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Your Monthly News & Updates
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Photo by Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets
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September is the month to...
By Lynne Holland, Community Education Assistant (Home Horticulture), UMaine Extension Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties; and Trisha Smith, Community Education Assistant (Home Horticulture), Piscataquis County
Harvest the garden regularly. Donate excess produce through the Maine Harvest for Hunger program. For more information, please visit Maine Harvest for Hunger. Report your donations to your County Extension office or use this online form.
Stop watering and fertilizing any established perennials, trees, and shrubs in September. Watering and or fertilizing now will encourage new growth, making the plant susceptible to winter damage. Established perennial plants use this month to prepare for dormancy and winter.
Remove plant debris and weeds from the garden to reduce the number of overwintering sites for unwanted insect and disease populations, and minimize the deposit of seeds into the soil "weed seed bank." Follow with a
cover crop to protect the soil and serve as competition for weeds. If planting a cover crop is not an option, top dress with an organic mulch, such as seaweed, straw or leaves. Mulch will also add nutrients to the soil and improve soil structure.
Plan that new garden bed for next year. If you are considering a new garden space for next year now is the time clean that area out and do some sheet mulching or lasagna gardening to prepare the bed for planting in the spring. For more information, see
Sheet Mulch - Lasagna Composting (PDF) from Oregon State University.
Shop at farmers' markets for veggies you don't grow yourself, plus local meat, dairy, bread, flowers, and more. Talk to your farmers about bulk buying for your preserving needs. Find a farmers' market near you.
Watch the weather and take steps to protect tender plants if there's a chance of frost. Bulletin #2752, Extending the Garden Season describes methods to protect plants from the cold and extend the growing season.
Do a soil test. If the results indicate the need for lime and manure additions, fall is a great time to apply those amendments. For more information on soil testing, see Bulletin #2286, Testing Your Soil. For safe manure practices, see Bulletin #2510, Guidelines for Using Manure on Vegetable Gardens. For more information on soil organic matter, see Bulletin #2288, Soil Organic Matter.
Dig up bulbs that are not winter hardy like cannas, gladiolus, and dahlias after the foliage dies back. Clean the bulbs before storing. Store for the winter in peat moss or dry sand in a dark, cool, well ventilated space where the temperatures remain above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Drop in at Rogers Farm on a Tuesday evening with gardening questions, 5:30-6:30. 914 Bennoch Rd., Old Town. Call 942-7396 or email laurie.bowen@maine.edu for details. Demonstration gardens are open daily during daylight hours.
Cut back on your lawn area and come over to the "Low Input Lawn" team. Reducing lawn area will save you time and effort next year. Starting to implement the practices of a "Low Input Lawn" now will help your soil recover over the winter so you can have a healthier lawn next year. See
Bulletin #2166 Steps to a Low Input Lawn for detailed information.
Report your Master Gardener Volunteer hours to your UMaine Cooperative Extension county office. The reporting year ends September 30.
Register by September 22 to properly dispose of banned and unusable pesticides. Each October, the Maine Board of Pesticides Control conducts a program to collect and properly dispose of banned and unusable pesticides from homeowners and farms. Preregistration is required and collections are held at four sites across the state. More information about the program may be found
here.
Be aware of the threat of ticks. Learn more about ticks at
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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
- September 9-Fall Field Day at Rogers Farm, 914 Bennoch Rd., Old Town,10-1pm, rain or shine. Free events, no registration needed.
- September 9 (rain date 9/10)- Hirundo Open House, Hirundo Wildlife Refuge, 1107 West Old Town Rd., Old Town, 10-3. Grand opening of Phase 1 of "Trail of the Senses," a Universal Access trail.
- September 13-Raised Beds and Containers Gardening Series, Session 5: Using Your Harvest. UMaine Extension Somerset County office in Skowhegan, 9-11am. $20 for the series, take one or all of the classes. Register here.
- September 14-Brown Bag Lunch, Thompson Free Library, Dover-Foxcroft, 12:30-1:30. Herbalist Linda Tisdale of Alchemilla Herbal Apothecary will discuss stress and using herbs to support the nervous system.
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Located on Route 146 in North New Portland, Maine, 20 minutes from Skowhegan.
- September 16-Make your own rustic garden containers, Hirundo Wildlife Refuge, 1107 West Old Town Rd., Old Town,10-3. Members $15/non-members $20. Get tickets here.
- September 16-Tour of Breakneck Ridge Farm and Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony, Blanchard, 8:30-1. $12 includes lunch. RSVP to Piscataquis Soil and Water Conservation District by phone (207)564-2321 ext. 3 or email info@piscataquisswcd.org
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- September 19- Peony Society of Maine's Fall Meeting and Dinner, Brewer, 6 pm. Includes a root division demonstration and root auction. $10. Click for more information and to RSVP.
- September 22-Deadline to pre-register for obsolete pesticide collection. Each October, the Maine Board of Pesticides Control conducts a program to collect and properly dispose of banned and unusable pesticides from homeowners and farms. Preregistration is required and collections are held at four sites across the state. No drop-ins will be accepted. For more information and to find forms, click here.
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- September 23- Mushroom Workshop with David Spahr, Fields Pond Audubon Center, Holden. 1-4 pm. Maine Audubon members $20/non-members $30.
- October 7-Maine Herbalists Gathering, Thorndike. 8am-6:30 pm. Find details and tickets here.
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Photo by Lee Schneller Sligh
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New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)
By Liz Stanley, Community Education Assistant (Horticulture) UMaine Extension Knox & Lincoln Counties
Vernonia is a genus of about 1000 species of shrubs and forbs in the Asteraceae or Composite family. Plants in this very large family can be recognized by their inflorescence, which appear to be a single flower, but are actually a collection of flowers merged into a single head.
Some species are known as ironweed. New York ironweed is a tall native wildflower with deep purple clusters of finely petaled flowers that bloom in late August and September.
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| Photo by Dave Fuller |
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Leek Moth: A New Pest of Alliums in Maine
By Dave Fuller, Agriculture and Non-Timber Forest Products Professional, UMaine Extension Franklin County
Leek moth (Acrolepiopsis assectella Zeller), a very destructive pest of all of the Allium family, was first found in Maine in the larval stage by the author on garlic plants at the Forest Hills Consolidated Schools garden on May 28, 2017. Cocoons were also found from which moths were reared and submitted to a USDA APHIS specialist in Maryland who made the confirmation of leek moth.
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| 10,000 lbs of surplus apples were gleaned and redistributed by community volunteers at Johnston's Pick Your Own Orchard in Hancock County in 2016. |
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In-Field and Farmers' Market Gleaning
By Kate Garland, Horticultural Professional, UMaine Extension Penobscot County
The USDA estimates that 15.8 percent of Maine households, or more than 209,000 individuals, are food insecure. Our state ranks 1st in New England and 9th in the nation for food insecurity. Meanwhile, Maine has 8,200 farming operations managing 1.45 million acres of land. A 2016 study by Shelburne Farms in neighboring Vermont estimated that 14.3 million pounds of wholesome vegetables and berries are lost each year in their state when food was not connected with people either by being purchased or donated by the producer. This study reported that every year, perfectly edible food is left in the field...
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MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEERS-PLEASE REPORT YOUR HOURS for the 2016-2017 SEASON!
Check in with the MGV coordinator in your county, especially if you have trouble accessing online forms. We appreciate all you do!
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):
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Photo by Edwin Remsburg
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Food & Nutrition: Preserving Tomatoes
By Kathy Savoie, MS, RD, Extension Educator, UMaine Extension Cumberland County
At the end of the growing season most home gardeners have loads of ripe and green tomatoes. They can be picked and managed so you have tomatoes and tomato-based products for the months to come.
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Volunteer and Employment Opportunities
Kids are back in school! There is always a need for quality after school activities. 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.
Shared Earthly Blessings community garden in Dexter welcomes volunteers. Work days are Saturdays 9-11 and Wednesday afternoons at the Sherburne Farm, about 2 miles out of Dexter on the Ripley Rd (Rt 23). Produce is grown, harvested, packed, and delivered to local seniors. For more information call John Gornall at 207.924.5232.
Maine Harvest for Hunger-When you donate your fresh produce to a food cupboard, soup kitchen, shelter, school, or needy neighbor, please report using Harvest for Hunger's
online form or give your county Extension office a call. We love to document how generous Maine gardeners are!
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.
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 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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