Monthly News for Gardeners
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News and events for gardeners from Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Somerset Counties from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and other trusted partners
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Regular Features
- This is the time to...
- Pollinators and Pests
- Skill Share
- Organizations and Allies
- Extension Resources
- Mission and Quick Links
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This is the time to...
By Kate Garland, Horticulturist UMaine Cooperative Extension in Penobscot County
(onion seedlings photo by Christina Lannan)
- Mentor a new gardener. With a huge spike in gardening interest, there are countless new gardeners in need of reliable advice. Even one simple tip can stick with someone for a lifetime. I know I’ll never forget a grandfatherly college security guard taking the time to show me how to transplant young vegetable seedlings when I was volunteering in the campus garden.
- Be a prepared and considerate customer. Local nurseries, farmers’ markets, farm stands, and other garden supply centers are preparing for a big spring sales season. You can play a part in making this a great shopping season for all gardeners. Please research business-specific shopping protocols by looking online and/or calling ahead, carefully follow social isolation protocols when you shop, and consider shopping solo or in smaller numbers in order to help businesses serve more people (they, too, need to manage the number of shoppers in their retail space). Your efforts will help make shopping accessible and safe for fellow gardeners and create a safer working environment for garden center staff.
- Look for and manage Lily Leaf Beetle. Hand picking the newly emerging adults in May can be an effective management technique. UMass Extension Insect Xaminer website has a great video showing the full life cycle and important facts about the lily leaf beetle.
- Cover areas to prepare new in-ground garden spaces. Generally, the longer you leave an area covered, the more likely you’ll kill off problematic perennial weeds. Opaque plastics, cardboard or a thick layer of newspaper can all work well. All require anchoring. Landscape pins work well for keeping the plastic in place and good options for anchoring cardboard and newspaper include bark mulch, wood chips, straw or shredded leaves. If you don’t want to leave it all season, consider keeping it on until early July. At that point in the season, you can still plant beans, carrots, beets, broccoli, cabbage, leafy greens, and a variety of herbs.
- Build a raised bed. With all the downed branches from spring storms, consider partially filling new beds with some of the woody debris. Be sure to use a mix of loam (50%-75%) and finished compost (50%-25%) for the top 6-8″ of the bed. For those looking for a taller bed, see article below on how to construct a unique and very user-friendly v-shaped raised bed.
- Warm the soil with black plastic or employ other season extension strategies.
- Make seed tape to make spacing easy for small-seeded crops such as carrots, lettuce and basil. Watch the video and download the instruction sheet (PDF).
- Start planting seeds and seedlings. Check out the estimated dates for central Maine. Subtract 10 days for southern Maine and add 10-14 days for northern Maine and be sure to watch the weather forecast carefully before planting. Don’t rush the planting process if the temperatures are unseasonably cold.
- Harden off seedlings before planting outdoors. The process of gradually adapting young plants to increased light, wind, colder temperatures and less frequent watering will help them transition more successfully into the “real world.” Skipping this step can result in seedlings experiencing transplant shock and a greater possibly seedling failure.
- Take photos. Even if there seemingly isn’t much to photograph, it still can be helpful to document the story of your garden all season long. Photos are incredibly helpful resources when it comes to future garden planning.
- Test your soil. The Maine Soil Testing Service is open for business and is sending out dozens of soil test kits to home gardeners daily. They prefer to have samples mailed to them at this time. For more information, see Know Your Soil: Testing Your Soil.
- Plant dahlia tubers and canna rhizomes when the soil warms and the danger of frost has passed, likely the very end of May or early June for most of Maine. They may also be started in pots indoors, but be sure to not transplant potted plants outdoors too soon.
- Talk with your local food cupboard, shelter, or free meal site to find out what crops you can grow to support the people they serve. Small-scale gardeners can make a big difference. It’s important to start these conversations now in order to determine the most needed crops and donation logistics (i.e., where/when/how to deliver the produce).
- Select disease resistant crops. One of the very first steps in managing disease is to start with disease-resistant varieties. Cornell offers an extensive list of resistant cultivars for a variety of crops.
- Support Maine food producers when you can. Check the Maine Farm and Seafood Products Directory and Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets webpage for updates.
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Bees of Maine: Family Megachilidae
By Jennifer Lund, Maine State Apiarist, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Division of Animal and Plant Health,
jennifer.lund@maine.gov
(Megachilidae in Hampden, Maine. Photo by Megan Leach)
Nearly 4,000 bee species have been identified in the United States. In Maine, there are more than 270 species of bees, representing six families. This is the second of a series of articles where we explore the types of bees found in Maine and learn about their biology, foraging preferences, and nesting requirements.
Family Megachilidae (Leafcutter and Mason Bees)
Most Megachilids are solitary, where each female constructs and provisions her own nest. Their nests are typically divided into cells and each cell is provisioned with food (pollen and nectar) and an egg. Adult females are moderately sized and have rows of hairs under their abdomens called scopa that are used to collect pollen. In Maine, there are approximately 49 species, representing 8 genera. Of these, Osmia spp. and Megachile spp. are the most common.
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Growing Potatoes in Grow Bags
By Tom Witwicki, Cumberland County Master Gardener Volunteer
(photo of grow bag by Tom Witwicki)
My wife, Nancy, and I had tried a number of times to grow potatoes in our backyard garden in Cape Elizabeth with disappointing results. The potatoes always seemed to be scabby and the yield was disappointing. We thought that our soil might not be suited to growing potatoes or contain soil-borne pathogens. So, over the past three seasons, we have been using a technique that allows us to grow potatoes without the use of soil and also have more control over the growing conditions. We plant our seed potatoes in “grow bags” and locate them in a sunny spot directly on a paved former basketball court in our backyard. The results with this technique have been encouraging; the potatoes look good and we’ve had enough to last us well into the winter. In the spirit of passing along our knowledge, I’d like to describe what we’ve learned from our experimentation so you might also think about giving grow bags a try. Because they can be located anywhere, even folks with shade challenged yards can find some sunny location, perhaps even the driveway. Note that many other vegetables can be successfully grown in grow bags — we’ve also used them with tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and sweet potatoes — but this article will be focused on growing potatoes.
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Organizations and Resources
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Click the links to learn more, find a chapter near you, and get involved.
Bangor Land Trust
is a nonprofit organization that has conserved over 800 acres of land with public access in the Bangor area. Our mission is to protect for public benefit land and water in the Bangor region that have special ecological, natural, scenic, agricultural, or recreational significance; and to increase public understanding of the value of land and water conservation.
The Garden Club Federation of Maine
National Garden Clubs, Inc. provides education, resources and national networking opportunities for its members, to promote the love of gardening, floral design, civic and environmental responsibility.
Good Shepherd Food Bank
In addition to distributing food to Mainers in need, the Food Bank is leading a statewide effort to combat the root causes of hunger by engaging in advocacy, nutrition education, and strategic partnerships. Good Shepherd welcomes you to join in this effort.
Maine Audubon
is a member-based organization that engages people in conservation, education and advocacy to advance wildlife and wildlife habitat conservation in Maine.
Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets
' mission is to cultivate a vibrant, sustainable farmers' market community as a vital part of Maine's local food network. The Federation works with farmers, consumers, and communities to make wholesome, locally-grown foods available to all residents, to educate consumers about food resources, and to support farm viability.
Maine Gleaning Network
A collaborative farm surplus rescue effort gathering crops from Maine's fields and engaging communities in resourceful and equitable food system activities.
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)
The purpose of the Association is to help farmers and gardeners: grow organic food, fiber and other crops; protect the environment; recycle natural resources; increase local food production; support rural communities; and illuminate for consumers the connection between healthful food and environmentally sound farming practices.
The Grange provides opportunities for individuals and families to develop to their highest potential in order to build stronger communities and states, as well as a stronger nation.To inquire about finding a nearby Grange, contact Walter Boomsma at
grange@boomsmaonline.com
Transition Towns
The Transition Movement is comprised of vibrant, grassroots community initiatives that seek to build community resilience in the face of such challenges as peak oil, climate change and the economic crisis. Transition Initiatives differentiate themselves from other sustainability and "environmental" groups by seeking to mitigate these converging global crises by engaging their communities in home-grown, citizen-led education, action, and multi-stakeholder planning to increase local self reliance and resilience.
Transition Skowhegan meets every 1st Thursday at 6 pm, Skowhegan Public Library.
Contact Iver Lofving 474-7370 or Jason Tessier 474-4380
Wild Seed Project
works to increase the use of [Maine] native plants in all landscape settings in order to conserve biodiversity, encourage plant adaption in the face of climate change, safeguard wildlife habitat, and create pollination and migration corridors for insects and birds. Check out their
Native Plant Blog
.
Maine Agriculture in the Classroom
promotes the understanding of agriculture and natural resources among students, educators, and the general public. Curricula and resources for educators and others working with young people. Check out newsletters and/or subscribe
here
.
Maine Farm to School Network
supports the rapidly spreading farm to school movement in Maine. This network knits together a wide diversity of students, teachers, school nutritionists, parents, farmers and groups who support child nutrition and Maine agriculture.
Search
their resource database,
join
the network.
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While University of Maine Cooperative Extension buildings are CLOSED until further notice in an effort to ensure the health and safety of the community, and to help stem the spread of the Coronavirus, we are still here to help! Here are a few ways we’re available:
New Resources to Meet New Needs
*Those with limited internet access can call the following numbers at the select times to participate:
Garden Chats
(Mon 9-10am, Wed 12-1pm and Thurs 6-7pm), call +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923. Meeting ID: 786-090-734
Virtual office hours
(Mon 10-11 and 1-2, Tues 9-10 and 3-4, Wed 9-10 and 1-2, Thurs 10-11 and 1-2, Fri 10-11 and 1-2 ), call +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 Meeting ID: 968 3762 0590
- Maine Farm Products and Pick-Up Directory: The directory provides information on available local farm products and alternative pick-up options developed by farmers statewide to accommodate the recommended social distancing in light of COVID-19.
- Learn at Home: Educational Resources to Use During School Closures: With novel coronavirus closing schools across Maine for several weeks, UMaine Extension has assembled a collection of helpful educational resources for parents and caregivers. From science to financial literacy, whether for toddlers or teenagers, we encourage you to take advantage of these activity books, guides, and other resources to help children remain engaged in educational experiences throughout their school closure.
- Learn at Home with 4-H Friday Fun! Each Friday, watch for a new hands-on activity that you can try out with simple materials you have at home. Watch a short video clip to see how it’s done or download our 4-H Learn from Home activity sheets. Each activity outlines materials needed, easy-to-follow instructions, reflection questions for discussion and activity extensions.
- Social Media: Many of our staff are stepping up efforts to communicate to audiences via social media. For example, see Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden’s short educational Facebook videos (also on Instagram).
Traditional Services Being Offered in New Ways
- Identifying insect pests: Clay Kirby, Associate Scientist/Insect Diagnostician, will identify pest samples via images. See instructions for submitting an insect specimen.
- Identifying plant diseases: Dr. Alicyn Smart will identify plant disease samples via images. See instructions for submitting a sample.
- Tick testing: Ticks are being tested on a limited basis. See instructions for submitting a tick sample.
- Publication orders: We are still processing orders from our publication catalog, including pesticide application training materials.
- Soil testing: The Analytical Lab and Maine Soil Testing Service remains open and is taking samples with a priority on commercial samples. If you need to drop off a sample, you can place it in the box outside of Deering Hall; do NOT enter the building.
- General gardening questions: Contact your county office. Emails are preferred. If it’s necessary to leave a voicemail, please leave your email address (if available) or a mailing address in addition to your phone number. Since most staff are working remotely, there may be a slight delay in response time to messages. Thank you for your patience.
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Master Gardener Volunteers
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All in-person Master Gardener Volunteer-related activities are suspended until further notice, including, but not limited to: plant sales, meetings, gleanings, demonstration garden maintenance, and workdays.
Due to the current COVID-19 situation, we are encouraging all of our volunteers to stay home and practice social distancing as recommended by the CDC. We will not be approving any volunteer hours that require Master Gardener Volunteers to travel or be present on-site of a garden project while in-person activities are suspended.
There will be modifications made to the volunteer hour reporting requirements for all new and existing Master Gardener Volunteers in the near future. Please contact your MGV Coordinator if you have any questions and/or concerns. The situation will continually be assessed and updates will be provided to all active Master Gardener Volunteers and partner organizations.
(updated 3/24/20)
Catch up on reporting your hours while you're observing stay-at-home directives:
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Mission
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is the major educational outreach program of the University of Maine with offices statewide. UMaine Extension provides Maine people with research-based educational programs to help them live fuller, more productive lives.
Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
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The goal
of the Central Maine Gardening Newsletter is to connect gardeners with resources and events that encourage and inform.
Quick Links
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Local Weather Anytime
Most outdoor activities are driven by the weather. Our local National Weather Service in Caribou has meteorologists on staff 24 hours a day. They are willing to talk with you about predictions for your town. Give them a call at 492-0180. Or check out their online detailed maps at
http://www.weather.gov/car/.
Need Pesticide Credits?
Interested in Volunteering with UMaine Extension?
Nearly 8,000 volunteers devoted more than 150,000 hours to their communities last year through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension! Look around our
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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
Kate Garland, Horticulturist
Kathy Hopkins, Extension Educator
Trisha Smith, Community Education Assistant
The goal of the Central Maine Gardening Newsletter is to connect gardeners with resources and events that encourage and inform.
The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, 207.581.1226.
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Piscataquis County Office
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Open Monday - Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave Bangor, ME 04401 207.942.7396 or 800.287.1485
Piscataquis County Office -
website
Open Monday, Thursday, Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
165 East Main St Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207.564.3301 or 800.287.1491
7 County Drive Skowhegan, Maine 04976-4209
Tel: 207.474.9622 or 1.800.287.1495 (in Maine)
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