Question: I was wondering if you could please help me identify animal droppings? We have found these consistently in our backyard over the last week or two. We have a tall fence enclosing the entire yard so I don’t think it is a dog. There are raccoons and skunk in the area but consulting the […]
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Question: I was wondering if you sell or know where I can buy ladybugs? It was recommended to us last year to prevent certain microscopic bugs (that I can’t remember) on some of our bushes. Answer: Sustainable Agriculture Professional/Professional I We do not sell ladybugs through extension in Maine. However, here are two great resources […]
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Question: I have a very wet area/spring in full sun on my property close to an access. I’m thinking of planting some sort of hedge to keep vehicles from getting mired in the mud every spring and tearing up the ground. Do you have recommendations for a hedge plant that would do well where it’s […]
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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: Looking for a hardy perennial grass that could be used as a natural privacy wall on my property line. The site gets about 60% sun, 40% shade. I have seen beautiful tall grasses but not sure what they are. Answer: Pamela Hargest, Horticulture Professional Are you hoping to maintain privacy all year round? If […]
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Question: We recently discovered quite the community of miner bees near our home we recently purchased. They are living within a patch of ground that is about eight feet long and two feet wide between our walkway and our driveway. The entire patch is filled with different miner bee colonies. I know that they are […]
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Question: I’m a new gardener living in York, Maine. I have a very large yard, but was hoping to “rewild” an area of lawn. My goal would be to create a native wild flower pasture, perhaps with native shrubs and trees. However, I have no idea where to start. Is there anyone or any resources […]
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Question: The garlic I planted last fall — Russian Red and Italian varieties from FedCo — are coming up with green shoots now well above the straw mulch I put down. It still gets cold at night, low 30s, and we had wet snow yesterday. Should I go ahead and pull the mulch off? Leave […]
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Question: I have three lilac trees. All three of them are very thinned out, not many buds. What can I do? Are they dead? They are all in a sunny spot. Answer: Kate Garland, Horticultural Professional Lilacs typically do well in windy and salty sites. If your plants haven’t had any signs of disease and […]
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Question: We have so many oak trees on our property. Between the leaves and the excess acorns left over from winter, we have excess of everything in our gardens. The grass doesn’t seem to like them so I will try to rake them off but are they doing harm to our raspberry, blue berry and […]
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