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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August 2020
UMaine Cooperative Extension's website is frequently updated to keep up with concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19. Be sure to check out Maine Home Garden News. It is the source of the content in this month's Central Maine Garden News, and has more pictures and articles than I squeeze into this newsletter.
Many of us are beginning the cautious return to our offices. Please check websites and make phone calls before you head out, hoping to meet in person. We are available as always by email, although we are looking forward to seeing (at least part of) people's faces again!
-Trisha
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Regular Features
- This is the time to...
- Pollinators and Pests
- Skill Share
- Organizations and Allies
- Extension Resources
- Mission and Quick Links
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This is the time to...
By Kate Garland, Horticulturist, UMaine Extension Penobscot County
- Hit the farmers’ market for the best food shopping of the year! Read more in the article below about what to expect for COVID safety protocols and how you can play a part in making this a safe experience for fellow shoppers and our farmer friends.Preserve local produce to enjoy all winter long. Whether you’re buying extra at the farmers’ market or enjoying bumper crops from your own backyard, take a moment to make sure you know the most recent safety recommendations for home food preservation. Check out the countless resources on our website. You’ll find workshops, videos, and bulletins all available for free!
- Take note of what stays green when turf goes dormant. Most grass species used for traditional lawns go dormant (i.e. turn brown) in late summer when rain is less frequent, and bounce back to a cheerful green as the weather patterns shift to the more moist conditions typically seen in the fall. However, plants considered “weeds” can provide a steady green presence throughout, while also serving as food for a variety of insects. I regret not capturing photos of the contrast that was on display during our early season dry spell this year between the resilient, bright green clover and crispy brown turf. It was a striking reminder that it’s time to re-think what plant species should be greening our lawns.
- Take cuttings of basil, coleus, and geranium to enjoy indoors. Many plants we consider annuals can make very good winter companions when brought indoors. There’s no need to dig up the whole plant; simply follow instructions on this website and have fun!
- Visit your garden daily to keep up with the rapid changes happening this time of year. This will help you keep up with the harvest and catch problems early before they become unmanageable. If fruiting crops are harvested at the optimal stage of development, the yield often increases, because over-ripening fruits may trigger plants to slow production.
- Scoop up plants at your local garden center to add interest to tiring container gardens or to fill gaps in ornamental plantings. Here are a few great cool-tolerant suggestions for sites suffering a late-season lull: ornamental grasses, million bells, succulents, ornamental kale, coral bells, mizuna, asters, eucalyptus, violets, and (of course) chrysanthemums. Each comes in a variety of colors, textures, and sizes. Let us know what unique plants or items you use to keep things interesting for the remainder of the season.
- Order garlic and spring-flowering bulbs. Remember how quickly seedlings sold out this spring? The same might happen with garlic and spring bulbs this fall; so be sure to start looking for a source of “seed” garlic and other bulbs to plant in mid to late October. Be sure to purchase from a reputable source and never plant anything that appears damaged or diseased.
- Help manage browntail moths (BTM). Report your detection to the Maine Forest Service if you find this invasive moth outside the areas where it is widespread (PDF). Reduce adult moth populations by using a wet/dry vacuum with a HEPA filter, filled with a few inches of soapy water. Also, keep outdoor lights off at night through the first week in August. Remove and destroy egg masses, usually found on the underside of the leaves of host trees (oak, apple, crabapple, pear, birch, cherry, and other hardwoods). These can be clipped off with gloved hands and soaked in soapy water for two days, then thrown away. See more images and information about the life cycle of BTM.
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Sphex pensylvanicus: The Great Black Wasp
Excerpted and adapted from The Life in Your Garden: Gardening for Biodiversity, by Extension Educator Marjorie Peronto and Horticulturist Reeser Manley.
-Photo by Reeser Manley.
“The great black wasp” (Sphex pensylvanicus), also known as “katydid hunter” and the “steel-blue cricket hunter,” belongs to a group of solitary hunting wasps collectively called “digger wasps,” a reference to the construction of their nesting tunnels in soft soil. We discovered our first great black wasp nectaring on a cluster of swamp milkweed blossoms. About two inches long, it was both beautiful and threatening, black as coal except for wings that reflected a shining metallic blue in sunlight.
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Lead in Maine’s Soil
By Laura Heinlein, AmeriCorps Environmental Steward with the Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District and the Maine Conservation Corps
Lead is a poisonous element that is especially hazardous to young children. Before the 1980s, lead was a popular material used in paints, gasoline, batteries, and even pesticides. As these materials age and deteriorate, lead settles into the surrounding soils. Unlike other pollutants, lead remains in the soil for centuries. Sites near old barns or buildings once coated in lead-based paint, over former dumpsites, or beside busy roadways are all areas to avoid placing a garden to reduce your risk. Knowing the history of your property can help to assess which areas would be the lowest risk to place a garden, but the only way to know whether lead is present is with a soil test.
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The natural concentration of lead in Maine’s soil is around 50 ppm. It is safe to garden in soil with up to 100 ppm lead. The EPA recommends washing produce thoroughly and washing your hands after gardening. With lead concentrations between 100 and 400 ppm, do not grow root vegetables or leafy greens; only grow fruiting plants such as tomatoes, berry bushes, and fruit trees. If your soil has more than 400 ppm lead, only grow food in raised beds or container gardens filled with clean soil. Keep children away from bare soil, wear gloves when gardening, and leave shoes outdoors to avoid bringing soil dust inside. Cover bare contaminated soil with 6-8 inches of mulch to avoid contact with the soil. It is unsafe to consume produce growing directly in soil with more than 400 parts per million of lead. Children and pregnant women are of particular risk for lead poisoning and it is important to note that there is not safe a level of lead exposure for children under the age of 6.
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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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University of Maine Cooperative Extension buildings are beginning to open, and some projects have begun to allow in-person volunteering. The health and safety of the community and the spread of the Coronavirus are still of concern, and offices are implementing strategies to maintain CDC-approved conditions. We have developed a number of new online resources for those who have reliable internet connections. Here are a few ways we’re available:
New Resources to Meet New Needs
You may have missed the live Zoom presentations, but we've rounded up fact sheets for each week's discussion for your reference
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Victory Garden for ME series: videos for first time vegetable gardeners
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Growing Maine Gardeners: An initiative led by UMaine Extension’s Home Horticulture team to address the increased demand for gardening education throughout the state of Maine and to provide additional support for beginner gardeners.
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Garden Mentorship Program: direct technical assistance and encouragement via phone or email throughout the season from trained Master Gardener Volunteers
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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Identifying insect pests: Clay Kirby, Associate Scientist/Insect Diagnostician, will identify pest samples via images. See instructions for submitting an insect specimen.
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Identifying plant diseases: Dr. Alicyn Smart will identify plant disease samples via images. See instructions for submitting a sample.
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Tick testing: Ticks are being tested on a limited basis. See instructions for submitting a tick sample.
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Publication orders: We are still processing orders from our publication catalog, including pesticide application training materials.
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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.
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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 |
Most in-person Master Gardener Volunteer-related activities are still suspended. Please contact your county MGV coordinator with questions.
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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