Gardening Webinar Series

Join the University of Maine Cooperative Extension for our gardening webinar series! These one-hour and 15-minute webinars will include a 1-hour presentation, followed by Q&A and discussion.

Registration is required with a sliding scale program fee ($0 – $15) for each webinar. Participants will receive the Zoom information after registering for a webinar.

All sessions will be recorded and shared with participants in about a week following the event. If you are unable to attend the live session, please register to receive a copy of the recording and a resource list.


Home Grown Cranberries

Vaccinium macrocarpon;
Vaccinium macrocarpon; photo by Charles Armstrong

March 26, 2024

6 PM – 7:15 PM

Speaker: Charles Armstrong, UMaine Extension Cranberry Professional

Growing backyard cranberries is easier than you think! Cranberry Professional & Staff Entomologist / Insect Diagnostician Charles Armstrong will share step-by-step instructions from site selection to harvest and everything in between.

Register Here for Home Grown Cranberries

Harvesting Hidden Gems: Practical Insights for Growing Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes

sweet potatoes
Sweet Potatoes 2

April 2, 2024

6 PM – 7:15 PM

This webinar will focus on practical strategies for growing potatoes and sweet potatoes. In addition to offering simple tips and tricks that will save you time and improve yields, our experts will share updates on their favorite varieties and pest management suggestions so you can create your own buried treasures this season!

Speakers: Brett Johnson, Extension Agriculture Educator, and Tom Witwicki, Cumberland County Master Gardener Volunteer

Bios:

Brett Johnson is Extension agriculture educator and technical service provider for Waldo, Knox, and Lincoln Counties. His research and educational programming are broadly concerned with the economic and environmental sustainability of farm businesses in Maine. Current program objectives include introducing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to Maine’s Christmas tree producers, and identifying market opportunities for Maine’s specialty potato producers. Brett is Extension’s statewide contact for Christmas tree production. He also coordinates Extension’s state-wide farm business planning course, Business Planning for Producers.

Tom Witwicki and his wife, Nancy have been serious gardeners since 1974. After moving the family to Maine from Vermont in 1990, their interest expanded into small fruits, landscaping and annual and perennial flowers. Over the years, Tom’s focus has been on expanding the outdoor gardening season earlier in the Spring and later into the Fall and Winter. He has also successfully expanded the types of vegetables he is able to grow to include unusual varieties, such as Sweet Potatoes and Artichokes. His daily Mantra is “physical, mental and emotional well-being through gardening.” Tom became a Cumberland County MGV in 2017 and has been a member of the Cumberland County Master Gardener Association Board since 2018.

Register Here for Harvesting Hidden Gems: Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes

Backyard Blueberry Growing Tips from UMaine Experts

Highbush Blueberries at the UMaine Gardens at Tidewater Farm
Blueberries

April 9, 2024

6 PM – 7:15 PM

Join UMaine Cooperative Extension Wild Blueberry Specialist Lily Calderwood and Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist David Handley as they highlight best practices for growing sweet blue backyard treats.

Speakers: Lily Calderwood, UMaine Extension Wild Blueberry Specialist and Assistant Professor of Horticulture, and David Handley, Vegetable & Small Fruit Specialist, Highmoor Farm

Register Here for Backyard Blueberry Growing Tips

 


Need help connecting with Zoom? Contact the US:IT Service Help Desk: 800.696.4357  or  help@maine.edu


You might also like to view our Victory Gardens for ME series for help with your first (or second!) vegetable garden, and our  On Demand Webinars for information on a variety of topics.