Maine Home Garden News

Is it acceptable to plant butterfly bushes in Maine if they are sterile?

Question: Is it acceptable to plant butterfly bushes in Maine if they are sterile? Answer: Lynne Holland, Community Education Assistant (Home Horticulture), Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties That is a great question and it also brings up a problem we often face-the use of common names for items that have both invasive and non-invasive members in […]

Will beneficial overwintering insects be okay if raked materials are set aside and not burned?

Question: I saw advice not to clear old plants from gardens too early because beneficial bugs like bees and butterflies overwinter in them. I shared this and my gardening friend, who said she has to clear earlier because she grows fragile daffodils. Will the good bugs be okay if she sets the raked materials aside […]

What should I do to establish a field of wildflowers?

Question: I own six acres on Islesboro, approximately two acres of which I would like to turn into a field of wildflowers with a few assorted apple trees and the existing birch and ash trees. I have included an image of the property with a key showing the main “environments.” This property was historically a […]

What best practices should I suggest to Annual Plant Sale donors?

Question: I am working on an Annual Plant Sale and am seeking guidance about best practices to share with our plant donors — some of whom will be digging from their gardens — to reduce the likelihood of transferring crazy worms, invasive moths, or other general hangers-on. We always require that plants be potted in […]

Where do I find screening conifers for purchase?

Question: We live in Lyman with about 14 acres. We are interested in planting screening conifers (spruce, hemlock) in our woods to block a nearby house. Also, interested in native shrubs and ground cover for naturalizing in the woods and along the field, and several fruit trees. I’ve looked at your amazing lists of native […]

Will fall-planted winter rye be sufficient or is another nitrogen source needed?

Question: Per our garden soil sample results, we are to apply a nitrogen source this spring. We will be digging in the fall-planted winter rye as soon as able. Will that suffice or is another nitrogen source needed? If so is there a preference? Answer: Lynne M. Holland, Community Education Assistant, Androscoggin-Sagadahoc Counties Although cover […]

My neighbor’s cat used my vegetable garden as a litter box. Is it safe to plant and eat the vegetables from this garden?

Question: I am writing with a question about gardening in cat poop. I have a neighbor whose cat (which I consider feral due to negligence both medical and otherwise) used my newly expanded garden as his litter box all last fall, and will likely this spring. I am concerned about parasites and toxoplasmosis as well. […]

Is it possible to submit a number of soil samples for various areas?

Question: We recently purchased an 1850 sea captains farmhouse on eight plus acres just off the Kennebec River. For years, until the 1970-80’s the family had a hay farm. I have found some wild blueberries out in the fields but not much else. We do have a couple of black walnut trees, two beautiful maples, […]

What’s the best way to water my vegetable garden while I’m away?

Question: Our camp is on Schoodic Lake. I want to grow a vegetable garden, but we aren’t there every day. Sometimes we are gone a few days, sometimes a week back home. I am looking for ideas for watering while we are away. Is there some kind of small pump I can use to water […]

Where can I get chicken manure in large quantities?

Question: We need to fertilize our vegetable gardens/hay fields. Is there a source for getting chicken manure in large quantities, delivered to Freeport? Are there any restrictions for having large quantities of manure stockpiled? We are thinking that the only way to get it is in big loads! Also, are there any sources that also […]

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