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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October 2022
Fellow gardeners of Central Maine,
How you care for your home garden and landscape makes a difference, and the UMaine Cooperative Extension Home Horticulture team is here to support you! Check out this month's Maine Home Garden News for the full articles linked in this newsletter, plus more! Subscribe here to get Maine Home Garden News in your inbox on the first of every month!
Yours,
Donna, Kate, and Laurie
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The Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle* (Harmonia axyridis), is a common ladybug that can become a household nuisance each fall in cold climates–in New England, for example–when adults begin seeking out warm locations to spend the winter. It is inherently a beneficial insect, and one which has frequently been deliberately released in the U.S. (beginning as long ago as 1916) for the purpose of controlling harmful plant pests such as aphids, mites, scale insects, etc. They can pose a legitimate nuisance, though, when confronted with large numbers of them indoors, and their secretions can stain furniture, curtains, blankets, rugs, etc. They do not breed, lay eggs, or feed inside the home, however, and they are not structurally-damaging.
As the name suggests, the Multicolored Asian lady beetle exhibits a great many color forms. However, outside its native area of eastern Asia, one finds them primarily showing only one of three basic color types: red or orange with black spots, black with four red spots, and black with two red spots. The form with anywhere from zero to 19 spots–known as the succinea form—is the most common form that we have here in Maine. They have reddish-brown legs and are noticeably brown on the underside of the abdomen.
Two similar species are the Seven-spotted Lady Beetle (Coccinella septempunctata) whose wing covers are spotted in a 1-4-2 pattern, and the Two-spotted Lady Beetle (Adalia bipunctata), which has orange wing coverings and just one black spot on each side.
Read more...
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It’s a great time of year! The leaves are changing, the weather is finally cooling down, and everything is pumpkin flavored. This is also the time of year for pumpkin carving and pumpkins more generally as decorations. Pumpkins make great decorations for this time of year because not only are they festive, but when you no longer want them around your house, you can use virtually every part of them to make delicious treats! There are few decorations that are more zero waste than that. Also, did you know that pumpkins are basically a super food?! So, let's dive into how you can use your pumpkin without any waste.
Read more...
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Pest Management Fact Sheet #5020
James F. Dill, Pest Management Specialist
Clay A. Kirby, Insect Diagnostician
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Description & Biology
The flea most commonly encountered in Maine is the cat flea. Although fleas are capable of transmitting diseases, this is rare in Maine.
Fleas pass through a complete life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The tiny clear-to-white eggs can be seen without magnification. Eggs are laid on pets or other warm blooded hosts but may be found wherever they fall off a flea infested pet. Eggs and flea feces often accumulate where pets rest and has the appearance of mixed salt and pepper. It takes from one to 12 days for the eggs to hatch.
Read more...
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Storm Cleanup Reminders from Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Support
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Bulletin
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Cleaning up storm debris? Here's what to know.
Storm cleanup can help keep Maine's forests healthy. Project Canopy, a program of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's (DACF) Maine Forest Service (MFS), offers tips and helpful advice to property owners.
- Trees and branches on homes and around power lines — Homeowners must find immediate solutions for downed trees and branches. Branches and trees on power lines should be dealt with by calling local power companies. Even if a hanging limb is clear of power and utility wires, homeowners should rely on professionals to assess the severity of the damage before trying to repair or remove the branch
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Injured or damaged trees requiring climbing or chainsaw work — Call a licensed arborist for help. Arborists are tree care professionals trained to assess and correct storm-damaged trees. They also have experience in diagnosing how much of a tree can or should be saved. Homeowners should be wary of those offering fly-by-night emergency tree-cutting services. Always ask for proof of licensing, insurance, and work references. DACF's Arborist Program has more information about working with arborists.
The MFS reminds everyone that the woody debris created by storm damage may harbor insects or diseases harmful to our forests. Moving that debris can spread pests to new areas.
Read more...
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Gaultheria Procumbens, a Small Evergreen with a Large Scent
By Kookie McNerney, Home Horticulture Coordinator, UMaine Extension
Cumberland County
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While hiking, have you ever noticed the sweet scent of wintergreen below your feet? If you have, it most likely emanated from Gaultheria Procumbens, more commonly known as Wintergreen or Eastern Teaberry. It is indeed the most noteworthy characteristic of this Maine native plant. Both the leaves and the berries exude a crisp, refreshing wintergreen scent. If it were not for the scent,
you might just miss this otherwise diminutive sub-shrub species.
Read more...
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During a power failure, cooking and eating habits must change to fit the situation. You may have no heat, no refrigeration and limited water. In addition, there are greater health risks from eating contaminated or spoiled food. When preparing food during a power outage, conserve fuel, conserve water and take health precautions.
Read more...
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Fir Tip & Wreath Season
Compiled by Donna Coffin, Extension Educator, UMaine Extension Piscataquis County
November brings cold weather and an opportunity for farmers who have balsam fir growing on their property to add a little to their farm income. Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties have a number of Christmas tree producers who are looking for brush or balsam fir tree tips for their wreath making operations. If you plan to sell to these folks, it is best to contact them and ask what type of brush they need and how they would like it delivered. Tip gatherers, who plan to collect tips from land that is not their own, must receive permission to use private land whether you intend to sell the tips or use them for making your own wreaths.
A fir tip is 12 to 20 inches long. Illustration by Mark A. McCollough.
The end portion of a balsam fir branch is called a “tip.” Tip lengths range from 12 to 20 inches. The tip may be broken into two or three pieces. These pieces are placed together to form a tip bunch and wired onto a ring to make a wreath. Balsam fir has dark green, blunt-ended needles that are about one inch long. Spruce looks similar to balsam fir, but has shorter needles with pointed ends. This makes the needles “prickly” to the touch.
Many wreath producers and home crafters are very selective when buying or harvesting tips, because tip quality largely determines the quality of the finished wreath. Tips should be “rounded” (needles on all sides of the tips’ stems). The needles should be a dark green color, not yellow or brown. The tips shouldn’t have any signs of disease or insect damage.
A 4- to 6-foot-long stick used for stacking tips. Illustration by Mark A. McCollough.
Once the tips are removed from the tree, they are gathered together. One common tip gathering method is to stack the balsam fir tips into a “stick.” The tip gatherer first cuts down a small tree (four to six feet tall), then strips the tree of all branches except for the last set (located at the bottom end of the tree). These remaining branches are cut four to eight inches in length. The tip gathers use these sticks to transport their tips.
Individuals can sell the tips to local buyers (usually a wreath wholesaler or retailer), who provide tip specifications (required tip length, quality, and stacking method). These tips are sold according to their weight.
Balsam fir wreaths consist of tips, a metal ring, and wire. A wreath is assembled by attaching bunches of tips to a ring. These bunches are held to the ring with the wire. Our publication on making balsam fir wreaths includes instructions for making double-faced wreaths (wreaths with tip bunches attached to both sides). Single-faced wreaths are made the same way as double-faced wreaths, except tip bunches are attached only on one side. Wreath making methods may vary slightly, depending on the wreath producer.
Source: Bulletin #7011, Balsam Fir Tip Gathering and Bulletin#7012, Making Balsam Fir Wreaths.
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Many organizations and community groups rely on volunteers like you for a variety of food events for fundraising, fellowship, food pantries or other services to the community. But cooking for a crowd is tricky! How do you store all that food? When is the food completely cooked? How long can you leave food on the buffet table? Now there is a workshop on Safe Food Handling designed specifically for Volunteers.
This class meets the Good Shepherd Food Bank food safety training requirements.
Why attend?
There’s a lot to learn about safe food preparation and handling. If you don’t do it for a living, you may not be aware of all the special techniques involved in cooking for a large group of people.
It is scary to think about people getting sick from your meal, but it can happen. More than three-quarters of the outbreaks are blamed on food eaten outside the home.
While foodborne illness can be as mild as stomachache, it can be much more serious and sometimes fatal.
Unsafe food can “spoil” your group’s reputation — and its finances. Don’t take a chance. Sign up for the “Cooking for Crowds” workshop. Learn to protect yourself and the people you feed.
What you will learn
Learn up-to-date methods for safely preparing, handling, and serving food for large group functions such as soup kitchens, church functions, food pantries, and community fundraisers.
Workshops cover the following food safety guidelines:
- Planning and Purchasing
- Storing Food Supplies
- Preparing Food
- Transporting, Storing and Serving Cooked Foods
- Handling Leftovers
Materials fee: $15 per person.
Participants receive:
- Cooking for Crowds – A manual specifically designed for volunteer cooks;
- Certificate of Attendance;
- Posters
- Instant Read Thermometers.
Next training will be in Greenville at the Greenville Town Office at 7 Minden St., from 5 to 8 pm. FMI: contact the Piscataquis County Cooperative Extension office at 207.564.3301 or Laurie Bowen @ laurie.bowen@maine.edu
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New Garden & Home Resources to Meet New Needs
Timely UMaine Extension Publications
NEEDS UPDATING
- Webinars & Videos
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Garden Chats: Growing Resilience From the Ground Up- 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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Free Distance Nutrition Education Classes through UMaine Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program is free to income eligible adults with children or your adults and if you are eligible for programs such as SNAP, WIC, or Head Start.
- Other
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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: 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: Charley Armstrong, 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.
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Extension Programs in other states:
If you find a great program when you're poking around online, let me know so I can share with your fellow gardeners: donna.coffin@maine.edu
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Garden Organizations and Allies
Click the links to learn more, find a chapter near you, and get involved.
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Master Gardener Volunteers
COVID-19 MGV Policy
Guidelines for Master Gardener Volunteers (Updated 6/8/21):
Reminder for MGV
to report their time and activities in the on the Master Gardener Volunteer Reporting Volunteer Hours website.
Did you forget the password? Contact laurie.bowen@maine.edu
Check out Kate Garland's information about the "Take Five" Winter Walk Series for Master Gardeners starting in January that was sent to MGVs in a separate email.
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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
Photos: Edwin Remsberg, Donna Coffin, or Laurie Bowen unless other listed.
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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Professor
Kate Garland, Extension Horticulturist
Laurie Bowen, Food Systems Program 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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