Maine Home Garden News

How do you control Purple Loosestrife around a pond?

Question: We have a pond on our property that collects wet season/rain runoff. It’s ringed with cat tails, but also an increasing number of purple loosestrife plants. These are pretty but I know they’re invasive. I’ve pulled or cut the ones where I can’t get the root except for the ones in the pond/deep in […]

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Red Admiral butterfy

Maine Home Garden News August 2023

In This Issue: August Is the Month to . . . The Gardens at Tidewater Farm Are Growing! Pollinator Garden at Norway Memorial Library Late Blight Gardener Alert Cucumber Downy Mildew Maine Weather and Climate Overview (August) Featured Bird of the Month: Black-and-White Warbler August Is the Month to . . . By Barbara Harrity, […]

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What has made holes in my blueberries?

Question: What has made holes in my blueberries? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Projects Assistant I believe you are dealing with blueberry maggots, the larval form of the blueberry fruit fly. The female adults lay their eggs just under the skin of the fruit and the emerging maggots tunnel through the blueberry, giving you the tiny […]

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What is the best plan to contain Japanese Knotweed?

Question: I recently purchased a property that has a rather impressive expanse of Japanese Knotweed. I have more-or-less abandoned the idea of eradication. From the research I have done, it appears like a lost cause. Are there any tips the office can provide with containment? Specifically to Maine (does the short growing season and deep […]

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Can coffee grounds be used to fertilize plants?

Question: Can coffee grounds be used to fertilize plants? Answer: Liz Stanley, Horticulture Community Education Assistant Thank you for your question about using coffee grounds as fertilizer. Yes, grounds contain some of the major plant nutrients and some important micronutrients, but in very small quantities. It’s probably best used as a soil conditioner in moderate […]

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Can I divide and replant flowers in the summer?

Question: I have several overgrown garden beds where the plants need to be divided and replanted elsewhere. Included are: iris, daylily, lily, evening primrose, hosta, daisies, and some form of mint.  I would like to tackle this now, but the recommendations are to wait until late summer/early fall or next spring. What is your advice? […]

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What could be eating my basil seedlings?

Question: I just planted basil seedlings in pots and something is eating them.  What could be the culprit and what can I do to prevent it? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Projects Assistant Without knowing more about the damage or seeing photos, it’s tough to diagnose accurately. But I will point you to this excellent Clemson Univ […]

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How do I get rid of creeping clover from around my raspberry plants?

Question: I have a beautiful raspberry garden, but a few years back I planted creeping clover plants in a section of my flower garden near it and the tall creeping clover is all thru my raspberry area. How to I get rid of it without harming my raspberry Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Projects Assistant Because […]

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Can milkweed pollen get on nearby raspberries making them inedible?

Question: I have a milkweed question. Some sites I’ve read say all parts of the plant are poisonous. Others say you can eat it. I don’t want to eat it but I have a bunch growing in our raspberry patch. Do I need to worry about milkweed pollen getting on the berries?  Answer: Jonathan Foster, […]

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