
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