In This Issue: April Is the Month to . . . Plant a Peach Tree — You Won’t Regret It! Live Staking for Stream Restoration Hedgerows and Homes Common Grackle Maine Day of Giving, April 27, 2022: Support the Maine Master Gardener Volunteers Program April Is the Month to . . . By Sandra Mitchell, […]
Read more
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 […]
Read more
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, […]
Read more
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 […]
Read more
Question: I noticed last summer that both my apricot tree and plum tree displayed some sort of growth that I wasn’t able to nip in the bud. Now that it’s spring, I’m wondering if you could help identify what may have caused the diseased looking growth and what I might be able to do for […]
Read more
Question: We are working with a landscaper to grade our yard and address the overall health of the lawn. We haven’t done anything to the lawn since we moved in six years ago and it has grown many mossy spots. The landscaper is recommending: lime, grass seeding and grub treatment. I try to be very […]
Read more
Question: I’m working on a container garden this year. I’ve done some research on what to plant in, and I’ve learned about food safe containers. I was speaking with someone recently about my tiny garden, and they mentioned that they’d had luck with felt planters. I am wondering it would be safe to plant vegetables […]
Read more
Question: For the first time last summer I identified many liverworts growing in my vegetable garden. I did some research and found out the cause and best practices to prevent them. However, some solutions for eradicating them were chemical. Since all my gardens are organic I would like your best organic solution for eradicating the […]
Read more
Question: Does it matter when potatoes are planted if planted at least 90 days before the first frost? Answer: Abi Griffith, Horticulture Community Education Assistant You could probably get away with planting about 90 days before your first frost, but there are a few things you may want to take into consideration. Check the “days […]
Read more
Question: Regarding sheet mulching: Should seeds be directly planted in compost or should I dig through the compost into the ground and plant them into the soil below. If in the ground, how deep should I dig? Answer: Abi Griffith, Horticulture Community Education Assistant The overall idea with sheet mulching (aka lasagna gardening) is that […]
Read more