Master Gardener Volunteers Newsletter ~ Hancock and Washington Counties ~ July/August 2025
Table of Contents
MGV CLASS 25/26‘/ MGV FIELD TRIPS / SUMMERTIME GARDENING EVENTS / SALT FARM FIELD TRIP / MICRO GREENS / GARDENING POEM
DATES TO REMEMBER!
July 29 Triple Chick Farm Field Trip – MGV’s
August 5 Sweet Haven Farm Field Trip – MGV’s
August 15 Deadline to apply for MGV Course – share the news!
(See more gardening-related opportunities below)
Greetings MGVs!
Summer is in full swing, judging by traffic and out-of-town license plates. It has been both unseasonably cold and unseasonably warm, but as always, we persevere. We are officially in the Dog Days of Summer from July 3 – August 11, normally the hottest and steamiest part of summer. Typically, this is the period when Sirius, the Dog Star, rises at the same time as the Sun, from July 3 -August 11.
Quotes for summer:
“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden”. – Minnie Aumonier
“It was a splendid summer morning and it seemed as is nothing could go wrong”. – John Cheever
“God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done”. – Anonymous
July is also National Ice Cream Month, National Blueberry Month, and National Picnic Month, among others. August is National Dog Month, International Peace Month, and National Civility Month
MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER CLASS 2025/26′
As you may have heard, applications for the Master Gardener Volunteer Course will be accepted in all counties this summer, including Hancock and Washington Counties! Applications are open now through August 15, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. with training to begin in October. For more information, check out the details.
MGV FIELD TRIPS!
Triple Chick Farm Field Trip
Tuesday, July 29th, 9:30 -11:00
1142 ME-102, Bar Harbor
A family farm dedicated to growing accessible, organic vegetables & flowers that nourish our community year-round.
So far, 10 have registered! RSVP to sue.baez@maine.edu if you want to attend.
As a reminder to those attending, carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited. Please do not take up parking at their vegetable stand.
Sweet Haven Farm Field Trip
Tuesday, August 5th at 9:30 am (rain or shine)
Maximum 12 participants
SUMMERTIME GARDENING EVENTS
Hancock and Washington Counties have a wealth of fun garden-related lectures, tours, and events happening this summer! If you need a break from tending your own garden, be sure to check out the happenings on our radar:
- Native Gardens of Blue Hill: Open GARDEN DAY WITH FREE WORKSHOPS, July 19th 10-2; Volunteer Days, TALKS AND FILM
- Beatrix Farrand Society Lectures
Horticultural lectures scheduled for 7/24, 8/2, 8/7, 8/14, 8/21, and 9/4 - Bar Harbor Garden Club: “Gardens by the Sea” Garden Tour
Saturday, July 19, 10 am – 4 pm - Garden Club of Mount Desert: “Main Street Blooms”
Thursday, July 24, 2 – 6 pm - Maine open farm day – See link for participating farms
Thursday, July 27 - Charlotte Rhoades Park Butterfly Release
Thursday, July 31, 1 – 4 pm - Land and Garden Preserve: Garden Tours & Talks
Various locations
Asticou Gardens
- Asticou Azalea Garden, Northeast Harbor
Open Dawn to Dusk, seven days a week
- Thuya Garden, Northeast Harbor
Open Dawn to Dusk, seven days a week
- AbbY Aldrich Rockefeller Garden
Until Sept. 7, 2025: Noon-4pm Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday for the public;
Reservations required. Members can schedule visits noon-4pm Friday and Sunday;
Salt Farm Flowers Field Trip
By Pier Carros, MGV 2022
Ten gardeners, including Master Gardener Volunteers and Surry and Ellsworth Garden Club
members met at Salt Farm Flowers in Trenton for a field trip on July 1. A veil of gray mist, an 1830’s weathered barn and large expanses of colorful blooms created a dreamy atmosphere on our guided walk through the gardens. It wasn’t long before we were surrounded by an abundance of flowers; from anemones to zinnias, perennials and annuals, growing in the ground, in hoop houses and in raised beds.
The owner, Mary Turner, led the tour. She had started the flower business in 2014, the same year she became a Master Gardener Volunteer. The business began with a few rows of perennials and a flower cart along the road. It now spans nearly 3 acres of perennials, annuals and shrubs used in arrangements for weddings and events.
During our walk through the fields of specialty cut flowers, we learned what makes Mary a good steward of the land. “All of our flowers are sustainably grown, using organic methods. Because of our farm’s unique location on the water near Acadia National Park, we take extra care to practice waterway- and pollinator-friendly methods that contribute to the sustainability of our region.” The farm operates off the grid. Solar panels supply all the electricity needed for the hoop houses, a geothermal greenhouse, the design room, and the barn.
We made our way back to the barn, where some staff were gathered at a long table covered with flowers and greens. Today was the first week of their seasonal bouquet subscription. Each week, the staff carefully chooses a mix of primary and secondary flowers, greens, and textural elements. The bouquets they created were charming. Mary ended the tour by offering dahlia bulbs as a parting gift. (Photos courtesy of Lynne A. & Marjorie P.)
Micro-greens: late winter experiment
By Nancy Pietrulewicz, MGV
This past winter, I decided to try and grow some microgreens indoors. There were a few extension bulletins on the subject from various universities, and I used them to familiarize myself with the process. There are links to these bulletins at the end of this article. Never having done this before, any research I could find was helpful.
Since I already had a few bags of old soil and numerous envelopes of old seeds, I chose to use what I had and take my chances for success. A second attempt will be needed.
The seed type and quality are the primary requirements. Equally vital is the quality of the soil. In the amounts needed for growing micro-greens, the investment in a bag of good-quality soil is minimal, but I was in a hurry, and no one was selling soil yet. The experiment ended, and as the pictures show, my success was minimal.
I learned a few things, and that is a positive! Now that gardening season is here, I can get whatever seeds and soil I want at the local hardware store. So, I will try again now and keep some seeds and soil in reserve for the winter season. I will use grow lights to keep the greens from growing too “leggy”.
Look for more pictures next winter as I intend to have another go at this.
A Step-By-Step Guide for Growing Microgreens at Home
Grow Microgreens at Home – Purdue
Mini greens, mega benefits: Growing microgreens at home | UMN Extension
GARDENING POEM OF THE MONTH
Uprooting Dandelions
By Ora Aselton, Pleasant River Garden Club
There are roots that strike so deeply
That nothing…
Not rock or clay,\
Not even drought or flood
Can halt their compulsive
Digging in.
Incessantly drilling, mining
For the earth’s
Sweet essence, they
Seek and suck the dampness,
Swelling their tubers with
Nourishment.
Demanding their rightful spaces
And fighting
To stay right there,
They defy the foolish
That try to pry them out
Of their beds.