Question: I am the chair of the grounds committee at a condo. We are discussing mulch, including using pine in place of other sources. I would appreciate it if you would direct me to information on: 1. Why use mulch? 2. Pro/con of different mulch 3. Is mulch good for windy conditions? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home […]
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Question: Wild violets are taking over area of front lawn and garden. What is the best way to rid them without harmful chemicals? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional I’m sorry to hear about the violet problems. Unfortunately, as you can read in this fantastic resource on wild violets from Penn State Univ’s Extension, “[w]ild […]
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Question: The warmer weather earlier in the Spring the last few years has shifted the treatment for grubs in landscapes to earlier and earlier. Do you know when the best time or date in the Spring is now for this year? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional Let me refer you to our UMaine Cooperative […]
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Question: I purchased a cottage and the garden has a lot of forget me nots in the garden beds. I’ve been removing invasives aggressively and successfully but I kept the forget-me-nots thinking that they were native. They did not bloom in 2023. This year I will want to pull them out if they don’t bloom […]
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Question: We’ve experienced serious erosion in recent storms with topsoil washing away leaving exposed clay. What can I plant to prevent further erosion and to make the bank look less like a war zone? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional I will offer a couple of fantastic resources on choosing plants for erosion control, […]
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Question: Late frost last year meant zip peaches. This year could be a huge crop. After thinning the tiny fruit, how do we physically support the still heavily laden branches? I can easily envision tripod supports for near horizontal branches, but what to do for the not-so-horizontal branches? I’m thinking the trees will look like […]
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Question: I am purchasing pots of grasses for our seaside home. When can we plant them outside? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional The estimated last frost date for your town is May 2 this year, so you’re very likely to be fine planting then. I will note, for full disclosure, that these dates can’t be […]
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Question: Branches from our lilac tree broke off leaving a large scar. I assume will heal on its own but is there something I should be doing to prevent bird/insect damage and promote healing? I did make a pruning cut where the wood was still attached. Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional Generally speaking, […]
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Question: Is it safe to use pressure-treated lumber for raised garden beds? If not, what are the alternatives to help prevent the wood from rotting? For example, a plastic lining does not seem to me to be a good alternative. Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional It’s a complicated question because the fact of […]
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Question: How long should it take for true leaves to appear on tomato seedlings? Can I rescue these seedlings? I planted tomato and pepper seeds on 3/1 using an organic seed-starting mix & following the instructions of your excellent seed starting video. I placed them on a heat mat. Within 4 days, the tomato seeds […]
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