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Your Monthly News & Updates
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March is the month to...
By Donna Coffin, Extension Professor, Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties, & Trisha Smith, Community Education Assistant (Home Horticulture), Piscataquis County
Sample some syrup! March 25th is Maine Maple Sunday, so pack up the whole family later this month and head out to a local sugar shack for tasty treats. Find out more information at the
Maine Maple Producers website Or you can try tapping and making your own syrup from your own sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum), also known as rock or hard maple.
Learn how.
Prune certain woody landscape plants. Pruning improves ornamental value, helps reduce disease pressure, improves overall plant health, and makes plants easier to manage. For tools, techniques and tips read
Pruning Woody Landscape Plants.
Test your soil as soon as the snow melts and you can dig into it! You are due for a test if you haven't tested your garden soil in the past three years. You can find the forms and boxes in UMaine Extension offices. How do you do it? Check out
Testing Your Soil.
Recycle your gardening magazines by sharing with others. Schools, senior citizen housing, senior centers or even the local laundromat are good places to share magazines.
Force flowering branches! Get a head start on spring blossoms and bring welcome color back into the home by forcing some branches from the garden to bloom. Find out how to accomplish this wonderful chore and peruse what plants will respond to your forceful ministrations in the Purdue University,
Forced Branches Bring Spring Indoors.
Inspect and inventory tools and equipment, including lawn mowers!
Repair, oil, and sharpen as needed. Replenish parts and accessories to have on hand for repairs during the gardening season. Find helpful hints in this tool care guide from Cornell.
Sign up for Adult Education opportunities! UMaine Extension, county Soil and Water Conservation Districts, MOFGA, and other organizations offer spring workshops and classes to have you prepared for spring! maineadulted.org is a good place to start to find courses offered in your area and online.
Get in on a summer CSA! Search MOFGA's Maine CSA Directory for a nearby farm participating in Community Supported Agriculture. In exchange for your investment early in the year, you will receive an array of the farm's products during the growing and harvesting season. It's the next best thing to growing your own!
Keep Maine-based nurseries and seed companies in mind when you shop for plants and seeds for your garden and landscape. Fedco ("cold-hardy selections especially adapted to our demanding Northeast climate"), Johnny's Selected Seeds ("employee-owned seed producer and merchant headquartered in Winslow, ME"), Pinetree Garden Seeds ("founded with the simple mission of offering low prices on quality seeds to the home gardener"), Allen, Sterling, & Lothrup ("Maine's oldest seed company"), Wood Prairie Family Farm ("farm-direct and organic"), The Maine Potato Lady ("organic seed potatoes, fingerlings, onion sets, shallots, and garlic"). These companies have all signed the "Safe Seed Pledge;" they do not knowingly sell GMO seed.
Start selected seeds. Check out our bulletin on
Starting Seeds to learn how to do it like a pro and then get down to business. If you need some idea for where to start your seeds, check out UMaine's video on
Building a Seedling Stand.
The following is a list of some crops that should be started by seed indoors at some point this month:
- Early to mid March: celery, celeriac, leeks, parsley, peas, delphinium, butterfly weed (Asclepias), foxglove (Digitalis), sweet William(Dianthus), pansy (Viola), and eucalyptus.
- Mid to late March: cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, drumstick flower (Craspedia), angel's trumpet (Datura), yarrow, verbena, stock, snapdragon, black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), petunia, hollyhock, and blanket flower.
- Late March to early April: artichoke, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, swiss chard, ageratum, sweet annie (Artemisia), aster, bells of Ireland,calendula, cardoon, bachelor's buttons (Centaurea), globe amaranth (Gomphrena), ornamental kale, larkspur, bee balm (Monarda), phlox, Iceland poppy, sanvitalia, statice, strawflower, sweet pea, and black eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia)
- Many native wildflowers can be sown in pots and put outside to germinate, including: Aster, Beardtongue, Bee-balm, Bellflower, Blue lobelia, Blue vervain, Boneset, Cardinal flower, Columbine, Coneflower, Cucumber vine, Grasses, Joe-Pye weed, Milkweed, Sundial lupine, Wild clematis, Wild strawberry (check out Autumn and Winter Seed Sowing from Wild Seed Project)
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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
- March 9- Deadline to order from Fedco Trees!
- March 10-MOFGA's Organic Orcharding Workshop: Pruning Apple Trees. MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. For beginners and experienced growers. 10-3, bring a bag lunch. $50. Pre-registration and payment required here.
- March 12-Sustainability: Maine Greenhouse Best Practices Workshop. Roger Clapp Greenhouses, Orono. 9-3:30. $30. Registration online only.
- March 17-MOFGA's Organic Orcharding Workshop: Renovating Old Apple Trees. 4 locations. $50. Click for details and to register.
- March 21-Starting Seeds Indoors, part of the 2018 Gardening Short Course. UMaine Extension Penobscot. 9:30-11:30, $10.
- March 24- Early Spring Native Seed Sowing with Heather McCargo, Bagaduce Music Lending Library, Blue Hill. 10:30-noon. $15. Workshop and registration details here.
- March 25- Seed Swap and Scion Exchange. MOFGA Education Center, Unity. 10-3.
- April 4- Botany for Gardeners, part of the 2018 Gardening Short Course. UMaine Extension Penobscot. 9:30-11:30, $10.
- April 6-Native Plant Performers:Significant and Beautiful Alternatives. Coastal Maine Botanic Gardens, Boothbay. 9a-3p. $60. Register here.
- April 7-MOFGA's Organic Orcharding Workshop: Grafting Fruit Trees. Common Ground Education Center, Unity. 10-3. Grafting knife, pre-registration and payment are required.
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2018 Spring Gardening Workshops
UMaine Extension Penobscot will be offering a
"Gardening Short Course"
this spring. These classes are presented by Kate Garland, University of Maine Horticulturalist, and cover the basics of soil, plants and pests. Register for just one workshop or as many as you like. The series will be taught at UMaine Penobscot's office on Wednesday mornings (9:30-11:30). Some evening sessions will also be available through Adult Education in Bangor, Lincoln, Newport, and Orono.
Class Descriptions:
Building Better Soils- Healthy soil is the foundation for gardening success. Workshop participants will learn the best methods for analyzing soil quality and how to add amendments (fertilizer, compost, etc.) to optimize plant growth.
Pest Management for the Home Gardener- Japanese beetles, slugs, squash bugs, powdery mildew, blight, grubs . . . gardening joy can come hand-in-hand with gardening woes. This workshop will help you develop a non-chemical strategy for managing some of the common pests we encounter in Maine gardens.
Botany for Gardeners- This hands-on workshop will give gardeners a new perspective on the life in their landscape and some helpful tools to better understand how our gardening techniques impact how well plants grow. Participants will also receive an introduction to plant ID and plant anatomy.
Succession Planting- Learn how to get the most production out of your vegetable garden space by planting multiple crops in the same area throughout the growing season. Participants will leave this workshop with ideas on how to make the most of their valuable garden real estate.
Starting Seeds Indoors- This hands-on workshop will be a chance for home gardeners to review best practices for starting vegetable and ornamental seedlings indoors. Participants will have the opportunity to sow seeds to bring home and nurture.
Schedule:
Starting Seeds Indoors
UMaine Extension Penobscot 3/21
Newport Adult Education 3/28
Botany for Gardeners
UMaine Extension Penobscot 4/4
Orono Adult Education 5/2
Succession Planting
UMaine Extension Penobscot 4/11
Newport Adult Education 4/17
Pest Management
UMaine Extension Penobscot 4/18
Bangor Adult Education 4/26
Orono Adult Education 5/23
Newport Adult Education 5/31
Building Better Soils
UMaine Extension Penobscot 4/25
Lincoln Adult Education 4/12
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Practice Pruning Trees and Shrubs This Spring
By Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator, UMaine Extension Hancock and Washington Counties
Pruning Your Young Tree
Young tree with crowded branch spacing
Now is the time of year to prune young trees in your landscape.
If you planted a tree in the last year or two, take a close look at its branching structure now. Trees that we bring home from nurseries have usually been pre-pruned to encourage a proliferation of lateral branches. To the consumer, they look full and healthy. But allowing that tight branching structure to remain as the tree ages will result in stress for the tree. Problems will occur as the closely spaced branches grow larger in diameter, exerting pressure on each other while becoming weak and susceptible to breakage when loaded with ice or snow.
Keep your pruning to a minimum at planting time and during the establishment period (one year for every inch of trunk diameter). Holding off pruning during the establishment period allows the tree to retain the most foliage to nourish the developing root system.
Selecting the permanent scaffold branching system of a tree when it is young is called formative pruning. Do this when the tree is established in its new home, but while it's still young. Branches you remove at this time are still small and small wounds heal quickly.
Read more
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Volunteering with UMaine Cooperative Extension
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)
Signs of the Seasons
Hundreds of volunteers are trained to observe and record the phenology (seasonal changes) of common plants and animals living in their own communities - a citizen science project that fills a gap in regional climate research. Volunteers across Maine and now New Hampshire record the growth of milkweed, the nesting of robins, and more. The goal is to build a rich, detailed record of the region's seasonal turns, a resource too costly to build without a network of citizen volunteers. The collected data are made available to our collaborating scientists and resource managers.
2018 Training Dates
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MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEERS
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):
Somerset
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Sowing the Seeds of Gleaning
By Lynne M. Holland, Community Education Assistant, UMaine Extension Androscoggin-Sagadahoc Counties
Spring is not only the time to plant seeds, but also the idea of GLEANING. What is gleaning you ask? The term, dating back to biblical times, refers to gathering what is left in fields after the harvest. In modern times, it also refers to farmers allowing volunteers to harvest, dig, or collect fresh produce that they do not plan to sell. Gleaning volunteers are increasingly inspired to take action because of heightened awareness of our nation's food security and food waste challenges, but there's always a need for more people to get involved.
Farmers want gleaners
There are many reasons a farmer may welcome a relationship with gleaners. Sometimes crops ripen too early or too late for the intended market. There may be no labor available to harvest the crop or a labor shortage forces the farmer to choose between two crops to bring in from the field. The edible remains of some crops left in the field might need extra effort to harvest that is just not worth the price the farmer will get (ex: side shoots of broccoli, third picking of beans, small potatoes that fall through the mechanical harvester, etc.). Lastly, sometimes crops simply don't sell at the farmers' market and will not keep in storage until the next market opportunity. No matter what calls farmers to connect with gleaners, they all share a similar interest in making sure as much of the high-quality food they work hard to produce nourishes their community.
Learn how to get involved
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Food & Nutrition:
Master Food Preserver Program: A Decade of Success!
By Kathy Savoie, MS, RD, Extension Educator, UMaine Extension Cumberland County
UMaine Cooperative Extension's Master Food Preserver (MFP) Program was honored recently at the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) 2017 annual conference, "Harvesting Opportunities in NEAFCS". Master Food Preservers are volunteers trained to extend Extension's education programs in food preservation to adults and youth. They provide the public with research-based information from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and USDA.
Accolades from the NEAFCS conference last fall included 1st place National and 1st place Regional Master Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Volunteer Award. Both NEAFCS and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture recognized the MFP Program for impacts that span a decade. The Master FCS Volunteer Award recognizes exceptional leadership in implementation of the Master FCS Volunteer Program.
Learn more about the MFP program
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Volunteer and Employment Opportunities
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.
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 Cooperative Extension office.
Citizen scientists are needed by the Maine Wild Leek Project to document the distribution of wild leeks in Maine. To log locations of wild leeks, please use
this form. Information on location of wild leeks is confidential and will not be distributed.
Read more here
Shared Earthly Blessings community garden in Dexter welcomes volunteers. Produce is grown, harvested, packed, and delivered to local seniors. 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.
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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.
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| Graphic by Michael Mendoza |
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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 Atlas is 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.
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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.
Maine State Beekeepers Association
Northern Penobscot County Beekepers Association
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
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 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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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.
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Quick Links
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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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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
The goal of the Central Maine Gardening Newsletter is to connect gardeners with resources and events that encourage and inform.
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he 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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Open Monday - Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave. Bangor, ME 04401 207-942-7396 or 800-287-1485
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Open Monday, Thursday, Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm,
Open By-chance on Wednesday
, Closed Tuesday
165 East Main St. Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207-564-3301 or 800-287-1491
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Open Monday - Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm
7 County Drive Skowhegan, ME 04976-3117 Phone: 207.474.9622 or 800.287.1495 (in Maine)
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