Peronto, UMaine Extension cited in Maine Homes article on gardening

Maine Homes by Down East magazine spoke with Marjorie Peronto, a University of Maine Cooperative Extension educator in Hancock County, for an article about gardening in Maine. “Our growing season is limited — that’s the biggest challenge,” said Peronto, co-author of “The New England Gardener’s Year” and “The Life in Your Garden.” “So you enjoy it while you can, and if you plan appropriately, you can have a great garden.” Maine soils tend to be acidic, which is preferred by plants such as heathers, hydrangeas and rhododendrons, but most do better in a more neutral environment, according to the article, which pointed to an $18 soil test, offered at UMaine. “I think a soil test is like a blood test,” Peronto said. “If you don’t do one, you don’t know what you’re working with.” Gardening with wildlife is a fact of life in Maine, and it comes with its own set of problems, the article states. “We have a fence around our vegetable garden, we have a dog, and we still have deer,” Peronto said. “I don’t really mind. They’re beautiful, and they’re not devastating my plants. My philosophy is, try to live with the creatures around us.” The article also referred to UMaine Extension’s list of Maine native plants and shrubs, as well as invasive species.