By Kate Garland, Horticultural Professional, UMaine Extension Penobscot County, and Trisha Smith, Community Education Assistant (Home Horticulture), Piscataquis County
Keep planting veggies. There's still time for beets, carrots, beans, cucumbers, and a wide array of greens. Know your estimated fall frost date, days to harvest for the crop, and cold tolerance to determine the last planting date. Learn more in our article
Planting for Fall - How Late Can You Plant?
Shop at farmers' markets! Maine has a vibrant farmers' market scene in many communities throughout the state. Find one near you.
Find great gardening deals at yard sales.Keep an eye out for opportunities to "upcycle" miscellaneous items into artful container gardens and plant supports. I'm on a mission to find a used battery-operated hand vacuum to suck up garden pests that are too small and/or too fast to hand pick . . . watch out cucumber beetles!
Keep planting trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals. It's perfectly fine to install herbaceous and woody plants in mid summer. The key to success is minimizing transplant shock and keeping a close eye on watering for the remainder of the season - sometimes monitoring for a few seasons with larger transplants. Try to plant on cooler, overcast days to reduce the evaporative demand that can lead to plant stress. For the remainder of the season, be sure to give newly installed plants about 1" of water a week over the course of 1-2 deep watering sessions instead of shallow watering events daily. One way to help get water directly to the root zone is to create a mini "well" for the water using a sunken plant pot or water bottle with small holes in the bottom. Filling the "well" instead of watering the soil helps the water seep directly into the soil instead of simply running over the top of the soil and away from the plants.
Work smarter. Consider looking into
adaptive tools to help you become more efficient in the garden. A simple switch to a lightweight hose, movable seat, or ergonomic hand tool can be a real game changer.
Support your local tomato. There are many benefits to keeping tomatoes up off the ground: improved airflow for disease management, better access to plants for inspection/harvest, and reduced potential for rodent damage. Watch these handy videos to learn how to stake, basket weave, trellis, and prune tomatoes.
Hug a farmer. Okay, maybe that's a little beyond your comfort level (and theirs, too). At least give them a smile and your support at the market or farm stand, or visit on
Open Farm Day (July 22)! They're working hard to not only feed us, but our neighbors in need. Did you know that farmers' markets in the greater Bangor region have donated over 57,496 lbs of produce to local food cupboards and shelters since 2011? They're part of an even larger network of farmers who welcome gleaners onto their farms and into their markets to make sure the food they are growing gets to as many plates as possible. Visit the
Maine Gleaning Network (a partner of UMaine Cooperative Extension's
Maine Harvest for Hunger) to learn more.
Upcoming Events and Activities-
Do you know of a class, activity, or event that may interest gardeners in Piscataquis, Penobscot, or Somerset Counties? Please forward information to trisha.smith1@maine.edu for possible inclusion in our next newsletter. Check UMaine Extension's calendar for educational opportunities all over the state
July 18-UMC Milo Annual Strawberry Festival, United Methodist Church, Milo. 5-6:30 pm.
Ham, Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Relish, Rolls, Drinks and of course our famous yummy Strawberry Shortcake! Cost: Adults: $8/under 12 years: $4; family of 4: $20/of 5: $25; strawberry shortcake only: $3.00
July 22-Open Farm Day-Statewide, check out the BDN insert for details. Print version available by mid-July.
July 26-27-Kneading Conference 2018, KVCC campus, Hinkley. Organized by The Maine Grain Alliance. $325 registration includes admission to limited-access workshops and meals.
July 28- Artisan Bread Fair, 9-3, Skowhegan State Fairgrounds. Admission free, parking $3.
By Donna Coffin, Extension Professor, UMaine Cooperative Extension Piscataquis County
There are a number of ways to control weeds in our gardens including physical destruction, competition, mulching, biological control, and herbicides. Let's look at how these methods are used home gardens.
Most gardeners are familiar with plowing, cultivating, hand pulling, mowing, rototilling, and chopping of weeds to get them under control in a garden. Some folks try burning (weed seedlings must be very small), heat sterilization (solarization) during the hot part of summer or microwaving small quantities of soil (a very smelly option.) Deep tillage can bring up many weed seeds that have been lying dormant in the soil; so after the initial tillage is done, only shallow cultivation (less than one inch deep) should be continued throughout the season. Annuals less than two inches in height are most susceptible to shallow tilling. Check out this great overview of
physical control methods from UMaine weed researchers.
By Kate Garland, Horticultural Professional, UMaine Cooperative Extension, Penobscot County
Photo courtesy of Lanie Emery
One of the many reasons I enjoy fly fishing is that I get the opportunity to closely observe plants growing in the riparian zone (i.e. land that occurs along bodies of water). These plants offer a fun challenge for those of us who love identifying plants and reading nature. One plant, in particular, is pretty easy to spot in early to mid July -
Viburnum lentago (nannyberry). I happen to be lucky to also enjoy seeing it from my office window, as it's planted in the Eastern Maine Native Plant Arboretum that surrounds the UMaine Extension Penobscot County office at 307 Maine Avenue in Bangor.
Contact your County Extension office to ask how you can help.
Volunteers are essential to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension achieving its mission to bring University research to people in our communities. Master Gardener Volunteers, 4-H Leaders and advisors, and County Extension Associations are some ways to get involved. Orientation and required trainings are available online. Explore the Cooperative Extension Volunteers page and/or contact your County office to indicate your interest.
Penobscot County 307 Maine Avenue Bangor, ME 04401-4331 Phone: 207.942.7396 or 800.287.1485 (in Maine) Piscataquis County 165 East Main Street Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 Phone: 207.564.3301 or 800.287.1491 (in Maine) Somerset County 7 County Drive Skowhegan, ME 04976-4209 Phone: 207.474.9622 or 800.287.1495 (in Maine)
Master Gardener Volunteers: It's important that our county, state, and federal funders know about your efforts and impact in our communities. Choose the link to the online form for the county where you were trained (unless you have made other arrangements):
Volunteer Spotlight:The Gardens at University of Maine 4-H Camp & Learning Center at Blueberry Cove
By Jane Bracy, Master Gardener Volunteer
Blueberry Cove Camp was a half mile down the road from my grandparent's summer cottage in Tenants Harbor. I didn't get to go there as a camper, but the Haskells, who owned and ran the camp, would invite me to join the other children for special gatherings and singing around the fire. So my love for the camp has a long history.
Blueberry Cove, 2004. Photo courtesy the late Les Hyde
When the 25-acre property came up for sale in 2005, a committee was formed to raise funds and save it from development. After working with that group, I went on to join the board of Blueberry Cove and Tanglewood 4-H Camps, now part of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Food & Nutrition: Starting a Value-Added Food Business
Photo by Edwin Remsberg
Based on Bulletin #3101, Recipe to Market: How to Start a Specialty Food Business in Maine prepared by Extension Food Science Specialist and Associate Professor Beth Calder and Professor Emeritus Alfred Bushway.
Adapted for Maine Home Garden News by Robson Machado, Ph.D., Assistant Extension Professor and Food Science Specialist
Specialty food producers, often operating home-based microenterprises, are a growing Maine industry. Starting a Maine home-based food business involves facing challenges such as licensing, food safety, and building business skills. Also, some recipes and food products for sale may need to be sent to UMaine for testing. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions we hear from people interested in starting a small food business in Maine.
There is always a need for quality activities for kids. 4-H is a great way to share your interests and skills with the younger generation. If you're interested in working with youth, consider becoming a 4-H volunteer leader. Learn more about 4-H here, and find out what it takes to be a volunteer.
It's Fair season! There are many opportunities for volunteering with your county's UMaine Extension: help set up or clean up the exhibit hall, evaluate 4-H exhibits, greet and chat with folks interested in Extension's programs. Contact 4-H staff in your county office.
County Extension Association Executive Committees are crucial to the success of Extension in our communities. In partnership with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension staff, the Executive Committee of each County Extension Association assists with providing input on local educational programming needs, helps hire staff, and oversees the county budget appropriations that support educational Extension programs for county residents.
Read more here, and contact
your county's UMaine Cooperative Extension office.
Shared Earthly Blessings on Route 23 in Dexter (the Ripley Road) is a volunteer run garden producing free fruit and vegetables for seniors. Stop by and check us out the next time you are driving by the gazebo on the hill. See our new permaculture layout and what community gardening can do! Regular work days are Tuesdays and Fridays at 9 am. For more information call John Gornall at 207.924.5232.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension has employment opportunities across the state. Find the list
here.
A non-profit organization,
Wild Seed Project sells seeds of locally grown native plants and educates the public on seed sowing to enable a wide range of citizens to participate in increasing native plant populations. Hiring a part-time (10 hrs/wk)
Administrative Assistant.
The Maine Food System, What's That? University of Maine Cooperative Extension helps support, sustain, and grow the $3.9 billion food-based economy in Maine. We are the only entity in our state that touches every aspect of the Maine Food System, where policy, research, production, processing, commerce, nutrition, and food security and safety are integral and interrelated. Read more here.
Graphic by Michael Mendoza
If you eat, you are part of the Maine Food System!
You may also be growing food for yourself and/or others, supporting farmers' markets and CSAs, volunteering at food cupboards, community meals, or soup kitchens. If you aren't, we're trying to make it easier for you to get involved.
Organizations that address food insecurity with distributions of free food and meals exist in most communities. Many welcome volunteers as well as donations of food, including fresh garden produce in season. Access to refrigeration and timing of food distributions can limit an organization's ability to accept donations. It is best to contact them first. With this in mind, we aim to provide a comprehensive list of these organizations. Please do not hesitate to email trisha.smith1@maine.edu with additional or corrected information.
The Maine Food Atlasis an interactive mapping project created by the Maine Network of Community Food Councils and the Center for Community GIS. Explore or even contribute-The Maine Food Atlas relies on individuals to submit and update listings.
Click here to see a list of organizations tackling food insecurity in Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Somerset Counties.
Organizations of Interest
Click the links to learn more, find a chapter near you, and get involved.
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.
Hirundo Wildlife Refuge is a 2,400 acre nature preserve spanning Pushaw and Dead Streams, Lac d'Or, vast wetlands (including a gently raised bog),
Silver Maple Floodplain Forest, mixed hardwood and evergreen forests. Accessible by canoe and trails.
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 TownsThe 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
Dexter Dover Area Towns in Transition (DDATT) meets every first Friday at 6 pm, Abbott Memorial Library, Dexter. Contact Sam Brown 277-4221 or email info@ddatt.org
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 Classroompromotes 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.
Mission
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.
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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