• March is the month to . . .
• Orchid Growing in Maine
• Why Donating Produce Matters

March is the month to . . .

By Katherine Garland, Horticulturist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Penobscot County, katherine.garland@maine.edu

• Get to know the new All America Selections (AAS) winners. AAS is an independent, non-profit organization that tests new varieties then introduces only the best garden performers as AAS winners. See the list of current and past winners here.
• Build a seed starting stand and start the following seeds indoors: early – celery, celeriac, onions and leeks; late – peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and eggplant.
• Prune fruit trees, ornamental woody plants, and highbush blueberries while they are still dormant.

http://youtu.be/fsCsIGbWP2I

• Tap maple trees. The exact best time to start depends on the weather. Watch for when temperatures are freezing at night and 40-45° during the day.
• Connect with your local food pantry to find out what vegetables their clients might like to receive next season and sign up to participate in Maine Harvest for Hunger in 2012.
• Force branches for indoor color (see Cornell gardening resources; scroll down to “‘Forcing’ Twigs for Indoor Bloom”). Forsythia isn’t your only option! Other woody plants that are easy to force include: tamarack, apple, quince, pussy willow, cherries, alder, and birch.
• Grow sprouts. Fresh greens can be grown indoors with just the following ingredients: mason jar with screw-top ring, small piece of cheesecloth, aluminum foil, seeds, and water.
• Try new recipes for vegetables that you plan to grow next year. Planning meals ahead will help you take advantage of your bountiful harvest.
• Keep composting! You may not see a lot of activity in your pile right now, but keep contributing those kitchen scraps. You’ll be amazed at how fast the pile shrinks when the outdoor temperature begin to rise.
• Plan your next botanical adventure. Warm thoughts of gorgeous gardens are fun to entertain this time of year.  We’re lucky to have some great gardening playgrounds nearby such as Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay and Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden in Old Town. If you’re willing to travel, there are many to choose from. Looking for travel suggestions? Consider visiting the botanical gardens in Montreal, Quebec or St. Louis, Missouri.
• Plant highbush blueberries. UMaine Extension Master Gardener Volunteers are having a blueberry plant sale to benefit their programs. Consider taking advantage of this sale.

Orchid Growing in Maine

By Kathryn Hopkins, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Somerset County, khopkins@maine.edu  

Probably a Phalaenopsis sp. Photo by Kathryn Hopkins.

At Christmas time, my husband did a good deed and received an orchid as a token of appreciation. Since we knew nothing about raising orchids except for their alleged finicky and difficult reputation we went into panic mode when the giver also said, “By the way it needs repotting!” So now what were we to do with this thing?

The first step was to decide what type of orchid this was in order to provide the best growing conditions. There are five major orchid types: Cattleya, Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, and Oncidium. Phalaenopsis (moth orchids) and some Paphiopedilum varieties (slipper orchids) are best suited for home environments. Flowers on these orchids are long lasting. Phalaenopsis flowers can last from two to six months. My orchid arrived without a tag, but had the leaf and flower structure of a Phalaenopsis orchid and arrived potted in sphagnum moss rather than regular potting mix, suggesting that it was epiphytic and not terrestrial.

Once you identify your orchid, you will be able to plan for its care. Orchids really seem very easy to grow if you supply the correct potting mix, light requirements, water, and fertilizer. The correct conditions usually allow you to successfully grow any plant.

Because many orchids are tropical in origin and are found in nature growing on trees or tree branches, they require a potting mix that is composed of bark, sphagnum moss or a fibrous potting mix. They get most of their water and nutrients from the air through aerial roots. The potting mix should let the water flow through freely and orchids should never be left in standing water. Water again when the potting mix has dried out some but not completely. The roots should not be trimmed. Because many orchids are native to the tropics, they may benefit from a more humid environment than we typically have in our Maine homes in the winter. Putting your orchid on a tray of gravel and water with the roots above the water level will provide some humidity.

Photo by Kathryn Hopkins.

Orchids need good light and warm temperatures — about 68-75 degrees during the day and about 10 degrees cooler at night — in order to set buds. Orchids may fail to bloom if night temperatures are the same or very close to daytime temperatures. A two-week period in spring or fall where temperatures at night are kept ten to fifteen degrees cooler than during the day should initiate flower development, assuming the plant is receiving adequate light levels.

Orchids are intolerant of temperatures that are either too low or too high, so you may need sheer curtains in the summer to reduce temperatures in south or west-facing windows. You may choose to grow orchids under fluorescent lights if you don’t have an east, south or west-facing window. The lights should be about 8-12 inches above the orchids’ foliage, and should be on from 12-14 hours a day.

Orchids need fertilizer for good growth and flowering, and are also very sensitive to over-fertilization that can cause root damage. Only fertilize actively growing plants and do not fertilize during the plant’s rest period. Use a special orchid fertilizer or a good houseplant fertilizer and feed plants potted in bark every two weeks and plants in sphagnum once a month following the label directions.

For more information on growing orchids go to:

• Growing Orchids Indoors, University of Vermont Extension
• Orchids, Clemson Cooperative Extension
• Orchids, University of Wisconsin Extension
• Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum Species; Easy Orchids to Grow as Houseplants, University of Minnesota Extension Service

For more information on orchids and to see videos on orchid care, go to the American Orchid Society website and click on the tab “All About Orchids.”  

Why Donating Produce Matters

By Barbara Murphy, Extension Professor, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Oxford County, barbara.murphy@maine.edu

In August, we gardeners are typically awash in produce, so much so that putting it to good use becomes a challenge. Our friends, neighbors, and co-workers grimace as they see us coming with yet another bag full of zucchini, carrots, and beans. So, rather than doing the same thing this year, commit now to making a plan about where your high-quality excess produce is going to go.

Why It Matters

Both nationally and regionally, Maine’s food insecurity ranking is frightening; third highest in the nation, highest in New England.

Food insecurity in wealthy nations like the US doesn’t look like the stereotypical images of swollen bellies and stick-like arms and legs. Rather, in Maine and elsewhere, it is more likely to look like obesity; the result that in America, calorie-dense, nutrient poor food is generally less expensive than nutrient rich food. So, making a plan to donate your garden produce to those with limited access to fresh produce just might start to turn the tide against food insecurity here in Maine.

What You Need To Do

• Think about how much you plan to donate either by designating a row in your garden for this purpose, or estimating how much excess you generally have and of what.
• Think about the resources in your area — where would you go to find good “homes” for your garden vegetables and fruits? Some possibilities include senior centers, summer feeding programs, food pantries, senior lunches, and neighbors.
• Once decided, schedule a meeting with the head of the organization, or have a conversation with your neighbor to discuss what their vegetable needs are. Are some items more desirable than others? How much can they deal with each week? How do they want them to arrive — bagged, loose, washed? If appropriate, include recipes from the Maine Harvest for Hunger website to give people some suggestions on use.
• Keep the recipient notified about pending harvests. A quick reminder that you will be bringing a bag of beans next week will help insure that they are ready to put them to good use.
• Finally, record an estimate of the weight of the donation and where it went, and send this to your UMaine Extension county office so that we can include your donation in our Maine Harvest for Hunger total.
• Even small donations matter.  Providing the ingredients for a salad or side dish of vegetables is a great way to let someone know you care.
• To see what a difference fresh produce makes, watch the video:

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Maine Home Garden News is designed to equip home gardeners with practical, timely information.

Subscribe via RSS or let us know if you would like to be notified when new issues are posted. To receive e-mail notifications:

1. Fill out our online form, or
2. Contact Colleen Hoyt at colleen.hoyt@maine.edu or 1-800-287-1471 (in Maine).

You may also follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter to hear about updates.

Visit our Archives to see past issues.

Maine Home Garden News was created in response to a continued increase in requests for information on gardening and includes timely and seasonal tips, as well as research-based articles on all aspects of gardening. Articles are written by UMaine Extension specialists, educators, and horticulture professionals, as well as Master Gardener Volunteers from around Maine, with Professor Richard Brzozowski serving as editor.

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

© 2012
Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Call 800-287-0274 or TDD 800-287-8957 (in Maine), or 207-581-3188, for information on publications and program offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visit extension.umaine.edu.

• October is the month to . . .
• Fall Gardening Practices & Plant Diseases – What’s a Gardener to Do?
• Don’t Feed the Deer!

October is the month to . . .

By Katherine Garland, Horticulturist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Penobscot County, katherine.garland@maine.edu

• Keep up with the weeds. Mow, cover, or pull weeds to minimize the seed bank and reduce perennial weed pressure. Allowing weeds to go to seed in the fall can lead to a lot more work in the garden for many seasons to come.
• Take pictures and save tags for your garden records. Going a step further by making a map of your current garden and making notes of varieties that worked well or didn’t work well will be an enormous help when planning your garden for next season.
• Store produce in the proper location and process produce safely. University of Maine Cooperative Extension has a number of helpful videos and free bulletins on food preservation and harvesting on their website: visit our Food & Health website or call 1-800-287-0274 with questions.
• Join Maine Harvest for Hunger by sharing your extra produce with your local food cupboard, shelter, and neighbors in need. Help us reach our goal of donating 250,000 pounds this year by reporting your donations online or call your local Extension office.

• Perennials . . . to cut back or not to cut back?It depends.
  • Cutting back foliage provides a clean aesthetic, removes diseased plant tissue, leaves less to pick up next spring, and makes it much easier to divide plants and clean out weeds.
  • Leaving perennials intact provides attractive seed heads and interesting plant structures for enjoyment through the winter, sturdy stems for bird habitat, thermal protection for the roots of marginally hardy perennials, and a natural marker for late rising perennials.
  • To safely cut back most perennials leave 2-3 inches of plant material above the crown.
• Have your soil tested. A standard soil test is an easy and inexpensive way to find out information regarding essential nutrients, pH, and organic matter content that may be limiting the productivity of your garden. For only $15, you will receive a full report that will include a lead scan and specific recommendations for soil additives. Request a soil test kit from the Maine Soil Testing Service or stop by your local University of Maine Cooperative Extension office to pick one up.

• Protect stems of fruit trees from mice and voles with hardware cloth or other physical barrier. If you have a deer population, fences will help reduce browsing pressure on young trees.
• Add organic matter (OM) to the soil.OM improves soil structure and stability, drainage, moisture retention, and nutrient availability.
  • Manure
  • Cover crops (ex: oats, rye, buckwheat)
  • Disease-free plant debris (ex: shredded leaf litter)
• Plant garlic, tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs. Follow planting instructions carefully and avoid planting bulbs too early.

• Dig tender bulbs such as dahlias and cannas to overwinter in a cool, dark location.
• Empty container gardens and properly store containerized plants.
• Extend the season. Crops adapted to cool seasons are a real treat to harvest well after the snow flies. Broccoli, salad greens, beets, carrots, radishes, and cabbage are all excellent options for the fall garden.
• Explore your resources! If it gets too cold or rainy to be out in the garden, please take a moment to visit your UMaine Extension website or local UMaine Extension county office. Find hours of short video clips about specific gardening topics at extension.umaine.edu.

Fall Gardening Practices & Plant Diseases — What’s a Gardener to Do?

By Dr. Richard Brzozowski, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County, richard.brzozowski@maine.edu and Dr, Bruce Watt, Scientist/Plant Disease Diagnostician, University of Maine Pest Management, bruce.watt@maine.edu

White mold forms specialized pebble-like survival structures called sclerotia, which can survive in the soil for several years. Photo by Bruce Watt. (Click on the image to see an enlargement.)

One might assume that because we live in a cold climate, plant diseases don’t and can’t over winter. That assumption would be wrong.

Plant diseases can and do overwinter in Maine. For that reason, it is important to clean up your gardens in the fall to reduce the possibility of diseases occurring next year. Clear the garden of all annual plant materials — these are potential harborage for diseases that had occurred this year.

Most diseases which are common in the garden are caused by fungi, whether it be a garden of fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers or grasses. Fungi can vary considerably, much like plants and other living things vary. Different fungi have different life cycles and survival strategies. Some fungi might spread throughout the growing season while others are restricted to a specific time period. But to get through the winter, fungi survive in winter hardy growth stages such as specialized spores or as mycelium.

Overwintering spores are similar to seeds. They remain dormant until the temperature warms in the spring and the presence of moisture signals them to germinate. A mycelium is a fungal mat within the plant tissues which can be winter hardy and which resumes growth in the spring, often producing a new crop of spores.

So as a gardener, what can you do to reduce or eliminate the potential of fungal diseases on next year’s plants?

1. Remove all annual plant tissue from the garden. Pull it up — roots and all. Remove it from your property. Other options for handling this annual plant material include: shredding it in place, plowing it under, composting it or burning it. By plowing plant debris under the soil in the fall, micro-organisms such as beneficial bacteria, fungi, and insects can help break it down and eliminate it as a harborage during the winter and into the spring.
2. Cut back perennial plant materials when the plants display dormancy or no growth. Perform the cutting prior to the ground freezing (October and November). Perennial plants generally use the time after flowering and/or fruiting to store carbohydrates in their roots as a store of foods for the next growing season.
3. Mow grass and weeds that might surround your garden areas before November. Remove brush growth. Remove any trees branches that are shading the garden area using a pole saw or hiring a tree service. Keeping things open and sunlit will help reduce disease pressures.

Think back to what occurred in your garden(s) this past growing season. Some signs of fungal disease include cankers on stems, rotted and withered fruit, wilted leaves, and yellowing or browning of leaves. Severe disease problems are pretty obvious but even low levels of disease can build up over the years to become a bigger and bigger problem.

Be aware that some diseases are very difficult to eliminate and it is best to identify these problems in your garden. For example, white mold forms specialized pebble-like survival structures called sclerotia which can survive in the soil for several years. If white mold was a problem for you, remove the plant material entirely from your garden.

Don’t Feed the Deer!

By Donna Coffin, Extension Professor, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Piscataquis County, donna.coffin@maine.edu

White-tailed deer. Photo by David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org.

For some home gardeners and homeowners, deer are a wonderful species of wildlife that they want to see frequently near their home. We live in a state that is known for its large deer population and many people enjoy seeing them frolicking in their backyard. To encourage more deer sightings, some people start feeding deer grain in the fall. The folks at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF&W) know that this act can, unfortunately, have detrimental affects on the deer. For years, IF&W has tried to discourage people from feeding grain to the deer.

Why? Feeding deer grain changes the microorganisms in their stomach so that they can’t digest their usual winter diet as well (usually deer browse on tree branches in the winter). Also, feeding grain causes large numbers of deer to congregate near the feeder, making them more susceptible to disease and even traffic fatalities. One year on a one mile stretch of road that I traveled frequently in Central Maine, the game wardens said they had cleared over 100 dead deer from the road. That didn’t include the injured deer that ran farther away from the road to die. The deaths and injuries resulted from a large herd of deer that were moving daily between two homes, located on opposite sides of the road, where folks were putting out grain for them.

Please don’t feed deer grain!

If you want to help deer through the winter and you have a woodlot, consider cutting a few cedar trees down for them to browse. If you cut down hardwood trees this winter to start on your firewood needs for next winter, consider leaving the tree tops on the ground to provide food for deer.

Deer can be very destructive in the home landscape and garden. Anyone trying to grow apple trees, strawberries, cedar hedges, yews, etc. are plagued by deer eating their plants at all times of the year. When neighbors feed the deer, the gardens and landscapes around them suffer.

View the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife position statement on the practice of supplemental feeding of white-tailed deer during winter. This website includes information on the disadvantages to supplemental feeding, why deer may starve when fed supplemental foods during winter, long-term impacts on the behavior of deer, preferred alternatives to supplemental feeding of deer, and how citizens of Maine can best help Maine’s winter deer herds.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Maine Home Garden News is designed to equip home gardeners with practical, timely information.

Subscribe via RSS or let us know if you would like to be notified when new issues are posted. To receive e-mail notifications:

1. Fill out our online form, or
2. Contact Colleen Hoyt at colleen.hoyt@maine.edu or 1-800-287-1471 (in Maine).

You may also follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter to hear about updates.

Visit our Archives to see past issues.

Maine Home Garden News was created in response to a continued increase in requests for information on gardening and includes timely and seasonal tips, as well as research-based articles on all aspects of gardening. Articles are written by UMaine Extension specialists, educators, and horticulture professionals, as well as Master Gardener Volunteers from around Maine, with Professor Richard Brzozowski serving as editor.

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

© 2011
Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Call 800-287-0274 or TDD 800-287-8957 (in Maine), or 207-581-3188, for information on publications and program offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visit extension.umaine.edu.

• September is the month to . . .
• Planting Trees Successfully in the Fall
• Keeping Cats Out of the Garden
• What are Lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)?

September is the month to . . .

By Hannah Todd, Home Horticulture Coordinator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Piscataquis County, hannah.todd@maine.edu

• Continue to harvest crops.
• Donate excess produce through the Maine Harvest for Hunger program. For more information please visit the Maine Harvest for Hunger website.
• Watch the weather; if there is a chance for a frost, then take steps to protect your plants (place a sheet or piece of plastic over them).
• Pull weeds. Pull weeds. Pull weeds.
• Do a soil test…and if the results indicate the need for lime and manure additions, September is the time to apply those amendments. For more information on soil testing, see Bulletin #2286, Testing Your Soil. For safe manure practices, see Bulletin #2510, Guidelines for Using Manure on Vegetable Gardens. For more information on soil organic matter, see Bulletin #2288, Soil Organic Matter.

• Plant a winter cover crop. If you live in one of the northern Maine counties (like Piscataquis) September 15th is typically about the cut off date for planting a winter cover crop. Refer back to the Maine Home Garden News July issue article on cover crops. If planting a cover crop is not an option, use organic mulch, such as straw or leaves to protect the soil from winter winds and precipitation. Mulch will also add nutrients to the soil and build organic matter.
• Build raised beds now, so they will be ready to plant in early spring. For more information, watch our videos: Extending the Gardening Season Using Raised Beds. Includes a link to plans and materials list.
• Clean out plant debris left in the garden. This can help reduce insect and disease populations.
• Tend your lawn. Fall is a good time to fertilize or re-seed. For more information see:

• Bulletin #2166, Steps to a Low-Input, Healthy Lawn
• Bulletin #2243, Maintaining a Home Lawn in Maine
• Bulletin #2367, Establishing a Home Lawn in Maine

• Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials.
• Do not fertilize or prune woody plants. These actions will prompt growth, which will not have time to harden off before winter.
• Apples are ready to harvest when the seeds turn dark brown. Remember not to pick apples until ambient temperatures rise above freezing, otherwise, you could bruise the apple.
• Attend your local fair and check out the gardening displays (and the 4-H exhibits).
• Keep an eye out for invasive insect pests, such as the Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian Longhorned Beetle.
• Preserve your harvest by freezing, canning, or dehydrating. If you have questions about these techniques contact your local UMaine Extension county office, watch our “How To” videos or attend a hands-on workshop.
• Take notes on the gardening season and start planning for next year.
• Did I mention, pull weeds?

Planting Trees Successfully in the Fall

By Amy Witt, Horticulturist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County, amy.witt@maine.edu

After a long winter, most Mainers can’t wait to get out in their yards to prepare their gardens and rejuvenate their landscapes. Often, one of the first tasks on people’s list is to plant trees and shrubs, thinking that spring and early summer are the best time for this activity. While late spring and early summer are good times to plant, late summer to mid-fall is also a great time to plant trees. The soil temperatures are warmer and less saturated than in the spring, people generally have more time to plant, and many nurseries often have end of the season sales on their plant material. When planting trees in the fall, the general rule is to plant them by Columbus Day in order to give the roots time to establish before the ground freezes and the cold weather shuts down growth. Tree roots need soil temperatures of at least 55° (at a 6-inch depth) and take approximately 6 weeks to get established.

The first step to a healthy tree is selecting the right tree for the right location and then planting it correctly. In order to select the best tree for your site you must consider the following:

• What is the hardiness zone in which the tree will be planted? (Refer to Bulletin #2242, Plant Hardiness Zone Map of Maine.)
• What is the environment the tree will be planted in (exposure to light and wind, type of soil, drainage, topography, etc.)? Select a site with enough room for the branches and roots to reach their full size.
• What is the purpose of the tree (fruit bearing, shade, ornamental)?
• What characteristics are you looking for (4-season interest, deciduous, conifer, shape)?
• What is the mature size of the tree (makes a big difference in regards to where it is planted)?

Once the tree and site have been selected, it is time to plant.

• Before digging the hole, you need to call DIG SAFE (1-888-344-7233). They will survey the area and make sure you will not be hitting any underground utilities.
• Find the root flare (place where roots attach to base of trunk).
• Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 3-5 times the size of the diameter.
• If the tree is balled and burlapped, remove the burlap and any wires or rope around the ball before planting. If the tree is in a container, remove the container and carefully cut through circling roots with a knife to release them.
• Plant the tree so once settling has occurred, the flare will be at grade level (it is better to plant a little too high than too low).
• Back fill the hole with un-amended soil.
• Water well to settle the soil and remove air pockets.
• Add a 2-3-inch layer of mulch, but not within 6 inches of the trunk of the tree.
• Do not stake unless the tree has a large crown, is not able to stand up to the wind, or is located where people may push it over. Then only stake it for a maximum of one year and make sure the tree can flex in the wind. (Conifers rarely need to be staked.)

Used with permission from O’Donal’s Nursery.

Once the tree has been planted:

• Remove tags and labels from tree.
• Prune basal suckers, co-dominant leaders, narrow crotch angles, and damaged, rubbing or crossed branches.
• Do not prune terminal leader or branch tips (you do not want to promote new growth).
• Water newly planted trees will need an inch of water each week until the ground freezes. (Trees planted in the fall need extra attention as cold winter winds and sun cause plants to lose water from their branches and the roots have to replace that water.)
• Wrap the trunks of thinned-bark young trees in late November to prevent frost cracks, sun scald and animal damage. Remove wrapping in March.
• Fertilize the second year after planting (fertilizing newly planted trees will weaken the tree and take energy away from root establishment).

For more information on selecting and planting trees, refer to Bulletin #2366, Selecting, Planting and Caring for Trees and Shrubs in the Maine Landscape.

Keeping Cats Out of the Garden

By Richard Brzozowski, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County, richard.brzozowski@maine.edu

Photo by Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Cats whether they be domestic or feral (wild) can be a real problem for gardeners. Cats can destroy plants and mess up your seed bed. Cats defecate and urinate in the garden soil and make the place an unpleasant place. Cats can serve as a reservoir for diseases that include histoplasmosis, leptospirosis, mumps, plague, rabies, ringworm, salmonellosis, toxoplasmosis, cat scratch fever, and distemper. Cat feces can contain parasites that can affect the health of people. It is in the interest of the gardener to keep cats out of the garden.

The following strategies are offered for those gardeners with a cat problem:

Barriers

• Chicken wire fencing can be laid on the ground in the garden to prevent digging by cats. The wire can be secured with extra large “hair pins” formed by cutting wire coat hangers in half. Most plants will grow through the wire easily. The wire can be covered with a thin layer of mulch if needed.
• Single or double strands of electric fence at low voltage can be used to teach cats that the garden is not a place for them. Polywire strands or ribbons are attached to short fiberglass rods. The polywire is durable and will last several years with care. As a substitute for the polywire, one could also use 22 gauge galvanized utility wire. The wire should be placed at heights of four and nine inches. A single strand could be placed at a four-inch height. Fence chargers can be purchased from farm and feed stores or from farm supply catalogs. One style of electric fence charger is powered by flashlight batteries. The fence can be turned off after the cats have “learned” to avoid the area. This same barrier can help keep woodchucks out of the garden.

Repellents

• Rough textured mulch is uninviting for cats. Cats are attracted to garden soil with the same texture as kitty litter, so use mulches that are coarse.
• Rue, a hardy blue-green herb, is said to repel cats.
• Dog hair spread on the ground or hung in onion bags around the garden could work to keep cats away. Some cats won’t go near dog hair.
• Live dogs can serve as garden guards against cats as well as other animal pests.
• Anise Oil, methyl nonyl ketone, Ro-pel and Thymol as well as other repellents sold at pet stores and garden centers may be effective in repelling cats. Read and follow label directions of any product that you obtain. Some of these products may not be labeled for use around food crops. Some products may be irritating to people.

Other Techniques

• Keep the cats indoors or negotiate with the cat owners to do so.
• If the cats are stray, call your local animal control officer.
• Avoid feeding pets outdoors. Food is an invitation for stray animals and neighborhood pets as well as wildlife.
• Remove brush and other cover where animals are apt to hide or live. Keep the vegetation in the area clipped.
• Some animals are attracted to compost piles. When composting use a covered and walled compost bin. Bury fresh materials in the pile.
• Try placing loaded mousetraps under a layer of newspaper in and around the garden to teach the cat(s) to stay out.

Practices to Avoid

• Don’t grow catnip in your garden. This attracts cats.
• Don’t use mothballs or moth flakes made from naphthalene to try to repel cats and other pests outside. When used outdoors the balls and flakes melt and may contaminate ground water.

Final Thoughts

Cats are more active during twilight and night-time so freshen repellents and prepare barriers for higher use during those times. To avoid contamination by cats feces wear gloves when gardening. Wash your hands and under fingernails thoroughly after working in the garden when not using gloves.

What are Lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)?

By Rosalie Deri, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Franklin County

Lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea). Photo by Gil Wojciech, Polish Forest Research Institute, Bugwood.org

Lingonberries are small, red, edible berries that grow on a perennial, woody, evergreen shrub with a low growth habit. They are related to both blueberries and cranberries. The first fruit ripens in mid-summer, around July, and the second crop ripens in late September to early November. Lingonberries are native to Scandinavia, Alaska, and northeastern Canada. They are similar to cranberries but not quite as tart and they make great jam, jelly, juice, sauce, wine, and liqueur.

Storage

Lingonberries contain high levels of benzoic acid, which helps provide for a long refrigerated shelf life. Lingonberry jams, jellies or other products should be kept in the refrigerator after opening.

Using Lingonberries

Lingonberries can be used in any recipe that calls for cranberries or blueberries. They make a great accompaniment to meat and cheese dishes.

• Use as a garnish for pancakes, waffles, French toast or crepes.
• Add to other fruit in pies or cobblers.
• Heat and stir lingonberries until soft and crushed, sweeten, then add small amounts of this “juice” to ginger ale or soda water for a unique beverage.
• Stir lingonberries into cookie, muffin or sweet bread dough.
• Lingonberries complement wild poultry, game, turkey, chicken, pork, and ham.
• Use lingonberries in place of cranberries to make sauces and relishes.

A Berry by Any Other Name

You may know lingonberries by one of their many other names: cowberry, red whortle berry, foxberry, northern mountain cranberry, dry ground cranberry, rock cranberry, partridge berry or whimberry.

How Nutritious are Lingonberries?

Since lingonberries are closely related to cranberries, they probably have a similar nutritional content, although exact data is unavailable; they are a good source of vitamin C. Lingonberries contain valuable phyto-chemicals, which are natural chemicals that plants produce. In particular, lingonberries possess anthocyanin, about 100 milligrams per 3 1/2 ounces of berries.¹ Anthrocyanin, a member of the flavonoid family, is a potent antioxidant. Researchers believe that these substances can help reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack and cancer.² Anthocyanins help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood. By doing so, they keep blood vessels healthy. Therefore, anthocyanins play a preventive role in the early stages of heart disease. Researchers believe anthocyanins may also help decrease inflammation and stop cancer before it gets started.

¹J. Kuhnau, The Flavonoids: A Class of Semi-essential Food Components: Their role in human nutrition. World Review of Nutrition and Diet 24, 117-91, 1976.

²Bohm, H. et al. Flavonols, flavone and anthocyanins as natural antioxidants of food and their possible role in the prevention of chronic diseases. Z Ernahrungswiss 1998 Jun; 37(2): 147-63. (German)

Adapted with permission from “What are Lingonberries” by Carol Miles, Associate Professor, Horticulturist Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Washington State University, 1999.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Maine Home Garden News is designed to equip home gardeners with practical, timely information.

Subscribe via RSS or let us know if you would like to be notified when new issues are posted. To receive e-mail notifications:

1. Fill out our online form, or
2. Contact Colleen Hoyt at colleen.hoyt@maine.edu or 1-800-287-1471 (in Maine).

You may also follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter to hear about updates.

Visit our Archives to see past issues.

Maine Home Garden News was created in response to a continued increase in requests for information on gardening and includes timely and seasonal tips, as well as research-based articles on all aspects of gardening. Articles are written by UMaine Extension specialists, educators, and horticulture professionals, as well as Master Gardener Volunteers from around Maine, with Professor Richard Brzozowski serving as editor.

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

© 2011
Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Call 800-287-0274 or TDD 800-287-8957 (in Maine), or 207-581-3188, for information on publications and program offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visit extension.umaine.edu.

• August is the month to . . .
• Don’t Try This at Home — Six Common Ways that People Unknowingly Damage or Kill Trees
• Evaluating Your Garden — Mid Season

August is the month to . . .

By Diana Hibbard, Home Horticulture Coordinator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County, dhibbard@maine.edu

• Harvest and preserve. It’s time to harvest vegetables for best yield and highest quality; attend a Preserving the Harvest workshop to learn how to preserve your fresh produce for year-round enjoyment. Call your local UMaine Extension county office for dates and times or check the schedule online.
• Direct seed. Plant spinach and lettuce in the garden for fall harvest.
• Harvest your garlic. Wait for the bottom 2 or 3 leaves to turn yellow. See Growing Garlic from University of Vermont Extension, or watch our video How Do I Grow Garlic in Maine?

• Start planning. Plan for next year’s flower displays; assess plant combinations in containers, take photos, and make notes of what worked and what didn’t.
• Make room. Bring houseplants inside towards the end of the month. Be sure to check for any insects that might be hitchhiking.
• Divide and transplant. Fall is the best time to transplant peonies, bearded irises, and oriental poppies.
• Plant trees and shrubs. Keep trees and shrubs watered until a hard frost.
• Prune. Raspberry canes that have fruited should be pruned out. Also thin first-year canes for next year’s crop. For more information, see Bulletin #2066, Growing Raspberries and Blackberries, or watch our video How Do I Prune Raspberries?

• Cover crop. Plant cover crops in open spots of your vegetable garden to protect the soil from erosion, increase organic matter, improve weed control, and provide nutrients. For more information about cover crops, see Cover Crops for Season’s End from the July issue of Maine Home Garden News.
• Order bulbs. Daffodils are reliable and long-lived. Don’t forget to order your garlic bulbs as well and plant in the fall.
• Seed lawns. Mid August through September is the ideal time to over-seed your lawn. Try a “low-mow” grass to decrease your mowing. For more information, see Bulletin #2166, Steps to a Low-Input, Healthy Garden or watch our video How to Establish a Home Lawn in Maine.

• Donate. Give away extra fruit and veggies to food pantries; contact the local UMaine Extension office to sign up for Maine Harvest for Hunger. For information about donating produce, see Bulletin #4303, A Donor’s Guide to Vegetable Harvest.
• Check your tomatoes. Blossom-end rot on tomatoes is caused by moisture fluctuations. Regulation of soil moisture and mulch will help.
• Tomato horn worms are here. Check your tomato plants for chewed leaves and chewed fruit. Hand pick and destroy before too much damage occurs.

Don’t Try This at Home — Six Common Ways that People Unknowingly Damage or Kill Trees

By Richard Brzozowski, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County, richard.brzozowski@maine.edu

Don’t drive or park on the lawn near a tree(s). Tree roots like all other plant parts need air. When cars, trucks or other vehicles compact the soil beneath the base of a tree, soil pore space is reduced. The natural pore space of soil allows for water and air to be a part of the soil. Use alternate places to park your vehicles. Minimize vehicular traffic on lawns.

Don’t use excessive mulch. Mulch is often touted as the answer to all the gardener’s problems. It will control weeds, keep the soil temperature warm or cool, hold moisture, etc. However, mulch should be used wisely and in moderation. Never cover the natural flare of the tree trunk with mulch piled high against the trunk. Mulch will hold moisture against the tree trunk and be a harbor for boring insect pests. Feather the mulch in a light layer near the tree base.

Don’t weed whack at the tree base or scrape the tree trunk with your lawnmower. Many folks like a neat lawn with sharp edges and no unsightly weeds near tree bases. But often times little is considered when tackling those weeds. When using a line-trimmer or lawn mower, don’t allow the machine or its parts to damage the tree’s bark. The lifeline of the tree is cut when the layer just beneath the bark is damaged or cut. Take the time to weed with a hand clipper near the base of trees.

Don’t add an excessive amount of top-soil or fill around the base of trees. More than 90% of the roots of trees exist in the top foot of soil. These roots need air and water to live, grow, and thrive. By adding more fill or soil, the ability of the tree to use air and water near the surface is restricted. Tree trunks have a natural flare at ground level. Make sure that this flare is evident on the trees in your yard.

Don’t keep tree trunks wrapped. The wrap on tree trunk is used to protect trees at the nursery or in transit. These wraps should be removed to allow the trunk to be exposed to air and light. Insects and disease organisms thrive in a place that is warm, moist, and protected from natural enemies. The wrap provides this “safe harbor.” Remove it immediately after planting a tree. Mouse guards such as hardware cloth or plastic spiral wraps can be used from late fall until early spring to protect tree trunks by preventing mouse damage under the snow line. A hardware cloth formed in a wide cylinder can be kept on the tree year round if enough space is provided between the tree and the guard. Don’t allow the hardware cloth to touch the tree and constrict the tree’s growth. Change or widen the hardware cloth cylinder as the tree ages.

Don’t keep guide wires on newly planted trees. People usually forget to remove the guide wires from a newly planted tree. Over time the wire and the tree grow together and cause severe damage or death to the plant. If planted properly, guide wires are not usually needed to help a tree stand upright.

Trees are important to our landscape and our environment. Learn all you can about properly caring for the trees in your yard, neighborhood, and community.

Evaluating Your Garden — Mid Season

By Richard Brzozowski, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County, richard.brzozowski@maine.edu

August is the perfect time to evaluate the productivity of your home vegetable garden. The information you collect can be used to make needed adjustments to not only improve this season’s crops but next season’s as well. Below is a set of questions that can help you assess your garden.

• Are you satisfied with the quantity and quality of the vegetables you have harvested already this season? List all that you have harvested to date. Did the date(s) of planting have an impact on these results? Did the weather have an impact on these results?
• Do you think you have sown or planted the types and kinds of vegetables suitable for your situation? Have you chosen disease resistant varieties when possible?
• Is adequate spacing of plants an issue for them to perform successfully?
• Has water (too much or too little) affected your plantings?
• Have plants been stressed by lack of water (stunted plants, wilting leaves, shrunken fruit, etc.)?
• If water has been in short supply, did you use mulches effectively to conserve soil moisture? Mulches can help maintain soil moisture levels, keep fruit clean and keep weeds in check.
• Do you have an adequate supply of water for your garden? Water is essential for a successful garden. Consider collecting rain water if lack of water is an issue.
• Do you think there is adequate organic mater in the soil to hold water and nutrients? A soil test can determine several important aspects of your garden soil including the organic matter percentage. Organic matter is used up as time passes and plantings are harvested. It needs to be replenished annually. Fall is a good time to integrate organic matter into the soil.

• Are the leaves of plants the appropriate shade of green? Light green leaves usually mean lack of nitrogen. Applications of fertilizer (organic or synthetic) in mid-season can turn a crop around.
• Are there adequate blossoms and has fruit set? Is the fruit sizing up nicely?
• Have greens performed to your liking? Has there been good growth and regrowth of these greens? Did you sow your greens early in the season doing a succession planting?
• Have you checked the status of crops underground? Tuber numbers, tuber size, root size, etc.
• What is the weed situation? Weeds rob vegetable plantings of nutrients, moisture, and sun light.
• Have insect pests had an affect on certain crops? When did they show up? Did you identify the insects that were causing the problem? What steps have you taken to control or manage these pests or prevent damage? Have these steps been effective?
• Has wildlife (birds, deer, woodchucks, mice, raccoon, etc.) consumed or destroyed any of your plantings? What steps have you taken to reduce this damage?

Too many questions? Not enough answers? Contact your local UMaine Extension office or check out our website at extension.umaine.edu.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Maine Home Garden News is designed to equip home gardeners with practical, timely information.

Subscribe via RSS or let us know if you would like to be notified when new issues are posted. To receive e-mail notifications:

1. Fill out our online form, or
2. Contact Colleen Hoyt at colleen.hoyt@maine.edu or 1-800-287-1471 (in Maine).

You may also follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter to hear about updates.

Visit our Archives to see past issues.

Maine Home Garden News was created in response to a continued increase in requests for information on gardening and includes timely and seasonal tips, as well as research-based articles on all aspects of gardening. Articles are written by UMaine Extension specialists, educators, and horticulture professionals, as well as Master Gardener Volunteers from around Maine, with Professor Richard Brzozowski serving as editor.

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

© 2011
Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Call 800-287-0274 or TDD 800-287-8957 (in Maine), or 207-581-3188, for information on publications and program offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visit extension.umaine.edu.

• July is the month to . . .
• Debunking Old Gardening Myths: Caring for the Woody Plants in Your Home Landscape
• Cover Crops for Season’s End

July is the month to . . .

By Liz Stanley, Extension Horticulture Program Coordinator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Knox, Lincoln & Waldo Counties, elizabeth.stanley@maine.edu, and Kayli Lee, Master Gardener Volunteer, Waldo & Lincoln Counties.

• Give a pot of flowers, salad greens or vegetables to someone who doesn’t have a garden of their own.
• If your plants have suffered during the cold, wet spring, consider replanting. The sun will shine again, so be ready to capture every ray!
• Continue with succession planting to take full advantage of our short growing season: carrots, chard, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, bush beans, beets, etc.
• Don’t forget to thin carrots, beets, and other root vegetables. When you thin lettuce for heading, you can replant the ones you pull up.
• Scout your gardens for insect pests. Look around with a flashlight for nighttime marauders like cutworms and slugs.
• Look for fertility problems in your plants. Learn what the signs are in leaves and fruit.

Late Blight on tomato plant

• Keep your tomato plants pruned and trellised for good air circulation and water them at the base. Watch for signs of Early Blight of Tomato, Septoria Leaf Spot of Tomato, and Late Blight — Phytophthora infestans
• Manage weeds. Keep them in check while they’re small, and don’t let them go to seed.
• Collect organic material to keep your compost pile cooking. If the temperature starts to fall, turn the pile. Don’t add weed seeds or diseased plants.
• When warm dry weather arrives, water newly planted trees, shrubs and flowers. It’s better to water weekly and deeply, than frequently and shallow.
• Solarize an area with plastic while the sun is at peak strength. This will make a weed-free area for next year’s garden.
• Visit local farms and farmers’ markets to help support Maine agriculture.  Sunday, July 24 is Open Farm Day across Maine. Click on the link for the schedule.
• If you have excess produce, get to know a local food pantry, soup kitchen or neighbor and arrange to donate. More information can be found at the Maine Harvest for Hunger website.
• If you’re away from home during the summer, be sure to have a neighbor harvest your garden so your plants continue to produce.
• Keep harvesting and learn more about safely preserving what you’ve worked so hard to grow at UMaine Extension’s Food Preservation website.
• Get a comfortable garden chair, put it in your garden, and sit in it often.

Debunking Old Gardening Myths: Caring for the Woody Plants in Your Home Landscape

By Marjorie Peronto, Extension Professor, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Hancock County, marjorie.peronto@maine.edu

The trees and shrubs in our landscape are plants that we expect to live for many years, often to outlive us. Recent research has debunked many myths related to the proper management of these plants.

The Myth: Purchase the largest tree you can afford.

Current Thinking: In recent years, our perceived need for instantly mature-looking landscapes has resulted in a demand for planting large trees. However, research now shows that smaller trees establish their root systems more quickly after transplanting than larger trees. In one study over a ten year period, 1-inch-diameter trees, because they became established more quickly, actually outgrew trees that were 6 inches in diameter at planting time.

The Myth: When planting a tree or shrub, I should dig a deep hole and amend the soil with compost and peat moss.

For most woody plants, about 90 percent of the root mass is in the top 12 inches of soil. Dig a planting hole at least three times as wide as small root balls, or at least 12 inches wider in all directions than large root balls. (A) The juncture between the root and trunk of a woody plant should be planted at or even slightly above the ground level. If it is planted too deeply, then the plant is subject to decay and damage from girdling root development. (B)

Current Thinking: The hole that you dig should only be as deep as the rootball, and two to three times as wide. For most woody plants, 90 percent of their roots grow in the top 12 inches of soil, extending out laterally up to three times wider than the drip line. If a tree or shrub is planted too deeply, the roots may not be able to get the oxygen they need, and the plant will probably slowly die.

Should you amend the soil in the planting hole? Not usually. If the soil in the planting hole is amended so that it is too different from the surrounding native soil, the tree’s roots may never extend beyond the planting hole. This results in a small root system that circles in the planting hole. If you have chosen the plant best suited for your location, it should adapt well to the native soil. So, in most cases, don’t amend the backfill at all. The exception is if you are planting in soil that is either extremely gravelly or extremely heavy (perhaps construction site fill), then amend the soil up to 25 percent by volume. This improves the soil enough for roots to grow, but not so much as to prevent them from entering the native soil.

The Myth: When I plant a new tree, I need to stake it.

Current Thinking: Research has shown that trees that are not staked develop larger root systems, greater trunk diameter, and greater trunk taper than their staked counterparts. Small trees that are stable in the soil when swaying don’t need to be staked. Only stake newly planted trees in high wind areas, or when there is a limited root system as a result of digging and transplanting the tree. Even then, stake loosely, allowing the tree to sway somewhat in the wind, so it will develop normal trunk taper for resilience to future winds. In most instances, remove the stakes after one growing season.

The Myth: I should fertilize my trees and shrubs every year.

Current Thinking: As long as you are getting some slow healthy growth on your woody plants, leave them alone. Research shows that slower growing trees are typically stronger and more resilient than trees pushed into rapid growth with applied nitrogen, such as trees growing in frequently fertilized lawns. A slower growing tree or shrub that is under moderate nitrogen stress makes more efficient use of water and nutrients, has a more extensive root system, and has higher levels of stored carbohydrates and natural defense chemicals, making it more resistant to insect pests and diseases. That having been said, if your plant’s foliage shows clear signs of nutrient deficiency, then some feeding may be called for. The best approach in this case is to test your soil or have a leaf tissue analysis done, find out which nutrient is causing the deficiency problem, and fertilize accordingly.

The Myth: Watering my plants briefly every day is the best way to keep them moist.

Current Thinking: Frequent shallow watering causes your plants to develop very shallow root systems, leaving them much more vulnerable in times of drought. It is much better to give them a thorough, deep watering that saturates the root zone once a week, especially in the planting year. Consider setting up an inexpensive drip irrigation system that will deliver the water slowly over the entire root zone.

The Myth: When mulching my trees, I should pile the mulch in a mound against the trunk of the tree.

Current Thinking: Piling mulch next to the trunk keeps the trunk moist, causing the bark to rot, leaving it very susceptible to insect and disease infestation, as well as burrowing mice. Mulching is great for conserving soil moisture and keeping weed growth down, if it is done right. After planting, spread an organic mulch (shredded bark, pine needles, compost etc.) 2 to 3 inches deep over the entire planting area, starting two inches away from the trunk of the tree.

The benefits of mulch around our landscape trees and shrubs are directly related to many of the recommendations mentioned above. Over time, mulch improves soil structure in the root zone while conserving soil moisture and slowly adding nutrients to the soil as it decomposes.

The landscape management practices discussed in this article focus on recommendations designed to promote healthy trees and shrubs that are resistant to insect and disease attack and that will thrive in the sustainable landscape. Of course, selecting the plants that are best suited to your site is the single most critical factor for long term success.

For more information, see Bulletin #2366, Selecting, Planting, and Caring for Trees and Shrubs in the Maine Landscape, and our Native Trees and Shrubs for Maine Landscapes fact sheet series.

Cover Crops for Season’s End

By Caragh Fitzgerald, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Kennebec County, cfitzgerald@maine.edu

Gardeners should always be thinking about what’s coming next in the garden. At this time of year, one of the next things to consider is planting a cover crop as you finish up production from various areas of the garden.

A cover crop is something that is grown at a time when there is no edible or ornamental crop. Cover crops can provide a number of benefits: protection from soil erosion, increased soil organic matter, improved weed control, nutrient storage for the next season, and perhaps added nitrogen. “Green manure” is another name for a cover crop that is tilled into the soil.

While cover crops can be grown at any time of year, it is a good idea to have them in the ground during the fall and winter. By covering the soil, they can protect it from erosion caused by rain and melting snow. They can also take up any unused nutrients, particularly nitrogen. When the cover crop is incorporated in the spring, the nitrogen is released.

Here are four standard late summer or fall-planted cover crops to consider:

Oats: Oats are not cold tolerant; they will be killed by a Maine winter. In the spring there is no living plant material, just a mat of dead oat plants. Oats won’t provide much organic matter to the soil, but they will reduce soil erosion and store some nutrients from fall until spring. Oats are probably the easiest fall cover crop to manage, so it’s a great choice if you are new to this technique.

Seeding date: mid-August to early September (best at least 4 weeks before the first frost)

Seeding rate: 2.5 pounds/1000 square feet.

Winter rye used as a cover crop; Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Dr. Todd Baughman

Winter rye (cereal rye): Rye germinates and grows quickly, and it can outgrow and shade many weeds. It can grow quite large and contribute a lot of organic material back to the soil. It can grow in a wide variety of soil conditions. These traits make winter rye a great cover crop, but it does require some attention in the spring. Winter rye can be hard to incorporate if it gets large and stemmy. Unless cut, these stems can wind around rototiller tines. Incorporating the rye early in the season or keeping it cut back before incorporation will minimize problems. Also, when rye decays after incorporation, it releases chemicals that inhibit seed germination (both weeds and crops). Waiting 1-2 weeks after incorporation will reduce this effect.

Seeding date: mid-August to mid September (best at least 4 weeks before the first frost)

Seeding rate: 2.0 – 3.7 pounds/1000 square feet, up to 7 pounds/1000 square feet if sown late

Annual ryegrass: Annual ryegrass is usually not winter-hardy in zones 5 and colder. However, like oats, a late summer planting can absorb excess nutrients and provide residue to protect the soil from erosion during the winter. It can be seeded in the late summer between rows of existing crops that will be harvested late in the fall. It will not compete too much with those crops, will tolerate some shade, and will provide some cover in the winter. Annual ryegrass requires earlier seeding and more fertile soils than oats.

Seeding date: July through August 15 (zone 5)

Seeding rate: 0.4 – 0.6 pounds/1000 square feet

Hairy vetch: Hairy vetch is a legume, which means that it can provide nitrogen to the crops that follow. This is a great benefit, especially for gardens that are managed organically. Remember, it’s actually a type of bacteria (Rhizobium species) that converts the nitrogen from the air into forms that plants can use.  This conversion process is called “nitrogen fixation.” Inoculating the seed or soil with the appropriate species of Rhizobia can be good insurance.

Proper soil conditions are critical for fixing nitrogen. The Rhizobia need pH of at least 5; adequate potassium, sulfur, molybdenum, zinc, and iron; and soil that is not waterlogged.  They also will not fix nitrogen if the soil already has high levels of nitrate present.  To get the most fixed nitrogen, you need to leave the vetch in the field for a while—typically until about the time it flowers in late May or early June.  You will want to mow the vetch in the spring before incorporating with a rototiller.  Otherwise, the vines will wrap around the tiller tines.  Compared to the other species listed above, hairy vetch will not germinate or grow as quickly, so it may not provide as much weed suppression or organic matter.

Seeding date: August 1 – September 10 (zone 5), July 15 – August 20 (zone 4).  (Usually best sown at least 6 weeks before the first frost)

Seeding rate: 0.9 pounds/1000 square feet broadcast

How to plant cover crops

As with vegetable seeds, good seed-to-soil contact is very important for getting good cover crop germination. Before planting, you should scratch up the soil with a rake or hand-cultivator. If the area has a lot of weeds or crop residue, you may want to incorporate it with a rototiller. You can then broadcast the seed and rake it in.  If you have access to a lawn roller, you can use it to gently pack the soil around the seed.

More resources

These four cover crops are good bets for late summer and fall planting. If you find that you have space available at other times of year, there are many other cover crops that can be useful in the garden, such as buckwheat or sorghum-sudangrass. For more information about other cover crop species or about cover crop management in general, three great resources are:

Sarrantonio, Marianne. 1994. Northeast cover crop handbook. Rodale Institute, Emmaus, PA. (Available locally from Fedco Seeds, Johnny’s Selected Seeds)

Sideman, Eric. Using green manures. MOFGA fact sheet #10. Available online at www.mofga.org (go to publications, then fact sheets).

(no author). Managing cover crops profitably, third edition. Sustainable Agriculture Network, Beltsville, MD. To order contact (301) 374-9696, sanpubs@sare.org, or order online at www.sare.org. Also available as a downloadable pdf at www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Managing-Cover-Crops-Profitably-3rd-Edition.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Maine Home Garden News is designed to equip home gardeners with practical, timely information.

Subscribe via RSS or let us know if you would like to be notified when new issues are posted. To receive e-mail notifications:

1. Fill out our online form, or
2. Contact Colleen Hoyt at colleen.hoyt@maine.edu or 1-800-287-1471 (in Maine).

You may also follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter to hear about updates.

Visit our Archives to see past issues.

Maine Home Garden News was created in response to a continued increase in requests for information on gardening and includes timely and seasonal tips, as well as research-based articles on all aspects of gardening. Articles are written by UMaine Extension specialists, educators, and horticulture professionals, as well as Master Gardener Volunteers from around Maine, with Professor Richard Brzozowski serving as editor.

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

© 2011
Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Call 800-287-0274 or TDD 800-287-8957 (in Maine), or 207-581-3188, for information on publications and program offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visit extension.umaine.edu.

• June is the month to . . .
• National Pollinator Week is June 20-26, 2011
• Nine Steps to a Successful Garden

June is the month to . . .

By Tori Lee Jackson, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Androscoggin & Sagadahoc Counties, tori.jackson@maine.edu

• Plant your garden! If the recent May rains have kept you from transplanting or direct-seeding your spring vegetables, June is the perfect time to get your garden established.
• Learn more about Maine Harvest for Hunger and reach out to a local food pantry. It’s best to know what produce your local pantry or soup kitchen can use, so planting only those items for donation will make the biggest impact with their clients when it’s time to harvest.
• Consider installing Trickle Irrigation to conserve water and limit disease problems. Targeting water to your plants will also reduce weed seed germination.
• Assist a neighbor who may not be able to garden any longer due to age or disability. Even helping them plant a patio tomato can make a big difference in the life of a former gardener.
• Fertilize your lawn, if necessary. Lawns older than ten years probably do not require supplemental nutrition, but for newly established lawns, early June is the best time to give them a boost.
• Visit local farms for pick your own peas and strawberries. For a searchable listing of farms in your area, visit the Maine Department of Agriculture’s Find a Farm tool.
• Keep an eye out for insect or disease problems in your garden. Frequent observation will help you identify problems early on and manage them more easily.
• Consider composting! Home Composting can be a great way to reduce organic waste at the local landfill and eventually add organic matter back to your garden soil.
• Join a CSA. If you would like to have fresh, local produce all summer long, but you don’t have all the space or time to grow it yourself, you can purchase a share in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). The Maine CSA Directory can help you find a farm close to your home.

National Pollinator Week is June 20-26, 2011

By Katheryn Hopkins, Extension Professor, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Somerset County, khopkins@maine.edu

Photo by Kathryn Hopkins

National Pollinator Week is celebrating its fifth year of publicizing the value and benefits that pollinators like bees, birds, butterflies, bats, and beetles provide. Governor LePage has also proclaimed the same week as Maine Pollinator Week. By supporting wildlife, providing healthy watersheds, pollinating food crops and more, pollinators enrich our lives. About 1,000 plants grown for food, beverages, fibers, spices, and medicines need to be pollinated by animals in order to produce the resources on which we depend. Do you enjoy apples, strawberries, blueberries, chocolate, melons, peaches, figs, tomatoes, pumpkins, and almonds? Thanks to pollinators we can harvest and cook with these foods. In the US, insects pollinate about $20 billion worth of food each year.

Pollinators are in decline in recent years and threats to pollinators also mean threats to the benefits they provide for us. We can work in partnership with these pollinators by designing our gardens to include pollinator friendly plants and resources.

Photo by Kathryn Hopkins

All life needs a source of food to survive. Pollinators’ food of choice is nectar and pollen. Designing your garden spaces to include tree, shrub, annual, and perennial sources of food from early spring to late fall makes life easier for pollinators. Plant choices should include easy-to-access, single flowers in a variety of sizes and shapes. Vibrant colors like blue, red, yellow, and purple attract pollinators. Use native plants when possible because, often, plants and animals have developed mutually beneficial relationships. Only specific local insects pollinate some plants and some animals only feed on specific native plants. We can enhance these local ecosystems with our plant choices. Some plants that are useful for pollinators include: butterfly weed, milkweed, Jack-in-the Pulpit, creeping phlox, Cardinal flower, wood asters, and goldenrod. Remember that the larval form of some pollinators also require specific food.

Water is another critical basic need for pollinators. If you do not live near a stream or pond that can serve as a water source, you can add a birdbath with a perching rock in it, or water garden. Be sure to clean out any standing source of water two or three times a week to avoid the development of mosquito populations.

Shelter is a third essential requirement for any life form. Pollinators need nesting sites and overwintering sites. Some bees nest in the ground or in tree branches or twigs. There are also directions for building bee, bat, and bird nesting boxes on the web. See Bulletin #7117, Birdhouse Basics for plans. Some pollinators can find shelter in dead wood or in rock walls.

Preserving a well thought out, pollinator-friendly garden also may mean removing non-native plants like Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii); Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus); Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata). Reducing or eliminating pesticide use also benefits pollinators. If you feel that a pesticide is necessary, be sure that you have identified the specific pest and that you have chosen to use the least toxic pesticide that is appropriate for control such as insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Do not use pesticides when pollinators are active or when plants are in full bloom.

For more information on National Pollinator Week, visit the Pollinator Partnership website. For information on bees and pollinator friendly gardening, see Bulletin #7153, Understanding Native Bees, the Great Pollinators: Enhancing Their Habitat in Maine.

Nine Steps to a Successful Garden

By Tori Lee Jackson, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Androscoggin & Sagadahoc Counties, tori.jackson@maine.edu

You’d like to plant a vegetable garden, but you have no idea where to begin. We understand. Gardens can provide food, add beauty to the landscape, provide exercise, save us money, and allow us to connect with family, friends, and community. However, vegetable gardening in Maine, especially for the beginner, can be quite challenging. You probably have a million questions: Is my soil any good? How do I fertilize, and which one should I use? What should I grow? What bug is this?

University of Maine Cooperative Extension is here to help with a quick overview of suggestions, and to remind you of the great resources available, such as Maine Home Garden News, which comes out monthly during the gardening season to guide you with timely tips written by Extension experts and Master Gardener Volunteers. Be sure to check out our archived issues.

Photo by Frank Wertheim

1. Choose an appropriate location or consider container gardening.

When choosing a site for your garden, consider locations that have full sun and well-drained soil. If you are lacking space, or your soil is less than ideal, consider creating raised beds or planting in containers. For a step by step guide to raised bed construction, including video clips, see Bulletin #2761, Gardening in Small Spaces. For best results, be careful to also choose a location that you are likely to see every day so you don’t forget to water or weed.

2.  Test your soil.

You should have a soil test in your garden every two years, and prior to putting in a new garden. The results of your soil test, particularly from a new location, will tell you if your soil has lead (typical near old buildings in Maine) and what amendments you may need for optimum plant growth. Information on soil testing is available in Bulletin #2286, Testing Your Soil. Soil test boxes and forms are available from your local UMaine Extension county office, or from the Maine Soil Testing Lab. Each standard test costs $15.

Be cautious before tilling your soil. Tilling wet soils destroys soil structure and causes clumps of soil to form, which makes some gardening practices hard to perform (seeding, hoeing, etc.). Once you have tilled your garden, some of the first vegetables that can be planted include peas, lettuce, and spinach.

3. Make a plan and consider documenting the process.

If you have never had a garden before, sit down as a family and talk about what everyone likes to eat. It can help to start small (no more than 10 vegetables) so that you don’t become overwhelmed. Map it out, making sure you have enough space for the plants you want to grow and your shorter plants (carrots) won’t be shaded by taller ones (sweet corn). Other design factors to think about:

• Slope: Placing rows crosswise to a slope will prevent seeds and soil from ending up at the bottom of the slope after heavy rains.
• Watering: If you are thinking about using drip tape or sweat hoses to water your garden, place them in the garden at four-foot intervals (make sure to have the connector end of the hoses on the same side). Then, plant a row of vegetables 3 inches to 4 inches on either side of the hose. This will provide a two-foot path between rows of crops.
• Wide beds: Rather than a single row of vegetables surrounded by two paths, you can create 4-foot-wide growing areas. These “beds” are wide enough to grow 4 rows of vegetables like carrots, beets, onions, and chard; or two rows of bush beans, broccoli, cabbage, and peppers.

Be sure to choose varieties that have been tested to thrive in Maine. For beginners, another strategy is to choose hybrid varieties with some built-in disease resistance. What are the best varieties? See the Extension approved list in Bulletin #2190, Vegetable Varieties for Maine Gardens.

Keep your ideas in one place and chart your progress through the season with a garden journal. Seek out other gardeners to compare notes and share observations. Your notes can come in very handy when preparing next year’s garden.

4. Water when needed.

The garden needs one to two inches of water each week during the growing season. A 10′ x 10′ garden will need over 60 gallons of water a week! With temperatures soaring into the upper 80s and 90s in July and August, keeping the garden well-watered is critical. Plants lose a lot of water through small openings on the undersides of their leaves called stomates. On hot, breezy days, water loss can exceed the water taken in by the plant’s roots, resulting in wilting. If the situation goes on uncorrected too long, the plant will die.

Here are some tips that will help you water effectively, while not wasting it:

• Early morning and evening are the best times to water. Putting the sprinkler on a timer allows you to start and stop watering at optimum times.
• Drip irrigation, sweat hoses (round hoses that leak water from all sides), and soaker hoses (flat hoses with holes on one side only) turned upside down will put water at the roots where it’s needed, and can save 30% -70% of the water used in overhead sprinklers.
• When using a sprinkler, turn it off as soon as the soil becomes saturated and begins to run off your garden. This can occur quite quickly, depending on how dry the soil is. Wait until the water seeps into the soil and then repeat if time allows. Otherwise water again the following day.
• A covering of mulch will help reduce water loss from the soil through evaporation.
• Use the milk jug system for watering individual plants. Punch a couple of pinholes in the lower sides of a plastic milk jug. Remove the cap and place the jug beside the plant. Fill the jug with water. This system will provide slow, thorough watering over the course of an hour or so.

Save your back from lugging all that water—see Bulletin #2160, Trickle Irrigation: Using and Conserving Water in the Home Garden.

5. Manage your weeds.

Use the “Early Detection/Rapid Response” method to manage invasive plants by staying ahead of weeds in your garden. Use organic mulches to control weeds and maintain soil moisture. Straw is excellent mulch if you can find it. Hay will work, but often contains weed seeds that can cause problems later in the garden season or next year. Consider using four layers of newspaper as a mulch and anchor it down with soil, stones or pins. Small weeds are much easier to control than large ones! Small weeds can easily be pulled or hoed and left to dry on the soil surface. Learn to identify invasive plants as young seedlings, and remove them promptly. Multiflora rose, shrub honeysuckle, and sweet autumn olive plants are easy to pull out when they’re young seedlings. If you wait until they’re large plants, the process is more time-consuming and causes more disruption to your plantings. Larger weeds and some problem weeds like hairy galinsoga can easily “re-root” themselves if pulled and left on the soil surface. Make sure you keep weeds from going to seed to prevent problems next year! There is a lot of good information on cultural control of weeds available. Check out the favorites below of Extension Educator Mark Hutchinson, Knox-Lincoln Counties:

• Controlling Garden Weeds, available among the publications on the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association website at www.mofga.org.
• Uva, Richard., J. Neal., J. DiTomaso. 1997. Weeds of the Northeast. Publisher: Cornell University
• Mohler. C and A. DiTommaso 2007. Manage Weeds on Your Farm; A Guide To Ecological Strategies. In draft; contact Charles Mohler at CLM11@cornell.edu

6. Managing insects.

There are many insect pests that like to eat the vegetables and fruits you are growing as much as you do! Before knowing how to manage a particular insect pest, you must correctly identify it. There are many resources available to help you identify insects, including your local UMaine Extension county office. A local staff member or an expert in the UMaine Extension pest management office in Orono can help you if you provide a sample. An online ID guide as well as submission guidelines for insects may be found at Pest Identification and Management for Maine Homeowners.

7. Managing plant diseases.

Regularly check your plants for both insects and diseases. Watch UMaine Extension reports to see if late blight might be in your area and prepare for protective measures. Become a friend of UMaine Extension on Facebook for updates and pest reports! For info on many common plant diseases, check out our plant disease fact sheets.

Photo by Edwin Remsberg, USDA

8. Harvest/preserve/donate.

Make succession plantings of crops like beans to maintain your harvest of fresh vegetables throughout the summer. Plant small amounts to keep harvesting enough for fresh meals throughout the summer. Become familiar with the state-wide initiative that encourages gardeners to donate excess produce to food pantries — Maine Harvest for Hunger — formerly known as Plant-A-Row for the Hungry. Launched in 2000 as a volunteer opportunity for UMaine Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, the program is now active in 15 counties, and is open to all interested gardeners. A beginner’s mistake of growing too much can be a good thing! Learn more about the many facets of this program through the website. The site includes food pantry donation resources as well as a guide to choosing, storing, and using your fresh produce. Limited seed donations, including flower incentives, are even available to get you started if you enroll!

9. Put your garden to bed in the fall.

Remove all dead plants in your garden at the end of the season to prevent diseases and insects from over-wintering. It is best to plant a cover crop to prevent erosion of your garden soil by wind and water. Oats make a decent cover crop. Purchase a 50 lb. bag of whole oats (horse feed) for about $10.00 from your local farm/feed dealer. Sow the oats at a heavier rate as the month progresses. The oats will sprout and grow this fall and die at the first freeze, making a nice brown mat of dead stems and leaves. These will hold your top soil in place over the winter and can be easily tilled in next spring. If you run out of time to germinate a cover crop, mulching with straw can provide protection as well.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension is available to support to all Maine gardeners. Visit our gardening website or call your local UMaine Extension county office with questions. Have a great growing season!

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Maine Home Garden News is designed to equip home gardeners with practical, timely information.

Subscribe via RSS or let us know if you would like to be notified when new issues are posted. To receive e-mail notifications:

1. Fill out our online form, or
2. Contact Colleen Hoyt at colleen.hoyt@maine.edu or 1-800-287-1471 (in Maine).

You may also follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter to hear about updates.

Visit our Archives to see past issues.

Maine Home Garden News was created in response to a continued increase in requests for information on gardening and includes timely and seasonal tips, as well as research-based articles on all aspects of gardening. Articles are written by UMaine Extension specialists, educators, and horticulture professionals, as well as Master Gardener Volunteers from around Maine, with Professor Richard Brzozowski serving as editor.

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

© 2011
Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Call 800-287-0274 or TDD 800-287-8957 (in Maine), or 207-581-3188, for information on publications and program offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visit extension.umaine.edu.

• May is the month to . . .
• Early Start for Your Garden
• Healthy Gardeners = Healthy Gardens
• Spring Ephemerals Bring Early Beauty to the Maine Landscape

May is the month to . . .

By Amy Witt, Horticulturist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County, amy.witt@maine.edu

• Start a new landscaping project. Be sure to plan it on paper first! It is important to know the mature size of each plant and allow for growth. You want to make sure you have enough space and you do not want to over plant. Bulletin #2701, Designing Your Landscape for Maine, offers great tips for getting started.
• Select and plant perennials, trees, and shrubs. When selecting new plant material, make sure it is hardy to your area, you don’t want to be disappointed if the “perfect” plant you have chosen dies or doesn’t bloom after one season. Refer to Bulletin #2242, Plant Hardiness Zone Map of Maine, to find your proper planting zone.
• For maximum landscape interest in a small, vertical space, try annual vines. They can disguise ugly walls and fences. When trellised, they can create shade and privacy while hiding undesirable views. Morning glory, nasturtium, sweet peas, and scarlet runner beans are just some of the many flowering vines that will brighten up any vertical space.
• Before rototilling or spading your garden, check the soil for moisture. If it is too wet, working it will harm the soil structure. Test the moisture content by squeezing a handful of soil. If it sticks together in a ball, it’s too wet to work. Crumbly soil is ready to be tilled and planted.
• “Harden off” your houseplants and any seedlings you have started indoors. Hardening off your plants helps them develop the stronger stems that they will need to stay upright during outdoor windy conditions. It also allows your plants to slowly acclimate to the strong outdoor sun. To harden off plants, expose them to the outdoors for short periods of time (1-2 hours to start) and then bring them inside again. Start by putting them in the shade and each day increase the amount of light and time that they are outside. Within a week, you should be able to leave them outside full-time.
• Start planting your vegetables. In early May you can plant lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, hardy herbs, root crops (carrots, turnips, onions, beets), and cole crops (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage). Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, sweet corn, and cucurbits (squash family) should not be planted until Memorial Day or later unless you plan to be diligent about using frost protection. See Bulletin #2190, Vegetable Varieties for Maine, for a list of vegetable varieties that are well-suited to Maine’s climate. Remember to rotate vegetable crops to help control pests and diseases, and to keep the soil in good condition.
• Protect newly transplanted vegetable plants from cutworms. Cutworms are fatal to newly planted seedlings. Any easy way to protect your plants from this nasty pest is to cut strips of cardboard two inches wide by eight inches long, staple them into circles, and place them around the plants. Press the collar about one inch into the soil. These collars will fence out the cutworms and protect the stems of the vegetable plants.
• Start a vegetable garden. Having a vegetable garden gives you the pleasure of enjoying nutritious, delicious, and sun-warmed produce fresh from the garden. It allows you to grow and try new, unique, and heirloom varieties of vegetables that you can’t get in the grocery store (like: Sun Gold tomatoes, purple carrots, and golden beets). Growing vegetables is easier than you think. If you plan it right, you can enjoy a beautiful garden full of the fruits of your labor. To help you get started, refer to Smart Gardener: A Learning Guide for Home Vegetable Growers, Item #2282. This invaluable guide will teach you how to make the most of your home vegetable garden. Each of the 12 lessons focuses on a specific aspect of gardening know-how, such as soil, seeds, garden design, mulches, and weeds.
• For those of you in smaller spaces, why not try gardening in containers? Bulletin #2762, Growing Vegetables in Container Gardens, and Bulletin 2761, Gardening in Small Spaces, are both great resources.
• To better evaluate your gardening successes, keep a journal. Record the weather conditions (including temperature highs and lows, frost occurrences, precipitation), what you have planted, and how the plants and crops did throughout the season. Note if you had any disease or insect pests, the conditions in which they appeared, and what measures (if any) you took to control them. Include pictures of your garden taken throughout the season, seed packet covers, and identification cards of the plants and crops that were your favorites.

Early Start for Your Garden

By Donna Coffin, Extension Professor, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Piscataquis County, donna.coffin@maine.edu

Gardeners in Maine are anxious to get started planting their gardens. We have been waiting all winter to get out and till the soil, add our soil nutrients and amendments, and plant. But wait, planting some vegetables too early can lead to crop failures. We have warm season and cool season crops. Many of our “early season” crops can be planted in early May. Many of our “late season” crops need to wait until late May or June to be planted or transplanted into our gardens.

Where you live makes a difference in when your garden will be ready to plant. If you are on the coast of Maine, your growing season starts a lot earlier than a garden in central or northern Maine. See Maine Climate Data to view “Maine Freeze – Frost Date” differences around the state of Maine from based on temperature records from 1971 to 2000.

In central Maine (Dover-Foxcroft region), the average frost free date is the end of May. Average means you have a 50-50 chance that the last frost date could be after this. We usually suggest that folks add an additional two weeks to their average frost free date to reduce the chance of frost damaging your crop. That said, I do remember a year that the strawberries had to be protected (by irrigation) from spring frost on June 13th. And you never know when we will be setting a new record for the last frost free date. Keep an ear to the weather forecast and be prepared to cover any susceptible plants if frost threatens.

The type of soil you have can make a big difference in when your garden will be ready to plant. Heavy, wet clay soils are slow to dry out and will be later to till. Sandy, well drained soils dry out quickly and heat up quickly. They will be ready to till sooner and will be warmer sooner for our warm season crops. Heavy clay soils can be amended with organic matter such as compost, peat moss, etc. to improve soil drainage and help the soil warm up quicker in the spring. Another technique is to build either ridges or raised beds so the water will drain more quickly and warm the planting bed faster. How can you tell how warm your soil is? Use a thermometer with a long stem that you can place at least 3 inches down into the soil. If we have a cold rain, it will drop the soil temperature to the air temperature and your soil will have to warm up all over again. I can remember getting 4 inches of snow May 14th. Yes, it melted the next day, but it took the soil a few days to warm up again.

What you plan to plant makes a big difference on when you can plant the crop. Early crops that can tolerate cool soils can be planted as soon as you get your garden prepared in the spring time. Lettuce, onions, peas, radish, spinach, turnips, cabbage, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and chard will germinate at cooler soil temperatures (40 degrees F), but it will take a lot longer and so you may want to consider using fungicide treated seed or wait until the soil warms up. For example, lettuce can take up to 15 days to germinate at 40 degrees F and only 4 days at 60 degrees F.

Warm season crops like beans, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, pumpkins, squash, and tomatoes do best at soil temperatures of 60 degrees. Transplants such as tomatoes that get chilled (temperatures below 50 degrees) stop growing for a couple weeks, so you will want to consider providing some type of protection if you plan to transplant these plants early.

You can get an early start in your garden by using some garden season extension techniques presented in Bulletin #2752, Extending the Garden Season. This fact sheet is filled with ideas for using plastic mulches, row covers, cold frames, hoop houses, and hot caps, and includes videos on how to make a raised bed. Also, Bulletin #2763, Garden Equipment and Items to Make for the Garden, has more ideas for starting seeds, container gardens, and coverings for your raised bed gardens.

Healthy Gardeners = Healthy Gardens

By Corie Washow, AgrAbility Program Coordinator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Androscoggin/Sagadahoc Counties, corie.washow@maine.edu

As gardeners, we put a lot of energy into supporting a plant’s natural systems and parts. We don’t just drop a tomato seed in the dirt at the edge of the sidewalk and expect to come back in a few months to harvest. If despite all our attention to growing medium, nutrients, temperature, timing, staking, etc., our tomatoes don’t grow well, we look at every part of the system and figure out what is within our control to change. Can we increase soil health, provide more/less water, create warmer conditions, manage pests better, or take measures to avoid disease? We respect the complicated system of the tomato plant, and know that to get the best results, we have to pay attention, proactively and reactively, to every step of the process.

Considering all the effort we put in to obtaining a juicy tomato or vibrant rose, it is surprising how little effort we put in to making sure that we, the gardeners, are similarly cared for. Until they are screaming at us, we don’t think much about the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and other body parts that interact in amazingly complicated ways to allow us to lift, carry, bend, push, and pull to accomplish our goal of healthy, productive gardens.

Just as we can change conditions to improve a tomato’s health, there are changes we can make in how we garden that improve the health and functionality of our system. For example, we all know the pain that comes from too many hours battling lamb’s quarters or hairy galinsoga. How many of the variables that contribute to the pain of weeding can we adjust? Here’s a partial list:

• Minimize the weed problem with appropriate growing techniques and cultural controls.
• Develop loose soil and avoid weeding during very dry conditions so pulling is easier.
• Use specialized cultivating tools with long or telescoping handles and ergonomically friendly designs.
• Garden in raised beds and containers to minimize bending.
• Use garden stools and kneelers to decrease the strain on your back and knees.
• Be thoughtful about what other tasks you need to do on a heavy weeding day — don’t weed and rearrange your living room furniture on the same day!
• Stretch for a few minutes before getting started, and take stretching breaks while you are working.

Some of these solutions may be outside of your control. I recently heard some great advice from an occupational therapist. She said that, of course, we can’t control everything. But we always have some control over how we are using our bodies. Even shifting one action in 10 can be a 10% improvement. Maybe that translates into having the stamina to do a 10% larger garden, or garden for 10% longer a time, or simply have 10% more energy at the end of the gardening day to enjoy your friends and families. Ten percent is within everyone’s reach.

Tools are one area that can easily make a 10% difference. Start researching ergonomic tools and you will see all sorts of options that look a little strange, but may be a much better fit for your body. You can also adapt tools you already have with minimal cost, or build a tool that addresses your own particular challenge. There are several things you should look for when purchasing/adapting ergonomic garden tools:

1. Find the right size grip. The handle should be the same size as the circle made by just touching your index finger to your thumb. Grip size can be easily adjusted with athletic or duct tape as needed.
2. Choose a design that keeps your wrist and arms in a neutral alignment. Your wrist should be straight and the bulk of the work should be done by the tool and the larger muscles of your arm, not your wrist and fingers.
3. Longer handles minimize bending and kneeling. Look for tools with telescoping handles.
4. For tools that already have long handles, make them even more user friendly by attaching handles that allow you to work standing up straight, avoiding lower back strain.
5. Tools with a non slip grip reduce the force and pressure you have to exert to use the tool. Look for tools with grips, create your own with athletic tape, or wear gardening gloves.
6. Look for tools that do the work for you. For example, ratcheting tools are designed to maximize the work required by the tool and minimize the effort exerted by the user.
7. Get as light weight a tool as you can to complete the job. Ounces have an impact!
8. Make your own tools. For example, a piece of PVC pipe with a funnel (can use the top of a plastic soda bottle for a funnel) attached is a cheap and easy way to put seeds in the ground without bending.
9. Add wheels! Get a garden scooter, so you can sit while working and then use your legs to push yourself to the next location. Haul heavy items in a wheelbarrow (the 2 wheeled version impacts your body less because you don’t have to work to balance it) rather than carry with your arms. Store tools in a wheeled garbage can and drag them along with you.

Ideally, you’ll want to try a tool before buying to make sure it works for your particular gardening needs and your body. Unfortunately, many local garden supply stores do not stock a wide range of ergonomic tools. Shop around, though, and if you can’t find anything locally, read reviews on the internet or talk to gardening friends who may have experience with particular tools. In southern Maine, visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens to see their display of ergonomic tools and accessible gardening modifications.

Far too often, gardeners tolerate unnecessary pain, damage their bodies, or are forced to give up gardening entirely. Gardening, as we all know, is a labor of love. Don’t let that labor of love just become labor! Offer your body the same care and respect that you do your plants, and you will be able to continue producing healthy food and beautiful flowers for many years to come.

The following are useful websites for getting a sense of the different types of tools available:

• Gardening with Ease: Company that distributes multiple brands of ergonomic gardening tools.
• Great Farming and Gardening Tools for Women is an article specifically about the needs for tools designed for women! Very interesting ideas and tips here.

For more information on gardening with specific health conditions and disabilities, check out:

• Dave’s Garden has an extensive forum on accessible gardening, which is full of reader tips and suggestions on purchased and homemade tools.
• Carry On Gardening contains resources for gardeners with vision loss, strokes, heart disease, one arm, weak grip, wheelchairs, and bending challenges.
• Gardens for Every Body is from the University of Missouri Cooperative Extension and explains adaptive and assistive gardening, from hand tools to garden design.

Information in this article is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned in this website. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

Spring Ephemerals Bring Early Beauty to the Maine Landscape

By Kate Garland, Horticulturist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Penobscot County, katherine.garland@maine.edu

Spring ephemerals are herbaceous plants that emerge, flower, and develop seeds early in the season; going dormant during summer months. This clever group of plants takes advantage of early spring sunshine before the deciduous canopy above blocks out the light. While they have no aesthetic appeal during their dormant period (the foliage either turns yellow or dies completely back to the ground), they play a larger than normal role at a time when Maine gardeners crave the sight of greenery and flowers. Here are a few native spring ephemerals to add to your garden:

Anemonella thalictriodes – Rue Anemone (zone 4)
White to pink flowers appear in clusters over purplish-green leaves that resemble Columbine foliage. Rue Anemone grows approximately 8” tall, preferring part sun to full shade. Plants may not go completely dormant in summer months in sites where there is adequate moisture.

Dicentra eximia – Wild Bleeding Heart (zone 4)
Dicentra cucullaria – Dutchman’s Breeches (zone 3)
D. eximia has delicate pink, heart-shaped flowers, while D. cucullaria has white flowers that look like a tiny pair of upside-down pants. Both species have finely dissected leaves and grow well in shaded sites. D. eximia can tolerate full sun when sufficient moisture is available.

Dodecatheon meadia – Eastern Shooting Star (zone 4)
This plant has nodding medium-pink flowers similar to Cyclamen. Petals are bent backwards, giving the flower the appearance that it’s speeding through the air. Dodecatheon prefers light shade to full sun with moist soils.

Erythrionium americanum – Yellow Trout Lily (zone 3)
This plants mottled purple and gray-green basal leaves are just as appealing as its sweet flower. Yellow nodding flowers have petals that are curled back to reveal several dark orange stamen. Yellow Trout Lily will beautifully colonize a moist, deciduous understory site with very little care.

Mertensia virginica – Virginia Bluebells
Small trumpet-shaped flowers start out pink, eventually maturing to a pale blue. Plants are upright, growing from 1’ to 2’ tall. Virginia Bluebells grows best in part-sun gardens with moist, rich, well-drained soil.

Be sure to purchase nursery-grown native plants from a reputable nursery. Collection of native plants in the field is strongly discouraged. If you cannot find these plants at your favorite garden center, tell them that you would like to see more native plants offered at their business. Nurseries will generally bring in more native plants if their customers ask for them.

Resources:

• Native Plants: A Maine Source List, Bulletin #2502, by Lois Berg Stack, Extension Professor and Ornamental Horticulture Specialist
• Gardening to Conserve Maine’s Native Landscape: Plants to Use and Plants to Avoid, Bulletin #2500 by Lois Berg Stack, Extension Professor and Ornamental Horticulture Specialist
• The New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the United States and Canada by William Cullina. 2000.
• Missouri Botanical Garden Kemper Center for Home Gardening PlantFinder

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Maine Home Garden News is designed to equip home gardeners with practical, timely information.

Subscribe via RSS or let us know if you would like to be notified when new issues are posted. To receive e-mail notifications:

1. Fill out our online form, or
2. Contact Colleen Hoyt at colleen.hoyt@maine.edu or 1-800-287-1471 (in Maine).

You may also follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter to hear about updates.

Visit our Archives to see past issues.

Maine Home Garden News was created in response to a continued increase in requests for information on gardening and includes timely and seasonal tips, as well as research-based articles on all aspects of gardening. Articles are written by UMaine Extension specialists, educators, and horticulture professionals, as well as Master Gardener Volunteers from around Maine, with Professor Richard Brzozowski serving as editor.

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

© 2011
Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Call 800-287-0274 or TDD 800-287-8957 (in Maine), or 207-581-3188, for information on publications and program offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visit extension.umaine.edu.

• March is the month to . . .
• A Honey Bee’s Winter
• Getting a Jump Start on the Garden

March is the month to . . .

By Richard Brzozowski, Extension Educator, Cumberland County, richard.brzozowski@maine.edu

• Prune fruit trees while they are still dormant. Remove weak crotches, water sprouts (vertical growth), and dead and damaged branches. Leave no stubs. Do not use dressing or pruning paint. Pruned branches will seal themselves heal naturally. See University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension’s Care of Mature Backyard Apple Trees [PDF]) or UMaine Extension’s Growing Fruit Trees in Maine: Pruning.
• Prune ornamentals to remove overgrowth, weak branches, dead or damaged branches. See Bulletin #2169, Pruning Woody Landscape Plants.
• Prune highbush blueberry plants to remove oldest shoots. See Bulletin #2253, Growing Highbush Blueberries.
• Tap sugar maple trees. See Bulletin #7036, How to Tap Maple Trees and Make Maple Syrup.
• Gather seed starting supplies. See Bulletin #2751, Starting Seeds at Home.
• Consider building a cold frame. See Bulletin #2763, Garden Equipment and Items to Make for the Maine Garden for plans and instructions, and Bulletin #2752, Extending the Gardening Season for more information.
• Build low cost garden equipment. See Bulletin #2763, Garden Equipment and Items to Make for the Maine Garden for plans and instructions
• Is a community garden in your future? Order a free community garden packet from UMaine Extension. Call 1-800-287-1471 or e-mail dhibbard@maine.edu.
• Register for Maine Garden Day. Spaces fill quickly. Call 1-800-287-1482.
• Plan ahead for the growing season. What will you plant (specify seeds or transplants)? Where will you plant it? Will you expand your gardens? Will you grow vegetables that will be stored? If so, do you have ample storage space/conditions?
• Visit your local garden center. Look for new products and possibly new ideas for your lawn and gardens.

A Honey Bee’s Winter

By Lauren St. Germain, Home Horticulture Coordinator, UMaine Extension, Franklin County, lauren.stgermain@maine.edu

While some solitary insects and animals in the Maine woods do hibernate, honey bees do not. Honey bees are the only insects in the Northern Hemisphere who survive the winter by storing food and keeping themselves warm.

According to Carol Cottrill, secretary for the Western Maine Beekeepers Association, “One of the biggest myths about honey bees is that they hibernate without eating or doing anything. People think they shut down.” While this is true for some bees, such as the Bumble bee queen who overwinters in the ground, it is not true for the honey bee, who remains very active throughout the winter.

The honey bee colony consists of three different castes of bees. The queen, whose purpose is to lay eggs, the female workers, who take care of the queen and do all of the work in the hive, and the male drones whose function is to mate the young queens.

In the fall, when temperatures start to go below 50F, the bees cannot fly so well. They start to slow down and prepare to overwinter in the hive. Because of limited resources such as food and space, not all the bees in the colony will overwinter. Cottrill said, “The female worker bees will ceremoniously remove the drones from the hive. They grab them by the legs and dump them out of the hive where they freeze and die. The guards won’t let them back in.”

The females cluster around the queen at the center of the hive. They pack together by entering the empty brooding cells separated by thin layers of wax. There are two layers to the cluster. The core bees, those closest to the queen, shiver using the muscles in their thorax which they normally use to control their wings. This shivering creates heat. The mantle bees, those in the outer part of the cluster, normally do not shiver but are packed around the inner cluster tightly to create insulation. As they get cold they will move in closer to the center of the cluster and start shivering as the bees inside will move to the outer layer. The cluster will also change position within the hive as temperatures drop and food stores are depleted. The bees’ movement and shifting continues with the objective to keep the temperature around the queen approximately 90F all winter long!

All this winter activity requires energy which is generated from consumption of the stored honey. In the fall, beekeepers must be sure to leave enough honey in the hives. “Maine beekeepers leave an average of 80-100 lbs of honey in the hive for the bees to over winter where in the South they may use half that. The amount the bees will need is variable in that the more active the bees are, the more honey they consume, so it can get tricky,” Cotttrill said. In years where there is unusual weather, for example, if there is a long, warm fall season, bees get forced into the hive later than usual. While this gives bees warm temperatures and more time outside, there is no pollen or nectar for them to gather. This means they are out flying, using energy, eating more, eating winter stores. Beekeepers may need to feed the bees honey or sugar syrup to aid in production of an adequate winter store.

In late winter, if outdoor temperatures reach around the mid 40’s, the bees will break their cluster and try to find something to eat, or if temperatures remain too cold for too long, they could starve to death within the cluster. Beekeepers will start checking hives to determine food stores as early as mid January. The hives cannot be opened this time of year because it will chill the bees and disrupt the cluster which could put the queen at risk. Luckily stored honey is heavy and beekeepers can estimate remaining honey stores if they tip up the hive and see how heavy it feels.

If food stores are low the beekeepers will feed the bees in a variety of ways. Disease free frames of honey can be positioned in the hive but that option is often not available. Sugar water should only be fed in the fall because “The bees don’t like popsicles,” Cottrill laughed. “Some people will sprinkle in dried sugar but the bees don’t use it as efficiently as they would candy boards.” Candy boards contain a fudge-like consistency sugar and water which is cooked into a hard sheet. This board is used to replace the inner cover of the hive.

The bees’ winter activity consists of more than eating and staying warm. They also try to maintain some kind of hygiene in the hive and closer to spring begin laying eggs. For sanitation purposes bees will not defecate in the hive. “They hold it and on a sunny day, approaching mid-forties and up, the bees will do a cleansing flight. They usually will not die from holding it too long but if they get dysentery it could mess up the hive,” Cottrill said. The tell tale signs of a cleansing flight would be yellow spots on the snow outside the hive, and possibly corpses of those bees who did not survive the cold flight.

The queen will start laying eggs at a time determined by different stimuli for different types of bees. According to Cottrill, “In Maine the timing is often dependent upon availability of nectar and pollen. The bees will collect pollen from pussy willows and early maples if days are warm enough for them to fly, and this will get the queen laying. For Italian honey bees the timing is heavily influenced by day length so they will get going a little earlier.” At first, the queen will start laying in a circular pattern in cells within the winter-cluster, which will later develop into worker bees. Over the course of the year a healthy queen will lay around 200,000 more eggs!

The advent of mites, disease, urbanization, and cold weather here in Maine are significant challenges to the life span of our honey bees, and it is nearly impossible for them to survive without the aid of a beekeeper. Although native pollinators do exist, continued pollination of our fruit and vegetables by non-native honey bees depends upon the beekeepers’ dedication and the honey bees’ determination to survive.

For more information about bees or how to enhance their habitats, see Bulletin #7153,  Understanding Native Bees, the Great Pollinators, or visit www.mainebeekeepers.org .

Getting a Jump Start on the Garden

By Caragh B. Fitzgerald, Extension Educator, Kennebec County, cfitzgerald@maine.edu

Our family is eagerly awaiting spring and the chores of the garden rather than the snow shovel. It’s time to make room on the shelf for plant pots and grow lights and to start some seedlings! Putting seedlings rather than seeds in the garden gives us a head start on the season. For hot weather plants like tomatoes and peppers, it’s absolutely essential. We also like to try new varieties of plants, and starting our own seeds lets us do that easily. It can save money, too, especially if we only want one or two of a certain variety.

How about you? Certainly, starting your own seedlings takes space, time, and energy. But if you’re interested in trying some unusual varieties and maybe saving some money, here are some pointers for successful seed starting:

Use good seed. One great advantage to starting your own seeds is that you can grow the specific varieties you want in the quantities you want. You probably have some new seeds already. Most seeds from last year will be OK to use as long as they were stored in a cool, dry place. If you’re not sure about their quality, you can run a quick germination test.

Use clean containers. It’s alright to re-use plastic containers as long as you sterilize them. Use a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Let them soak, then scrub them well to remove any dried material. This will reduce the likelihood your plants will succumb to diseases like damping off.

Use the right type of growing medium. You probably know that garden soil isn’t a good idea — it’s too heavy and may have soil-borne diseases, never mind weed seeds. A soil-less mix, such as peat and either vermiculite or perlite is best.

Provide enough light. To grow good seedlings you want 14 – 16 hours of light per day. Even a bright window may not be sufficiently bright, and your seedlings may get leggy (tall and spindly). You can supplement with fluorescent lights if you need to.

Start seeds at the right time. March is too early to start tomatoes. Unless you have a hoophouse, wait until mid-April or so for them. Calculate the seed starting time using the days to germination and the days needed to grow to appropriate size. Many seed packets or catalogs will help you by saying something like “Sow indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost.” This time is then subtracted from the estimated last frost date to determine sowing date. If you prefer a calculator to do the work for you, see Johnny’s Selected Seeds online calculator, which includes information for vegetables and many flowers. If you’re in the southern Maine region, Jean English, of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, included a great schedule for starting vegetables in her 2009 article “Huge Growth Potential, Pounds of Dividends: It’s Time to Order Seeds.”

Watch the temperature. Most plants need warm temperatures to germinate, usually 65 – 70°. That’s true even for cool-season plants. The top of your refrigerator can be a good spot, as can near the wood stove. Heat mats can be good options, too. Be careful if you’re putting the plants in the windowsill — it may be draftier and colder than you realize.

Try something new. Remember, one of the great benefits of starting your own seeds is the diversity you can get compared to what’s at your local garden center. Maybe you want a couple of new heirloom tomatoes, one of the purple or orange cauliflowers, or something unusual, like artichoke. Put these in your garden plan and enjoy.

Start early crops early, too. Like many of us, you are probably eager for the first harvest from the garden. Spinach and greens from the cole (broccoli) family can tolerate cool weather and some frosts. However, the soil is too cold for them to germinate well immediately after the snow melts. (Like most plants, they germinate much better at warm soil temperatures — between 60° and 85° for them.) You can start these plants indoors this month, then plant them in the garden in April. Depending on the variety, you could be harvesting late in the month or early in May. You may even want to consider creating a mini-greenhouse by using wire hoops or low tunnels to support row cover or plastic. The higher temperatures underneath will speed plant growth. Just remember to secure the edges and to ventilate the structure so temperatures don’t get too high. See UMaine Extension Bulletin #2752, Extending the Garden Season, for more information.

Starting your own seedlings is a great way to start gardening early. It can give you higher and earlier yields, let you try more varieties, save you money, and encourage you to experiment. So, get your materials and planting schedule together, and enjoy!

For more information on seed starting, see UMaine Extension Bulletin #2751, Starting Seeds at Home.

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Maine Home Garden News was created in response to a continued increase in requests for information on gardening and includes timely and seasonal tips, as well as research-based articles on all aspects of gardening. Articles are written by UMaine Extension specialists, educators, and horticulture professionals, as well as Master Gardener Volunteers from around Maine, with Professor Richard Brzozowski serving as editor.

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