(Mostly) Monthly News for Gardeners
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News and events for gardeners from Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Somerset Counties from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and other trusted partners
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April 2020
UMaine Cooperative Extension's website
is frequently updated to keep up with concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19. The current
Maine Home Garden News
is the source of most of the content in this month's Central Maine Garden News.
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is looking for your input on what is important to you when purchasing food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please help us by completing the
COVID-19 Consumer Food Survey
before the end of the day Tuesday, April 7th. This information will be shared with local food producers to help them in the upcoming growing season.
This survey has several short questions and should take 5 minutes or less of your time.
Thank you!
Looking forward to brighter days
-Trisha
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Regular Features
- This is the time to...
- Pollinators and Pests
- Skill Share
- Food Safety and Nutrition
- Organizations and Resources
- Upcoming Events
- Mission and Quick Links
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This is the time to...
By Robert Diamante, Master Gardener Volunteer Trainee
- Awaken power tools: Fall ends, so you tuck your mower into the shed. Maybe you’ve drained the fuel, but that’s the extent of your end-of-season maintenance. After wintering over, it’s time for a tune up. If you’re not mechanical, then leave it to abler hands. By April, have your appointments made for tillers, chainsaws, mowers, and so forth. Expert maintenance ensures safer equipment.
- Call an arborist: Deciding to take down large established trees is never easy. But trees that have lived past their prime can be dangerous. However ruthless it may feel, certain trees should be removed to make way for new things to grow. Old wood can be used for hugelkultur and various gardening projects. Firewood is always wanted. You can even make birdhouses from the old wood. Call your arborist to make an appointment.
- Order your landscape supplies: Every winter much of my gravel driveway ends up plowed into my side yard or has sunk deeper into the mud. Every year I expect to haul in more stone. Topsoil, loam, mulch, woodchips, gravel: calculate your needs and reserve your landscaping supplies early.
- Check on birdhouses: Chickadees have already begun to flirt in the witch hazel by March. By April they’ll want a room. Wintered-over nesting structures should be checked for damage and spruced up, and those that were stored can be brought out. Is it correct to clean them, or do you leave old nesting? Research the habits for common birds in your yard and follow instructions for maintaining their homes, Birdhouse Basics (PDF). Mother Nature is counting on your complicity!
Worth repeating
- Remove non-native invasive landscape plants: Every October it’s impossible not to admire the flamboyant scarlet Burning Bush or the rich cordovan of a bronzing Japanese Barberry. How beautifully they present. But they are invasive. You’ve heard it a million times: chop them down. Just do it. April affords you plenty of time to consider replacements, something native, or even for the bees if you’ve a mind for it.
- Print a poster for your shed wall: Invasive Terrestrial Plants Prohibited From Sale In Maine (PDF).
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Family
Apidae
, Bees of Maine
By Jennifer Lund, Maine State Apiarist, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Division of Animal and Plant Health.
(Apidae family on Mt. Katahdin. Photo by Megan Leach)
Nearly 4,000 bee species have been identified in the United States. In Maine, there are more than 270 species of bees, representing six families. Over the next couple of issues of Maine Home Garden News, we will explore the types of bees found in Maine and learn about their biology, foraging preferences, and nesting requirements.
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Pruning Raspberries and Blueberries
By David T. Handley, Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Pruning is a vital part of maintaining a healthy raspberry planting. This practice greatly inhibits the spread of raspberry diseases and improves fruit quality and yield. In the late winter or early spring, before the buds break, remove all of the old canes that fruited the previous year. These have gray, peeling bark and branches (they are dead and won’t fruit again). Remove canes that have emerged outside of the desired 12- to 18-inch row width. Maintaining this narrow row width will assure adequate light penetration and air circulation to promote healthy cane growth and reduce disease problems. Only the most vigorous canes, those with the greatest height and basal diameter, should be left in the row. Continue thinning until only four to five canes per foot of row length remain. These remaining canes should be attached to the trellis wires with twine. Finally, remove all of the plant waste from the field. Plant waste can harbor diseases and insects that may attack healthy canes.
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Fact sheets below are linked to PDFs
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Organizations and Resources
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Click the links to learn more, find a chapter near you, and get involved.
Bangor Land Trust
is a nonprofit organization that has conserved over 800 acres of land with public access in the Bangor area. Our mission is to protect for public benefit land and water in the Bangor region that have special ecological, natural, scenic, agricultural, or recreational significance; and to increase public understanding of the value of land and water conservation.
The Garden Club Federation of Maine
National Garden Clubs, Inc. provides education, resources and national networking opportunities for its members, to promote the love of gardening, floral design, civic and environmental responsibility.
Good Shepherd Food Bank
In addition to distributing food to Mainers in need, the Food Bank is leading a statewide effort to combat the root causes of hunger by engaging in advocacy, nutrition education, and strategic partnerships. Good Shepherd welcomes you to join in this effort.
Maine Audubon
is a member-based organization that engages people in conservation, education and advocacy to advance wildlife and wildlife habitat conservation in Maine.
Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets
' mission is to cultivate a vibrant, sustainable farmers' market community as a vital part of Maine's local food network. The Federation works with farmers, consumers, and communities to make wholesome, locally-grown foods available to all residents, to educate consumers about food resources, and to support farm viability.
Maine Gleaning Network
A collaborative farm surplus rescue effort gathering crops from Maine's fields and engaging communities in resourceful and equitable food system activities.
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)
The purpose of the Association is to help farmers and gardeners: grow organic food, fiber and other crops; protect the environment; recycle natural resources; increase local food production; support rural communities; and illuminate for consumers the connection between healthful food and environmentally sound farming practices.
The Grange provides opportunities for individuals and families to develop to their highest potential in order to build stronger communities and states, as well as a stronger nation.To inquire about finding a nearby Grange, contact Walter Boomsma at
grange@boomsmaonline.com
Transition Towns
The Transition Movement is comprised of vibrant, grassroots community initiatives that seek to build community resilience in the face of such challenges as peak oil, climate change and the economic crisis. Transition Initiatives differentiate themselves from other sustainability and "environmental" groups by seeking to mitigate these converging global crises by engaging their communities in home-grown, citizen-led education, action, and multi-stakeholder planning to increase local self reliance and resilience.
Transition Skowhegan meets every 1st Thursday at 6 pm, Skowhegan Public Library.
Contact Iver Lofving 474-7370 or Jason Tessier 474-4380
Wild Seed Project
works to increase the use of [Maine] native plants in all landscape settings in order to conserve biodiversity, encourage plant adaption in the face of climate change, safeguard wildlife habitat, and create pollination and migration corridors for insects and birds. Check out their
Native Plant Blog
.
Maine Agriculture in the Classroom
promotes the understanding of agriculture and natural resources among students, educators, and the general public. Curricula and resources for educators and others working with young people. Check out newsletters and/or subscribe
here
.
Maine Farm to School Network
supports the rapidly spreading farm to school movement in Maine. This network knits together a wide diversity of students, teachers, school nutritionists, parents, farmers and groups who support child nutrition and Maine agriculture.
Search
their resource database,
join
the network.
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While University of Maine Cooperative Extension buildings are CLOSED until further notice in an effort to ensure the health and safety of the community, and to help stem the spread of the Coronavirus, we are still here to help! Here are a few ways we’re available:
New Resources to Meet New Needs
- Garden Chats: Growing Resilience From the Ground Up: 1-hour Zoom sessions Mondays at 9am, Wednesdays at noon, Thursdays at 6pm. For the month of April, all gardeners are invited to join members of the UMaine Cooperative Extension Home Horticulture team as they offer short online lessons on featured topics followed by a facilitated discussion with fellow gardeners from around the state and beyond. Check here, Garden Chats, for the full schedule of topics and more information. No registration is necessary. Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android. Visit the website for instructions on how to join in.
- Maine Farm Products and Pick-Up Directory: The directory provides information on available local farm products and alternative pick-up options developed by farmers statewide to accommodate the recommended social distancing in light of COVID-19.
- Learn at Home: Educational Resources to Use During School Closures: With novel coronavirus closing schools across Maine for several weeks, UMaine Extension has assembled a collection of helpful educational resources for parents and caregivers. From science to financial literacy, whether for toddlers or teenagers, we encourage you to take advantage of these activity books, guides, and other resources to help children remain engaged in educational experiences throughout their school closure.
- Learn at Home with 4-H Friday Fun! Each Friday, watch for a new hands-on activity that you can try out with simple materials you have at home. Watch a short video clip to see how it’s done or download our 4-H Learn from Home activity sheets. Each activity outlines materials needed, easy-to-follow instructions, reflection questions for discussion and activity extensions.
- Social Media: Many of our staff are stepping up efforts to communicate to audiences via social media. For example, see Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden’s short educational Facebook videos (also on Instagram).
Traditional Services Being Offered in New Ways
- Identifying insect pests: Clay Kirby, Associate Scientist/Insect Diagnostician, will identify pest samples via images. See instructions for submitting an insect specimen.
- Identifying plant diseases: Dr. Alicyn Smart will identify plant disease samples via images. See instructions for submitting a sample.
- Tick testing: Ticks are being tested on a limited basis. See instructions for submitting a tick sample.
- Publication orders: We are still processing orders from our publication catalog, including pesticide application training materials.
- Soil testing: The Analytical Lab and Maine Soil Testing Service remains open and is taking samples with a priority on commercial samples. If you need to drop off a sample, you can place it in the box outside of Deering Hall; do NOT enter the building.
- General gardening questions: Contact your county office. Emails are preferred. If it’s necessary to leave a voicemail, please leave your email address (if available) or a mailing address in addition to your phone number. Since most staff are working remotely, there may be a slight delay in response time to messages. Thank you for your patience.
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Master Gardener Volunteers
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All in-person Master Gardener Volunteer-related activities are suspended until further notice, including, but not limited to: plant sales, meetings, gleanings, demonstration garden maintenance, and workdays.
Due to the current COVID-19 situation, we are encouraging all of our volunteers to stay home and practice social distancing as recommended by the CDC. We will not be approving any volunteer hours that require Master Gardener Volunteers to travel or be present on-site of a garden project while in-person activities are suspended.
There will be modifications made to the volunteer hour reporting requirements for all new and existing Master Gardener Volunteers in the near future. Please contact your MGV Coordinator if you have any questions and/or concerns. The situation will continually be assessed and updates will be provided to all active Master Gardener Volunteers and partner organizations.
(updated 3/24/20)
Catch up on reporting your hours while you're observing stay-at-home directives:
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Mission
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is the major educational outreach program of the University of Maine with offices statewide. UMaine Extension provides Maine people with research-based educational programs to help them live fuller, more productive lives.
Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
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The goal
of the Central Maine Gardening Newsletter is to connect gardeners with resources and events that encourage and inform.
Quick Links
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Local Weather Anytime
Most outdoor activities are driven by the weather. Our local National Weather Service in Caribou has meteorologists on staff 24 hours a day. They are willing to talk with you about predictions for your town. Give them a call at 492-0180. Or check out their online detailed maps at
http://www.weather.gov/car/.
Need Pesticide Credits?
Interested in Volunteering with UMaine Extension?
Nearly 8,000 volunteers devoted more than 150,000 hours to their communities last year through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension! Look around our
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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
Kate Garland, Horticulturist
Kathy Hopkins, Extension Educator
Trisha Smith, Community Education Assistant
The goal of the Central Maine Gardening Newsletter is to connect gardeners with resources and events that encourage and inform.
The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, 207.581.1226.
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Piscataquis County Office
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Open Monday - Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave Bangor, ME 04401 207.942.7396 or 800.287.1485
Piscataquis County Office -
website
Open Monday, Thursday, Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
165 East Main St Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207.564.3301 or 800.287.1491
7 County Drive Skowhegan, Maine 04976-4209
Tel: 207.474.9622 or 1.800.287.1495 (in Maine)
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