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In Store Help…
Every staff member at Longfellow’s is a plant and garden enthusiast - happily willing to share tips and advice. Our team is comprised of specialists in every aspect of gardening and there is a good chance we have solved a particular problem before for another customer.
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On-line Resource Center… 
Our resource center contains many answers to the most commonly asked questions. Information ranging from plant & flower care, soil information, pests, hardiness zones to monthly advice and seasonal information to name just a few topics. We invite you to browse the topics and utilize the information for the betterment of your garden. This information was made possible by the kindness and generosity of the following, without their support, this information would not be possible.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
University of Maine Cooperative Extension – Piscataquis Office (Gardening Newsletter)
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
University of Vermont Cooperative Extension
University of Ohio College of Food, Agriculture and Environment Sciences If you feel something should be added to our resource center, please send us an email.
Click on one of the catagories below to be taken to the resource center for that topic: Spring is for Gardening
Here are 25 gardening activities you can do as spring rolls around:
First Half of April:
1. Keep off the grass -- heavy foot traffic now can cause severe damage to turfgrass
2. Shop early for the best plant selection
3. Shop for decorative containers, bird baths and other hardscape items
4. Sharpen tools, fix the mower, check irrigation equipment -- make sure they work before
you need them
5. Remove black oil sunflower seed hull accumulation from under feeders and dispose of them.
6. Clean bird feeders … and clean bird nest boxes before the birds start to nest
7. Inventory chemicals, fertilizers and other products with a shelf life; dispose of them if needed.
8. Prune houseplants to promote a good flush of growth this summer
9. Start tuberous begonias indoors, in pots of peat moss or peat-lite growing mix
10. Prune most shrubs (prune roses a little later)
11. Cut back ornamental grasses now, before they send up this year's growth
Second half of April:
12. Avoid the rush; test your soil now in order to know what fertilizer, lime, etc., to add
13. Apply and incorporate fertilizer in vegetable and annual flower gardens before planting
14. Screen compost and incorporate it into garden
15. Plant bare-root shrubs and trees as soon as you obtain them, before new growth starts
16. Plant English peas and sweet peas
17. Remove winter mulches from roses and broadleaf evergreens after threat of hard frost
18. Remove winter annual weeds before they flower and set seed
19. Re-set perennials that heave out of the ground
In early May:
20. Build a new compost pile of weeds, old straw, leaves and lawn rakings
21. Prune roses after threat of hard frost … but don't be hasty!
22. Plant pansies for spring color; also onions, spinach and radishes in the vegetable garden
23. Divide and transplant perennials in the flower garden
24. Seed lawn grasses as needed (or wait until early September)
25. Harden off seedlings 10-14 days before planting in the garden
Presented by Lois Stack, U-Maine Cooperative Extension Specialist, Ornamental Horticulture
Longfellow's Greenhouses, 5 April 2003 - "Spring is for Gardening"
FAQ and Advice by Month…
JANUARY
Q – Have your seeds arrived at the store yet?
A – We get some seeds in early January, and many more by February and March.
Q – When is your Cabin Fever Art Show this year?
A - The dates for January 2006 are Jan 28 & 29
Q – When can I plant my (cut) Christmas tree?
A – The popularity of live Christmas trees makes some people think that they can plant a cut tree and it will root. It will not root or grow under any conditions.
Q – What am I supposed to spray on my evergreens to keep them from turning brown?
A – A product called Wilt-Pruf, when sprayed on evergreens, especially broadleaf types like Rhododendrons, helps reduce moisture loss which can cause browning. Apply according to the package directions at the beginning of winter and again during January thaw (outside temperatures should be above 40F.) It also should have been applied in late November. The January application is just a renewal of the spray.
Q – Can I apply wood ashes to my garden and around my shrubs?
A – Wood ashes are a good source of potassium (potash) in the garden and also raises the pH of the soil and sweetens it. Add them to the compost pile, directly to garden soil, and around shrubs and perennials that prefer a sweet soil. Do not apply where acid-loving plants like potatoes or rhododendrons will be grown. Also, have the soil tested periodically to make sure you are not overdoing it. Too much wood ash is not a good thing. Remember to save wood ashes in a fireproof container, as it can hold live embers for a long time. Do not apply ashes to the garden if they have come from the burning of toxic materials.
Q – Ice and snow have bent my trees and shrubs over. Should I shake them free?
A – Generally, it is best to let warmer weather take care of this problem naturally. Frozen bark, buds, and trunk tissues can be damaged by vigorous shaking and pulling. If it seems advisable to do something, proceed gently and don’t force the branches free.
Timely tip: chip or shred holiday greenery for mulch for landscape use.
February
Monthly Gardening Activity Check over seed starting equipment (containers, media, germination mat, seeds, etc.) Resist the temptation to start your vegetable gardening seedlings until March. Inventory your garden supplies (fertilizer, seeds, pest control materials, equipment) Use plant friendly deicers on your sidewalks and driveways. Be careful when plowing or blowing snow near your perennials, shrubs and trees in the landscape. If you started feeding the birds, continue offering feed as long as snow is present
Q – When can I start seeds indoors?
A – Some things can be started now. This is an ideal time to start members of the onion genus, for instance. Others are pansies, green peppers, impatiens, and perennials that normally flower in early summer (although most perennials will not flower the first season after seeding). Use grow lights for best results any time you start transplants indoors, as most people do not get enough natural light from their windows. Start a regular fertilizer schedule as soon as the first true leaves are well developed. Do not start warm-season plants like tomatoes yet, as you will have a tough time keeping them healthy until time to plant them outside. See March questions.
Q – My seedlings are keeling over! They were looking great! What’s wrong?
A – They probably have a disease called “damp-off”. Spray remaining seedlings with an all-purpose fungicide. To prevent this problem in the future, make sure everything associated with the seeding process is sterile: hands, tools, containers, seeds, soil. Also make sure the temperature of the soil and air is appropriate for the crop you are growing, and make sure there is good air circulation.
Q – When can I start pruning my fruit trees and other trees and shrubs?
A – Wait until the end of March or first of April, before the first buds open. Pruning now can encourage disease problems. You may see pruning being done in commercial orchards earlier than that, but their schedule is not appropriate for the home landscape. Stop pruning mid-April through early June, because sap is running too freely during those weeks.
Q – I want to start gardening! Is there anything else I can do now?
A – Yes. Clean, disinfect, and sharpen tools; this will make things a lot easier later. Also, check bark of trees and shrubs for casings of insect eggs and destroy them to reduce infestations during the growing season. Start begonia tubers. And of course, plan ahead! This is the best time to plan on paper, do research, and work out problems in advance. Flowering shrubs can be cut now and brought inside for forcing into flower (place in warm water in a sunny room).
Q – When is the best time to repot houseplants? Anything I should keep in mind when repotting? When should I start fertilizing them for the coming growing season?
A – Repot in late winter or early spring, as long as the plant is between flowering cycles. Usually, plant into the next size (both width and depth) pot, rather than making a big increase in the size. Don’t pack the new soil down hard, but settle it in well so that no air pockets remain. Watering will help settle the soil. Start fertilizing again in later February or early March.
Starting Vegetable Seedlings Indoors
Seed Starting Time?
March 1st there are twelve weeks before Memorial Day. Or fourteen weeks until it will be safe to set out plants so they won't be damaged by frosts. Depending on the plant it can take from 4 to 12 weeks to start the transplants and have them ready for the garden when the danger of frost is past.
A common mistake is to sow seed too early and then attempt to hold the seedlings back under poor light or improper temperature ranges. This usually results in tall, weak, and spindly plants, which do not perform well in the garden.
It is important to start with good quality seed. If you are using seed left over from last year you may want to do a germination test to determine the seed's viability since different types of seeds remain viable for different lengths of time. Also, how the seed is stored can affect the viability.
While you are waiting to start your seeds, you might want to build a frame to mount two shop lights to give your seedlings the correct amount of light when they germinate. Contact the Extension Office for a copy of the plan for this shop light frame. Seedlings grow beautifully under florescent lights, but they need to be real close to the tubes, no more than two inches away.
Home gardeners should start their seeds based on when they can be transplanted into the garden. Remember in much of Piscataquis County our average frost-free date is about June 1st so it is best to wait until mid June to set crops out in the garden that are sensitive to the cold.
Start slower growing plants in March and faster growing plants in April or May. Slower growing plants include: Begonia, Geranium, Impatiens, Onion, Larkspur, Pansy and Vinca. Medium growing plants that should wait until the end of March or April to be started include: Ageratum, Alyssum, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Pepper, and Petunia. You can wait until April to start Aster, Marigold, Tomato and Zinnia. And wait till the first of May to start the vine crops like pumpkin, melon and squash.
Cold tolerant crops can be transplanted as soon as your garden is prepared in the spring. Cold sensitive crops need to wait until after the chance of frost has past (mid June) or you will need to plan to cover these crops to protect them from a late frost. You can use a cold frame, row cover or individual covers in the garden to protect plants from late frosts.
March
Monthly Garden Activities Plan to visit a maple sugar house on Maine Maple Sunday Build a frame to provide artificial light to your seedlings Assemble your seed starting equipment (containers, media, germination mat, seeds, etc.) Check fruit trees for mouse, vole or rabbit damage to the trunk. Start slower growing plants this month: Begonia, Geranium, Impatiens, Onion, Larkspur, Pansy and Vinca. Medium growing plants that should wait until the end of March or April to be started include: Ageratum, Alyssum, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Pepper, and Petunia. Plan to share seeds with your friends and neighbors to cut down on your seed costs through a seed exchange. Order your favorite vegetable and flower seeds. Start cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, ageratum, alyssum, pepper and petunia seedlings. Prune apples and summer flowering landscape plants. Fertilize houseplants with a dilute solution of soluble fertilizer. Order summer flowering bulbs, fruit trees, and fruiting shrubs. Spring icy sidewalks can be treated with a light application of fertilizer.
Q – What seeds can I start indoors now?
A – Check the seed packets. If the recommendation is to start seeds ten weeks before planting outside, the middle of March would be the right time to sow most plants, but don’t rush it. Start cabbage, celery, and other cool-weather vegetables. Aim for planting perennials, as well as cool-weather annuals, herbs, and vegetables outside the middle of May after hardening them off. Warm-weather annuals, herbs, and vegetables must wait until the end of May. See February questions for damp-off information. Use grow lights to make sure plants have adequate light; if the stems start to stretch, they need more. If you haven’t started begonia tubers yet, do that now.
Q – When will your tomato seedlings be ready?
A – The first transplants will be available for sale around the last week of April . We do not recommend planting them outside into the soil until the end of May, unless you have made special arrangements for warming the soil and protecting seedlings from frost. See questions & answers under Vegetables under April.
Q – Can I start pruning yet?
A – Yes. But do not prune spring-bloomers like forsythia, except to remove broken branches or suckers, or you will remove spring blossoms in the process. Do not prune birch and maple after the sap starts to rise; while still dormant, it’s OK, or after leaves are fully out in late spring. This is a good time to prune fruits trees.
Q – What other gardening chores can I do now?
A – Anything you didn’t do on the February list, and start cleaning up debris and raking as soon as the snow recedes. Make a cold frame to start early seedlings outside as the weather warms. Don’t remove mulches yet, even if temperatures are warm and the snow melts. Cut branches of flowering shrubs for forcing into bloom inside the house. Look for Eastern tent caterpillar or other insect egg masses on tree bark and peel them off. Tent caterpillar masses look like blobs of dried, gray Styrofoam wrapped around the branch.
Q – What should I do for my fruit trees?
A – This is a good time to prune fruit trees. Also, apply dormant oil spray late in March to smother insect eggs. Or apply oil and lime sulfur spray (a combination concentrate produced by Bonide), which smothers insects and disease. Clean up any debris (leaves, fruit) leftover on the ground from fall. Do not apply these after buds swell and start to open.
Q – Can I buy that nice tray of many small plants?
A – Sorry, plug trays are used for Longfellow’s spring planting projects and are not for sale.
Q – When will your nursery stock and perennials be available for sale?
A – The end of April, increasing the supply to full stock around the first weekend of May. The soil needs to be workable before planting, anyway.
Q – I forgot to plant my spring-flowering bulbs last year. Are they a lost cause?
A – Plant the bulbs in pots of soil, fertilize with a fertilizer designed for bulbs (“Bulb Booster”), and water them. Place in a cool location (ideal temperatures are between 35-45), where they will not freeze, for ten weeks. Then bring them into a warm, light area and start watering. Fertilize as soon as shoots appear, and again in a week or two. Plant into the outdoor garden as soon as the soil is workable. Most varieties (but maybe not all) will reappear next spring. If ten weeks of cold is not possible, give them as long a period as you can and hope for the best. If they do not flower this year, they may next year. If it is really too late by the time you think of it, just plant them into the garden as soon as possible and hope for the best. Some will perform nicely next year for you.
Care of the Mature Backyard Apple Tree
Are There Harmful Plants in or Around Your Home?
APRIL
April is National Garden Month! Gardens are learning environments for young and old alike. Gardening promotes physical and emotional health for the individual, while it strengthens our communities and encourages responsible stewardship of the Earth. Gardens are uniquely capable of infusing beauty into our lives. Gardening has power worth celebrating.
It's this power that explains why gardening in the United States is at an all time high and enthusiasm for National Garden Month is soaring. With 85 million households — that's 8 out of 10 — participating in lawn and garden activities, Americans clearly enjoy gardening, making it one of the top leisure activities in the United States.
Leave mulch over strawberries until new growth can be seen then leave mulch between plants. Finish up pruning apple trees now. Sharpen the blade of your lawn mower and make sure the mower is ready to mow. Examine any "critter protection" you've installed around trees. Make sure the tree is not growing into it and is still in place. Refresh mulch around landscape trees and shrubs once the ground has thawed and warmed. Now's a good time to rejuvenate old, overgrown shrubs by removing 1/3 of the thickest stems. Cut them off right at the ground. Next spring, you can remove another 1/3 and finish the job in spring 2006.
Start tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce, ageratum, snapdragon, verbena, marigold, celosia, nicotiana, etc. seedlings indoors. Finish pruning apples and summer flowering landscape plants. Take soil samples to send into the University of Maine Analytical Lab. When you receive the soil test report plan to amend the garden as recommended. Clean up vegetable garden plot. Remove any vegetation killed by winter. Plan to turn under any winter cover crop as soon as the soil is dry enough to till. Till only when soil is dry enough. Tilling wet soil will ruin the soil structure for the rest of the summer! Clean up flower-beds by picking up any fallen branches, pull up any winter weeds, and refresh the mulch as needed. Rake the remaining leaves off the lawn. In late April plan to reseed bare spots in lawn.
General:
Q – Chores: What should I be doing in the garden this month?
A – Spread compost or leaf mold on garden beds and rake up debris. Remove remaining dead plant parts. Wait to do any planting until the soil has dried out enough that a ball of soil will crumble in your hand. If you have a cold frame, put cool-weather tolerant seedlings into it (gradually); or start cool-weather, early garden crops like peas, carrots, and greens by direct sowing in the soil of the cold frame.
Annuals:
Q - What plants can be planted outside now? (Central Maine)
A – Make sure the soil is dried out enough. Harden off any annuals before planting them. This advice applies to container plantings as well. After planting, cover them if a frost is expected. The following can be planted after April 15, if the soil is well-drained and temperatures are warmer, but we do not recommend planting that soon, and waiting until May 1 will give much better results:
Alyssum, Bacopa, Calendula, Dianthus, Diascia, Dusty Miller, English ivy, Lobelia, Million Bells, Nemesia, Osteospermum, Pansies, Petunias, Scaevola, Snapdragons, Sweet Peas, Vinca, Violas.
Q – How do you “harden off” plants?
A – Leave them in their original containers and put outside, out of direct sun and wind, for a couple of hours, then bring back inside. Increase the time they are left outside each day. Then plant in the ground after a few days. This decreases the transplanting shock and the plants will be more likely to thrive. If you are putting seedlings started indoors into a cold frame, also use this gradual process. The use of row covers can help plants adjust during the earliest part of spring.
Q – What does “cover them on frosty nights” mean?
A- If it seems especially cold at bedtime, or if the weather report forecasts widespread frost, the plants need a “blanket” to keep from getting damaged by cold. If you live in a cold area, such as the mountains or in a low spot (cold air sinks), even “scattered frosts” may apply to you. Appropriate coverings include row cover (Reemay), burlap, or old sheets. Heavier materials like actual blankets need to be kept off the young plants by stakes or some other system to prevent crushing them. Plastic is not as good a choice.
Bulbs:
Q - What should I do to take care of bulbs that are coming up?
A – Remove leaves and debris that might interfere with growth. After green shoots appear, fertilize with a high-phosphorus fertilizer (P) and again around time of bloom. If possible, remove flower heads of daffodils and tulips so the plant’s energy will go into the health of the bulb, not into seed production. Do not cut back bulb’s leaves until they turn brown, and do not braid them (daffs).
Q – Do you have any tulip and crocus and daffodil bulbs for sale?
A -No. We sell those in fall, which is the best time to plant them. Bulbs you see growing in people’s gardens now were planted last fall, or a previous year. We do have some forced bulbs for sale in pots, though, until around Easter.
Q – Can I plant my forced bulbs in the garden, and will they come up next year?
A – Generally, yes. Fertilize the bulb plants while the leaves are still green with a product like Miracle-Gro. Wait until the ground thaws and is workable. By then, the flowers will have gone by and the leaves have turned brown on the bulbs. Plant the bulbs in a rich, well-drained soil in full sun (partial sun is OK for daffs). Plant them deeper than they have been growing in the pot – 10” for tulips and 8” for large daffs and 5” for small daffs. Many tulip varieties do not return reliably from year to year, so gardeners often discard those. Daffodils may re-bloom for many years if they are in a good location and you fertilize them every spring.
Perennials:
Q – When can I divide my perennials?
A – Now is fine for most perennials. However, if a species blooms early, you may disturb this year’s flowering by dividing now, so it is better to wait till after flowering. Fall is the best time for moving or dividing peonies. Pay attention to how deep to plant them (German iris, for instance). Remember to make sure all new divisions and plantings are watered frequently until established.
Q – When can I plant perennials that I buy?
A – If you found them outside here at Longfellow’s, they are hardened off and can be planted out now. If they have broken dormancy (leaved out), cover them if you expect a frosty night, or they will get frost damage.
If you found them inside a greenhouse here at Longfellow’s, they have not been hardened off and must be exposed to the outdoors gradually. Even then, if they are leaved out, cover them on a frosty night.
Q – Why aren’t my perennials coming back? They died.
A – It is too early to know whether most perennials will come back successfully. Some stay dormant until quite late in the spring. Others may appear to have green on them now but will not have enough stored energy to make it through the rest of the spring. Wait to see what happens. If something really did not survive, it may be because of no mulch and inadequate snow cover, moles or other rodent damage, poor drainage, or a tender plant being planted in a too-harsh location. Other causes of winter death include having layers of flat leaves (like maple) pack down on them and smother them, or putting loose mulch on the plants on top of a layer of snow, which also may smother them by causing the snow to pack into an ice layer.
Trees & shrubs:
Q – What basic things should I know about planting trees & shrubs?
A – Make sure you have the right plant for the right location (eventual size, light requirements, soil drainage requirements, etc.). Remove the pot or burlap or other wrapping. If the roots are tightly grown among each other, loosen them up a bit. Dig a hole larger than the rootball. Do not amend the soil. Plant at the same depth the plant was growing. Leave a bit of a depression around the rim of the hole to collect water, and do not mound up soil so water runs off. Water slowly and long to make sure the planting hole is saturated. Water at least 1” weekly until the ground freezes in fall, more often in very hot, dry weather.
Q – What should I do with the tree guards I planted around small trees last fall?
A – Remove them so they do not restrict growth during growing months.
Q – Is this a good time to prune?
A – Once active growth is occurring, around mid-April to early June, pruning is not a good idea because sap is flowing so freely.
Q – My tree/shrub looks dead. Should I remove it?
A – It may just be late to leaf out. Some plants take longer than others. If it still shows no sign of life in late spring, you can assume it’s gone for good.
Vegetables:
Q – What vegetables can be planted outside now? (Central Maine)
A – Make sure the soil is dried out and crumbles easily in your hand; otherwise, wait until it dries more. Harden off all transplanted seedlings, and wait until at least the middle of April for best results, unless you have a very protected area. From seedlings: lettuce, onions, biennial or perennial or tender perennial herbs (including chives, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary). Cover them if a frost is expected.
From seed: peas & snow peas, turnips and misc. greens, beets, carrots, lettuce, mixed salad greens, onion sets, parsnips, radishes, cabbage & broccoli & other members of the cabbage family.
Q – Why can’t I plant my tomatoes outside now? The snow is gone!
A – The soil is still cold, and night temps are still much too cool for warm-weather crops like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, beans, and basil. Even if they do not get frosted, they probably will succumb to disease. Wait until the end of May. Ways to speed things up: use raised beds, spread clear plastic on the soil to trap heat (black is second-best), use row covers, cloches, cold frames, Wall-of Water. Or plant in containers and bring in at night.
Timely tips: Before doing any planting, make sure the soil has dried out enough that a fistful will crumble easily and not stick in a moist ball. Spring planting depends on warmth of the air, warmth of the soil, and having the soil dry enough to be workable without forming mud or clumps.
Prune winter-damaged branches if you can tell they are clearly dead.
MAY
Monthly Activities Now you can start your vine crops like cucumbers, melons and pumpkin to transplant after all chance of frost has past in June. Be sure to harden off transplants before you set them out. Start mowing lawns when grass is about 3-1/2 inches high. Set mower to cut about 3-1/2 inches high. Place hummingbird feeders outdoors. Remember you can make your own feed by mixing one part table sugar with four parts boiling water. Stake peonies before they flop over. Remember to water container plants or consider putting in an automatic watering system. Plant strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apple trees, pear trees, etc. as weather and soil conditions permit. Click here to be taken to our fruit page Plant an outdoor herb garden. Select from Basil, Chives, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Save, Savory and other annual and perennial herbs. Click here to be taken to our herb page Protect well-developed strawberry buds from frost injury by applying straw mulch when freezing temperatures or forecast.
Annuals:
Q - Can I plant my marigolds and geraniums yet?
A – At the end of the month, but not before unless you pre-warm the soil and provide special protection. But most annual seeds can be planted after the middle of the month, like nasturtium seed. Wait till the end of the month to direct-seed basil. Plant summer-flowering bulbs like glads and cannas in mid-May, later for tender ones like dahlias. Start fertilizing on a regular schedule.
Containers:
Q – When can I buy or plant my containers, or put out my moss basket?
A – Yes, anytime the days are nice - but only those planters that are light enough for you to move inside if frost threatens. So moss baskets may be difficult for some people to manage moving. Containers received as Mother’s Day gifts may contain cold-tolerant plants, like pansies or osteospermum; but do not consider them frost-proof. Impatiens, begonias, and other warm-weather plants cannot tolerate cold nights at all. Start fertilizing weekly with liquid feed for full sun plantings, every other week for low sun or slow-growing plantings.
Perennials:
Q – Why are some of my bearded iris leaves ragged on the edges?
A – “Dealing With Iris Borers” - June is when the worst symptoms show.
Q – Last year I had Lily Leaf Beetles that destroyed my Asiatic & Oriental Lilies. What can I do now?
A – Start looking for the red eggs on the undersides of leaves, and squish the eggs, or pinch off the affected leaf and destroy it.
Q – How should I fertilize?
A – We do not recommend fertilizing newly-planted perennials. Fertilize established plantings with organic fertilizer or aged manure or compost or with synthetic 5-10-5 or 5-10-10.
Q – What should I do for my roses now?
A – As they begin to leaf out, prune away any dead material. Start a regular fertilizer program and, when leaves appear, a regular spray program for diseases and pests.
Q – What other chores should I do now?
A – Stake tall or floppy perennials like peonies with peony rings that supply convenient support or with stakes to which plants can be tied as they grow.
Spring-flowering Bulbs:
Q - I can see lots of areas where I want more bulbs. Can I buy them now?
A – Bulbs are sold and best planted in fall. If you purchase forced bulbs like tulips and daffodils in pots, you cant fertilize and water them, wait till the leaves die back, and plant them at a proper depth in the garden (see April entry). The best planning is done in spring, however, so make notes of exact locations of where you want to plant more bulbs in the fall. Now is the time to fertilize spring-flowering bulbs to ensure good bloom next year.
Vegetables:
Q -Can I plant the rest of my vegetable garden yet?
A – Even cold-tolerant vegetables should not go into the ground until the first of May in most gardens in Central Maine. Around mid-May, plant corn. Beans should wait till the end of the month. At last, after Memorial Day, you can plant warm-weather vegetable transplants outside without much worry. Basil is about the last to go into the ground; June 1 is not too late for basil. Start a regular fertilizing schedule.
Lawn:
Q- What should I do to care for my lawn?
A – Apply crabgrass preventer two weeks before the last frost.
Fertilize with lawn fertilizer such as 4-1-2 (high in nitrogen) at 1 lb. nitrogen per 1000 square feet.
Replant dead areas of the lawn, rake the seeds in well, cover with loose hay or pine needles, and water until the seedling grasses are established. Small dug-out sections of lawns are caused by skunks looking for grubs, so use a grub control. Keep it watered (especially new lawns) and healthy to avoid disease and insect problems. Compost longer clippings after mowing, only if no herbicide has been applied to the lawn. Lime and your lawn In search of the perfect lawn
Garden soil and garden locations:
Q – How can I get the best soil for my gardening needs?
A – See our soil preparation page, composting, etc. Also see our Retail staff for soil test kits and the University of Maine kit. Add as much weed-free, plant-based, organic material as possible and dig it in as deep as you can. For containers, use a light, soil-less mix such as Longfellow’s or Pro-Mix. Use an organic mulch that does not have weed seeds in it and from a source that was not sprayed with herbicide.
Q – I have a very wet or dry area or other specific needs. What can I plant there?
A – See the related sections of our Plant Guide.
Trees and shrubs and vines:
Q – Should I apply lime or wood ashes to plants that love sweet soil?
A - Some plants, like lilacs, delphiniums, and clematis, do prefer a sweeter soil. However, continually adding sweetening agents can create a problem over time. Have the soil tested periodically to see if more lime should be added .
Q – Why is my forsythia only blooming on the bottom?
A - The bottom part was probably insulated by snow, and cold winter temperatures killed the top buds. Consider planting more modern, hardy varieties that are now on the market.
Q – How do I plant my new tree or shrub?
A – Remove the plastic wrapping or ntting or pot. If the rootball is encased in burlap, remove that. If the plant has been grown in a pot, loosen any roots that may have become tightly wound around the rootball. Do not fertilize the first year.
Q – What should I do for trees and shrubs now?
A – Apply appropriate fertilizer. Rhododendrons and azaleas should be fertilized with and acid fertilizer (if a soil test indicates that the soil is not becoming too acid) after flowering, not now. We do not recommend fertilizing any newly-planted trees or shrubs until they have been in the ground for a year.
Timely tips: Now is the time to plant bareroot stock like roses, asparagus, trees, and shrubs. Plants that are planted in pots of soil are not limited to early spring planting. Soak roots in tepid water for several hours before planting.
Finish cleaning perennial beds of old debris.
Replace worn-out mulch but keep it away from bases of plants.
Prune any trees and shrubs that are not going to be flowering in the next few weeks. Remove branches damaged by winter.
Fertilize spring-flowering bulbs.
Please see the following helpful links for additional information:
Fertilizers and Commercial Soil Amendments
Green Manure Guide
Applying Fertilizers on Home Gardens
Brown Rot of Stone Fruits (identified by brown spots on blossoms in spring)
Columbine Sawfly (start checking in May)
Lily Leaf Beetle (start checking in May)
Viburnum Leaf Beetle (start checking in early May for egg –filled holes in twigs)
Forest Tent and Eastern Tent Caterpillars
Jewels in the Garden: Hummingbirds
Landscaping for Butterflies and Moths
Landscape Plants for Moist-to-Wet Locations
Landscape Plants for Dry Locations
JUNE
Monthly Activities
Early detection is essential for good control of vegetable pests. Learn to identify and distinguish between pests and beneficial predators. Stop harvesting asparagus when the spears become thin. Thinning overloaded fruit trees will result in larger and healthier fruits at harvest time. Thinned fruits should be a hands-width apart. Mow lawns frequently enough to remove no more than one-third the total height per mowing. There is no need to remove clippings unless excessive. Root crops like carrots, radishes, beets, turnips, and parsnip should be thinned to approximately 2 inches between plants within the row. Remove leaves from vegetable plants that appear water-soaked or otherwise diseased to reduce further spread of disease organisms. These leaves are generally lower to the ground and are susceptible to soil plashing. Rhizomatous begonias are not just for shade. Many varieties, especially those with bronze foliage do well in full sun if given plenty of water and a well-drained site. Begin hilling potatoes as soon as the leaves start appearing by mounding soil around the base. This forces stem elongation and increases tuber formation. Always maintain soil coverage over the forming tubers; otherwise sunlight will result in greenish potatoes that are bitter tasting. Pick off the strawberry blooms the first year. This helps the strawberries become established. Keep covers handy in case it gets down near freezing again. When danger of frosts has past, transplant nightshade and vine crops out into the garden. This includes tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumber, watermelon, squash, etc.
Annuals:
Q – What is that shiny golden bug feeding on my Sweet Potato Vine and Morning Glories?
A – This is Golden Tortoise Beetle, and one of its preferred foods is the genus Ipomoea, which includes these plants. Control: Any spray good for beetles in general, such as Sevin.
Q – I just planted some annuals and now they are all dead. We did not have a frost.
A - There are two likely possibilities. If the weather has been cool and damp, the soil has not warmed up enough for warm-weather annuals like basil and cucumbers, and they often die in cold soil.
Also, if we have warm (and especially windy) weather, new plants with small rootballs have not had time to root out in the soil and will dry out very quickly. One day without water under these conditions is enough to kill small plants. Getting the most from annuals
Bulbs:
Q – What should I do about those ugly leaves left over from my spring-flowering bulbs?
A – Do not cut or braid the leaves. Let them die back naturally. When they are mostly brown, then you can remove them. Mow around them, plant perennials or tall annuals around them, but leave the leaves in place—the bulbs need them to make flowers next year.
Q – When can I divide and move my bulbs?
A – Tougher varieties can be moved anytime. However, the best time is after the leaves have died back, so that the leaves can nourish the bulbs as much possible while they are still green. In the new location, enrich the soil with organic material (not fresh manure) and organic fertilizer or Bulb Booster.
Containers:
Q – How often do I have to water my hanging baskets or other containers? Why are my containers drying out so fast now?
A – On a hot, windy day, water at least once a day. In cooler or cloudy weather, they may go a few days without watering. Do not overwater and keep the soil soggy. The soil needs to dry out a bit between waterings, but not to the point of wilting. Remember that wilting can also be caused by too much water, so adding more water to wilted plants may just compound the problem. Use two methods to test whether a container needs water: put your finger in the soil to see if it is moist, and lift the pot to see if it is heavy (plenty of water) or light-weight (dry). Container-grown plants start needing more water in summer because the light levels are higher and the air warmer. Also, because the plants have grown larger, leaf volume is much greater, so the leaves are giving off (transpiring) more water into the air. Remember that plants in a clay pot will dry out more quickly than in a plastic pot. Also, lush leaves (like impatiens) will dry out more quickly than succulent leaves (like portulaca).
Herbs:
Q - Why do my basil leaves have holes in them?
A – Almost certainly, these holes are caused by slugs feeding at night. See slug control information.
Q – How long do I have to wait to harvest my herbs?
A – Except for seeds like caraway, harvest herbs anytime the plant is big enough to withstand having some shoots removed. Most herbs taste best if harvested before they flower.
Lawns:
Q – Why is some of my grass turning yellow, then brown, in patches, and sometimes spreading?
A – This could be problems with chinch bugs.
Q – What should I do for my lawn now?
A – Water enough to equal at least one inch of water (combined rainfall and watering). Raise the mower blade height in hotter weather, as longer grass will keep the roots cool. Avoid nicking the bark of trees and shrubs with the mower or trimmer, as this can cause severe damage to the bark and possibly death. In search of the perfect lawn
Perennials and Vines:
Q – What is causing the holes in my Hosta leaves?
A – Probably slugs or snails.
Q – Why is my clematis wilting?
A – A disease called clematis wilt may be at fault. Consult with the Nursery Dept. for current recommendations. However, tiny tears in the stem caused by high winds may be the cause. Cutting back the stems may be enough and the plant itself can be saved.
Q – What is defoliating my Asiatic and Oriental lilies?
A – Look for red eggs under leaves, a yellow-brown to orange red larva, or a bright red bug. See handout. Sevin works well.
Roses:
Q - What are those growths at the base of my rose bush or on the stems? Some of them are hard and rough, and others are smooth and spongy.
A – See link regarding Crown Gall.
Q – What should I be doing now to care for my roses?
A – Deadhead the blooms as they go by, use preventive sprays regularly according to package directions, and water regularly. When cutting roses, cut just above a leaf that has five little leaf parts, to encourage the formation of more bud-producing shoots.
Trees and shrubs:
Q – When should I prune my evergreen shrubs and trees?
A – Prune when new growth is partly unfurled.
Q – When should I prune my flowering shrubs?
A – Prune spring-flowering shrubs like forsythia and lilac after they have flowered. Do not prune summer-flowering shrubs like hydrangeas or smoke bush this late in the season, or you will sacrifice blooms. However, dead wood or bad branches may be removed.
Q – What is defoliating my crabapple trees and/or the trees in my woods? (Late June)
A – Gypsy moths.
Q – How should I care for my rhododendrons and other flowering evergreens and azaleas?
A – Remove spent bloom clusters. Topdress with oakleaf compost or cottonseed meal, or fertilize with acid fertilizer like Hollytone after bloom is finished.
Vegetables and fruits:
Q - What is eating my vegetables?
A – Please see various links as listed below this section. Also see Insect & Pest Index
Q - What is cutting off my vegetables at the stem and leaving the tops?
A – Cutworms
Q – What is that soft, fat, reddish brown insect on my potatoes/eggplants/peppers?
A – Colorado Potato Beetle
Q – Why are the leaves of my cold crops/root crops wilting?
A – Cabbage Maggots
Q – How can I protect my ripening strawberries from pests eating them?
A – Lay netting or floating row cover over the plants to protect from birds and chipmunks.
Growing Strawberries Handling & Care
Q – How can I take care of my vegetable garden for best results?
A – Water daily while seeds are germinating and when transplanted seedlings are rooting into the soil. Water the equivalent of 1” minimum per week unless we get that amount of rain. Thin new plantings of direct-sown seeds as they emerge. Fertilize regularly. Remove weeds while they are still small.
Q – What is that yellow & black striped bug on my cucumbers and other cucurbits?
A – See link on Cucumber Beetles. Organic: Japanese Beetle Killer with pyrethrin, Rotenone Pyrethrins, Rotenone dust. Next year, cover with floating row cover until the female flowers (flowers with a swelling below the base of the petals) start to form, then remove the cover so flowers can be pollinated. The beetles’ cycle will be mostly over by then. In fall, clean up all weeds and refuse and do not compost any cucurbit vines that were affected.
Appropriate links for June
Chinch Bugs
Crown Gall
Cabbage Maggots
Colorado Potato Beetle
Soil Insect Pests of Vegetables
Cutworms
Natural Solutions to the Control of Slugs/Snails
Sucking Insects that Affect Vegetable Plants
Rose Chafer
Striped Cucumber Beetle
Gypsy Moth
Columbine Sawfly
Lily Leaf Beetle
Viburnum Leaf Beetle
Growing Strawberries
Golden Tortoise Beetle
Timely tips for June:
By the end of the month, start preventive spraying for powdery mildew on Phlox, Monarda (Bee Balm), or other susceptible plants. Use a fungicide that lists this disease as a target.
Start preventive spraying with a fungicide on Nonstop and Hanging Begonias. This will help prevent Botrytis in hot, moist weather, which will cause whole branches to drop off the plant.
Prune hedges, especially evergreen, through mid-July. Prune spring-flowering shrubs after they bloom
JULY
Supplemental watering is needed during the hot dry weather of July. Strawberry, raspberry and blueberry harvest. Renovate strawberries after harvest is complete. Keep weeds out of flower, fruit and vegetable plantings. Succession planting of vegetables will assure a continuous harvest during the season After perennial flowers have bloomed, cut off the blooms and lightly fertilize plants Complete fruit tree fertilization by July 15th so they will go into dormancy in the fall Harvest summer squash and zucchini when small and tender. Continuous harvest of broccoli can delay the onset of flowering. Chrysanthemum plants should be pinched to increase flower buds. Keep spent flowers removed from geraniums and annual flowers to help keep them productive. Prune water sprouts and sucker growth from tree fruits. Use proper canning and freezing techniques to preserve the bounty of your garden. Start harvesting your early vegetables and berries Contact the Extension Office for publications on freezing and canning your excess garden produce Don't fertilize fruit trees or landscape plants after mid July to improve over wintering Check fruit trees for excessive loads of fruit. You may need to hand thin or prop up branches. Monitor rainfall and irrigate. Plants need 1 inch of water a week. It is better to irrigate only once or twice a week and wet the soil to a depth of six inches so the plants will be able to tolerate the dry weather better. Mulching and increased levels of organic matter in the soil will reduce the need for irrigation. It is normal for bluegrass lawns to turn brown in the summer heat. No amount of water will keep this type of grass green during the 90-degree days. Renovate strawberry beds after harvest Keep weeds under control in the garden. Remove bolting lettuce and replant with beans Thin phlox and beebalm to reduce powdery mildew - Renovate strawberry beds when the harvest ends.
- Start late crops of cold-tolerant vegetables like scallions, peas, lettuce, spinach, and other greens, and radishes
- Hold back on nitrogen fertilizer applications to the lawn in the heat of summer
- Keep watering so that lawns and gardens receive at least 1” of water from rain or hose
- Lift and divide overgrown spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and crocuses. Set them aside in a cool, dry area before replanting them in the fall, or replant now.
- Take cuttings from shrub roses and other deciduous shrubs for rooting.
Annuals:
Q – What is that shiny golden bug feeding on my Sweet Potato Vine and Morning Glories?
A – This is Golden Tortoise Beetle. One of its preferred foods is the genus Ipomoea, which includes these plants. Control: Any spray good for beetles in general, such as Sevin.
Perennials and roses:
Q – Can I seed perennials now to flower next summer?
A – Start new seedlings indoors, or outdoors in a protected area if you can control the watering situation carefully. Plant into their final locations or into a holding bed before fall. Provide a loose, weed-free mulch after the ground freezes but before snowfall.
Q –What should I do with my spring-flowering perennials that have gone by?
A – Cut back dead stems or seed heads. Cut back and divide spring-flowering perennials like iris, creeping phlox, etc. Water well until established. Plant jumbo pots of annuals in bare spaces.
Q – What is that irridescent black beetle clustered on my rose blossoms, raspberries, and other plants?
A – Japanese beetle. If using pheromone traps, place them at the edge of your property but not near the neighbors’ gardens, as these will attract large numbers of beetles to that area.
Q – Why are my lilacs, summer phlox, bee balm, and cucumbers covered with powdery white?
A – This is a fungal disease called powdery mildew. To prevent the problem in the future, avoid high nitrogen fertilizers, provide a location with good sun and good air circulation, select resistant varieties when available, remove and destroy dead leaves and debris, avoid watering leaves especially in the evening, use fungicides as soon as there is any sign and continue through the season. A bad infestation is difficult to control for that season. Prevention and preventive spraying are the best controls.
Vegetables and fruits:
Q – The bottom leaves of my tomatoes are turning yellow, then brown and shriveling. What’s wrong?
A – Probably they have Early Blight. Water early in the day whenever possible, so plants can dry before nightfall. Pick off affected foliage and destroy (do not add to compost). Spray with an all-purpose fungicide like Daconil. (Spray at the first sign of damage, or by mid-July.) Or just wait out the season without treatment, as you will get edible tomatoes even with blight affecting the plant. Only the most severe cases will prevent a normal harvest. At the end of the season, destroy plants and discarded fruits and do not compost them. Next spring when planting: use a black plastic mulch to reduce the amount of spores that splash up onto the leaves from the soil.
Q – The bottom of my tomato fruit is turning black. What’s wrong?
A – This is probably Blossom End Rot. The most common cause is uneven watering. Soil should be evenly moist, rather than drying out hard and then getting a good watering. Pot-grown tomatoes are particularly susceptible, so use a pot that is as large as you can manage to prevent the plant becoming root-bound, and establish a regular watering program.
This condition also occurs in the garden. Irrigate regularly when rain is inadequate. The use of mulch also helps to keep the soil moisture even; black plastic rather than organic mulch cuts down on disease and provides the heat that tomatoes need.
Q – How can I fill in empty spots in my garden left by early crops that have been harvested? You’re mostly all out of vegetables at the greenhouse for me to purchase.
A – Plant late crops of beans, radish, broccoli, lettuce & other green, and peas before August 1. Or plant cover crops like annual rye or buckwheat and till them in later, to improve the soil.
Q – What should I be doing for my apple trees?
A – Summer is a good time for light pruning, especially of water sprouts (vigorous upright shoots). Continue spraying on schedule to prevent scab.
Q – How can I prevent birds from eating my blueberries before I can pick them?
A – Cover bushes with bird netting before berries start to turn blue. Remove only to harvest.
Q – What is the soft, fat, reddish-brown larva or that fat, yellow beetle with black stripes on my potatoes, peppers, or eggplants?
A – Colorado Potato Beetle
Trees & shrubs:
Q – How much should I be watering?
A – Water at least 1” per week if that amount of rain does not fall. This is particularly important for shallow-rooted shrubs like rhododendrons, which cannot draw moisture from deep in the soil and which are forming next year’s buds now. It is also especially important for trees & shrubs just planted this year.
Q – What’s eating the leaves of my dogwoods?
A – Look for little larvae, up to 1”, perhaps with white, powdery substance on them. This is the Dogwood Sawfly.
Q – Should I still be pruning?
A – Stop pruning evergreens and spring-flowering shrubs that flower on previous-year’s growth by mid-July. Summer-flowering shrubs can be pruned after flowering or early next spring.
Handouts or reference sheets for July:
Armyworm
Fall Webworm
Gypsy Moth
Lily Leaf Beetle
Viburnum Leaf Beetle
Timely tips:
Start a preventative spray of Bt for tomato hornworm and fungicide for tall phlox.
AUGUST
Monthly Activities….
Continue to monitor rainfall and irrigate. Plants need 1 inch of water a week. It is better to irrigate only once or twice a week and wet the soil to a depth of six inches so the plants will be able to tolerate the dry weather better. Mulching and increased levels of organic matter in the soil will reduce the need for irrigation. It is normal for bluegrass lawns to turn brown in the summer heat. No amount of water will keep this type of grass green during the 90 degree days. Clean up all over-ripe fruit and remove from the garden. Pick up all windfalls and remove from the site. Deadhead perennials when flowers fade to conserve plant energy for next year. Faded annual flowers need to be removed to ensure continued new blooms until frost. Fertilize baskets with every couple of weeks. Purple wave petunias can even be fertilized weekly. Remove all diseased foliage from vegetable crops to reduce the spread. Keep weeding those garden crops. Weeds not only compete for water and nutrients; many are hosts for nasty diseases. Remove those overly large cucumbers and zucchini; allowing them to remain on the vine will inhibit new fruit from developing. -
Remove all annual weeds from the garden before they go to seed
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Keep watering for a total of 1” per week of water. Pay special attention to newly-planted trees and shrubs.
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Start cool-weather greens for a fall crop
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Take cuttings from house plants to start new ones.
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Harvest potatoes after tops have died back
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Plant green cover crops (clover, alfalfa, annual rye, or vetch) in areas of the vegetable garden that have been harvested already
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Make records of what did or did not do well in your gardens so that you can plan for next year. Photos are helpful and can also brighten up your winter as you review them.
Dried flowers:
Q – How do I dry flowers to preserve them?
A – Now is the time to harvest. Two basic methods are 1.) hanging the flowers upside down in a dark, dry, ventilated area or 2.) using a drying agent like silica gel, available from craft stores. Drying Flowers
Fertilizing:
Q – How should I be fertilizing now?
A – Continue a regular schedule for vegetables, annuals, herbs, and containers. A mid-August application is important for maintenance through the remaining season. It’s OK to reduce the frequency as fall approaches, as growth slows when days shorten and frosts begin. Fertilize chrysanthemums until the buds show good color. For perennials, trees, and shrubs, stop using anything with nitrogen by mid-August. This will help prepare the plants for winter dormancy. Phosphorus can be continued into the fall, if desired.
Fruits:
Q – What causes my stone fruits (peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, etc.) to get brown spots that spread to the whole fruit, and then the fruit shrivels and dries on the branch?
A – See “Brown Rot of Stone Fruit”
Herbs:
Q – I grew herbs this year. How do I harvest them?
A – See our handout “Growing and Storing Herbs”. Some are best dried, others are best frozen. Be sure to understand the use of individual herbs before consuming them. Some are toxic. In general, the best time to harvest is before the plants flower.
Perennials:
Fertilizing – same as Trees & shrubs
Q – Why are the buds and tips of my tall phlox yellow and distorted?
A – They may have “phlox tip midge”. This insects maggots live among developing leaves in phlox buds from June until frost. Control by picking off infested tips and putting them in the trash (not the compost pile), spray with pesticides labeled for midges on outside ornamentals.
Trees & shrubs:
Q – Why do my apple/crabapple leaves appear sparse and ugly and brown?
A – Apple scab is probably the culprit. This will also damage fruit and needs to be controlled early in the season by frequent spraying. In the fall, pick up and rake up all leaves and fruit on the ground and put it into the trash, not into the compost.
Q – What are those ugly nests in my fruit trees/apples/lilacs/trees and shrubs along the road?
A – Fall webworms. Apply Bt as soon as nests are visible, or wait till dusk or dawn (when the worms are in the nests) and squish the whole nest-full or prune out the whole branch and destroy it. Do not burn the nests, as it is harmful to the branches.
Q – What is happening to the leaves on my dogwoods?
A – The problems is probably caused by Dogwood Sawfly, which skeletonizes the leaves, leaving the mid-veins. Next early summer, look for groups of young larvae on the underside of leaves. These may also attack the wood in your house. Now, chemical control is only worthwhile if larvae ore less than 1 inch long; see handout.
Q – I am concerned by what I hear about wooly adelgids on hemlocks, which has been destroying hemlocks in other states. What should I know?
A – Hemlock wooly agelid is a serious pest on this valuable tree. It looks like white dabs of cotton. If you think you see this on a tree, contact the State Dept. of Agriculture 207-287-3891. Do not transplant seedlings from the wild from other states, and do not buy from out-of-state nurseries. All nursery-grown hemlocks in Maine are supposed to be carefully regulated to prevent this pest from spreading, so be sure to buy from a reputable nursery. Ask the nursery staff if you have concerns.
Vegetables:
Q – What is eating the leaves off my tomatoes/peppers/eggplants, leaving only the leaf rib?
A – Look for Tomato Hornworm, a fat green worm with stripes. It grows up to several inches long. Hand-picking is best, or prune off the branches they are hanging from and destroy them. You may find them on the underside of a leaf midrib. Also search for eggs. Bt is effective only early in the worm’s life stage, probably before you notice damage. Spray with Ortho Tomato & Vegetable Insect Killer (do we carry this?).
Q – What is that dark brown, wiggly insect with two pincers that are in my corn silk, flowers, or under the siding of my house (or other hiding places)?
A – See Earwigs.
Q – The bottom leaves of my tomatoes are turning yellow, then brown and shriveling. What’s wrong?
A – See question on early blight under July.
Timely tips:
Remove raspberry canes that have finished fruiting , leaving new shoots for next year’s crop.
Disease/pest prevention: Remove mildewed and other diseased or insect-infested plant materials and remove them from the garden. Also remove weeds before they spread seed. Do not compost anything with seed, insects, or disease.
Additional Information for August
Growing and storing herbs
SEPTEMBER
Store leftover garden seed in a cool, dry place. A sealable jar with a layer of silica gel or powdered milk in the bottom works well. Bring houseplants moved outside for summer indoors before night temperatures fall below 55 degrees. Gradually decrease light to acclimate the plants and help reduce leaf drop. Check and control insects and diseases before putting these plants near other houseplants. Poinsettias saved from last year can be reflowered for this year's holiday by providing complete darkness for 15 hours daily from about Oct. 1 until about Dec. 10. Dig onions and garlic after tops fall over naturally and necks begin to dry. Plant radishes, green onion sets, lettuce and spinach for fall harvest. Thin fall crops such as lettuce and carrots that were planted earlier. Harvest crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, melons and sweet potatoes before frost, or cover plants with blankets, newspaper, etc., (but not plastic) to protect them from light frost. Mature green tomatoes can be ripened indoors. Individually wrap fruits in newspaper, or leave them on the vine, pulling the entire plant out of the garden. Store in a cool location -- about 55 F to 60 F. Harvest winter squash when mature (skin is tough) with deep, solid color, but before hard frost. Some cultivars will show an orange blush when mature.
Annuals:
Q – What annuals can I plant this late?
A – Certain frost-tolerant annuals will last quite a while as late-color accents in the garden or in containers, and the Fall Magic series is based on this fact. Cold-tolerant annuals include Pansies, Dusty Miller, Flowering Cabbage & Kale, Lysimachia, Lamiastrum, English Ivy, Petunias, Calibrachoa, Scaevola, Dracaena, hardy Grasses, Osteospermum, Diascia, Nemesia, Snapdragons, Lobelia. Protect from hard frost. Mums will take only a very light frost. Other flowers that continue to set bud, like pansies, even if flowers are damaged by frost, will continue to have healthy flowers in the absence of frost. Continue to fertilize as long as they are actively growing. The color of flowering cabbage & kale deepens as the weather cools and persists until snow covers the plants. Asters provide nice fall color, also; however, these are perennials that will grow taller in the garden in subsequent years, so plant their placement accordingly and provide winter mulch. Pansies often will survive the winter, especially if given protection.
Q – When can I stop fertilizing my annuals?
A - Apply fertilizer in mid-August to assure best performance through the remaining season. Then continue to apply as much as once a week until frost. However, the payoff lessens as cold weather approaches, as annuals will not last much longer due to frost. Also, avoid getting fertilizer on nearby perennials this late in the season.
Bulbs:
Q – When will your spring-flowering bulbs arrive in Retail?
A – The first week of September, we will have bulbs available for sale.
Q – Can I plant my spring-flowering bulbs now?
A – Yes, but it’s better to wait till October, by some opinions. Use Bulb Booster, not bone meal, which can attract animals.
Q – How can I get tulips that will come back year after year, instead of getting just one year of good flowering from them?
A – Variety selection is most important. For the best bet, choose Darwin Hybrids or Fosteriana or species (wild) tulips; most of these act as perennials. Experiment with other varieties, as some others may perform for you. Fertilize with Bulb Booster, and fertilize again during their active growth period in spring every year. Site them in a well-drained location in full or part sun. Plant larger varieties 8-10” deep, which is deeper than most written instructions usually indicate.
Q – What do I do with my tender, summer-flowering bulbs, corms, and tubers?
A – See “Storing Tender Bulbs” instruction sheet in this section.
Q – How do I dry my hydrangea blossoms? Drying Flowers
A – See handout. Generally, Sept. 20-25 is a safe period, but protect from early frost. Petals have to have developed a papery texture to hold their shape. We have a hand-out.
Q – How can I preserve my flowers before they are killed by frost?
A – Harvest flowers that are suitable for drying before frost. Hang in small bunches in a dry, dark, airy location until dry.
Foliage & flowering indoor plants: Winter Care of Houseplants
Q – Should I do anything special when I bring my houseplants inside for the winter?
A – Check them for pests. Keep them isolated from other houseplants for a couple of weeks until you are sure they are safe, and inspect them again before mingling with others.
Q – How can I get my poinsettia that I kept from last year to turn color?
A – See “How to Care for the Poinsettia”
Q – How can I get my Christmas or Thanksgiving cactus to flower?
A – Flower buds set as the day length declines. Growing them indoors under artificial light will interfere with this process. Grow indoors in an area that only gets natural light. Or leave outdoors until the nights are getting cool; bring inside before frost, and the buds should have set.
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Herbs:
Q – How do I go about bringing my Rosemary and other herbs inside the house to over-winter them?
A – Make sure they are not bringing pests into the house with them. See handouts on “Over-wintering Rosemary” and “Herbs for the Windowsill”
Lawns:
Q – What should I do for my lawn?
A - Continue to water if possible during dry periods. Apply lime if needed, but get a soil test first. Dethatch and aerate old lawns. Fertilize in the fall with a fall formula (low in nitrogen). This is also a good time to start new lawns; mulch the new seeding and keep evenly watered until the ground freezes.
Perennials:
Q – Should I continue to fertilize?
A – No. Fertilizing and/or pruning at this time may encourage development of new shoots which will not have sufficient time to harden before cold, dry, winter weather. It’s OK to apply phosphorus through fall.
Q - How late can I plant container-grown or divided perennial plants?
A – Until approximately six weeks before the ground freezes. Plants will continue to put on root growth until the soil temperature stays below 40 degrees. It is not recommended to plant evergreen trees and shrubs in the fall.
Q – Should I cut back my perennials in the fall?
A – Yes. Cutting back lessens the chance of disease and insects over-wintering on the dead foliage and causing problems next year. Also, fall cleaning reduces the amount of chores to be done in spring. Do not cut back perennials that continue to provide late fall and winter interest, such as Sedums and Ornamental Grasses, until they lose their attractive form. When cutting back, leave about 1-2” of stem above ground.
Trees & shrubs:
Fertilizing: See Perennials.
Planting: See Perennials. However, use caution when planting broadleaf evergreens in the fall. Make sure they get regular water after transplanting, do not use fertilizer, and apply Wilt-pruf at appropriate times.
Q - Should I prune trees & shrubs in the fall?
A – As a rule, no, except for removing dead or diseased tissue.
Vegetables:
Q – Should I fertilize?
A – Continue to fertilize as long as the plant is actively growing. For instance, kale continues to grow through fall, but onions have gone dormant by now. Use a high-nitrogen formula for leafy plants and high phosphorus for flowering/fruiting plants.
Q – Why are the leaves of my cole crops/root crops wilting?
A – See “Cabbage Maggots”
Q – How can I extend the Vegetable season?
A – Cold-tolerant varieties of vegetables and herbs can be grown under row cover, or even longer in a cold frame, until quite late in the season. Greens like lettuce are suitable for fall crops.
Watering:
Q – How late do I have to continue watering?
A – The gardens still need at least 1” of rainfall per week. Water if rainfall is insufficient. This is especially true for trees & shrubs newly planted anytime this season, and all other new plantings.
Additional Information for September: Fall Planting
Fall Gardening
Herbs for the Windowsill
Limestone Rates for Raising pH
Storing Tender Bulbs
Overwintering Rosemary
OCTOBER Plant spring flowering bulbs. As plants yellow and die back, it's ok to cut them back and compost any healthy plant tissue. Don't mulch strawberries until night temperatures are in the 20s or after a series of consecutive freezes. (This is generally the first part of November in Piscataquis County.) Don't touch apples that are frosted. Your warm fingers on the cold flesh will cause discoloration. Wait until the fruit has warmed to pick. Protect trunks of young fruit trees from winter damage. A hardware cloth cylinder of 1/4" mesh will deter hungry voles and rabbits. To protect against sun scald, position a board against the south-southwest side of the tree trunk and secure it in place. You can make the hardware cloth cylinder large enough to include the board. Or, you can buy spiral tree wrap. After mowing your lawn for the last time be sure to winterize your lawn mower. This includes: cleaning the underside of the mower to remove all caked on grass clippings, sharpening the blades, adding gas stabilizer to the gas tank and running engine to be sure the stabilizer goes through the whole system.
Fertilizing: Don’t, except for lawns or new bulbs.
Lawns:
Q – Do I have to rake?
A – It’s best not to let layers of whole leaves pack down for the winter, as this can kill the grass underneath. You can run a lawnmower over the leaves to shred them. If collecting the leaves for compost, layer them with kitchen vegetable waste and thin layers of soil in the compost pile to help them decompose properly.
Q – What care does my lawn require now?
A – Continue to water during dry periods. Apply fall (low-nitrogen) or winterizing lawn fertilizer this month, but hold off if there is not enough rain or watering for good growth. Fall is also a good time to lime a lawn.
Mulching gardens – Wait. This will be discussed in November.
Perennials:
Q – Why bother to clean up the perennial garden; isn’t it true that stems help hold snow to provide a winter mulch?
A – Yes, this is true, and also a good justification if you don’t have time for fall chores. However, some pests and diseases can over-winter in dead perennial material, and removing waste helps prevent worse problems next year. Plants that especially benefit from fall clean-up are summer phlox, peonies, roses, and German irises, which may harbor problems you can’t yet see. Anytime you actually notice pests or disease, it is good practice to clean up the plants in the fall and put the refuse in the trash, not in the compost. Use fresh mulch for winter protection (after the ground freezes).
Planting:
Plant spring-flowering bulbs! Bulbs can be planted right until the ground freezes.
Pruning: Don’t. Please see September info on pruning.
Roses:
Q – How do I help my roses survive through winter? Winter Protection
A – It is too early to provide protection (see Nov.) Continue to provide plants with water and do not fertilize.
Trees & shrubs:
Q – What can I do to keep my Rhododendrons to keep from turning brown?
And how can I get my Rhododendrons to stay healthy through winter?
A - When planting the shrub in the first place, put it in a site that will be protected from winter sun, which dries out the leaves at a time the plant cannot replenish moisture through the frozen soil. Make sure the plant is well-watered through summer and fall. Rhodies are shallow-rooted and very susceptible to dry conditions. Apply Wilt-Pruf in late November and again in mid January.
Watering:
Q – Do I have to water?
A - Continue to water if we do not get at 1” rain per week.
Timely tips:
Wrap tree guards around lower portions of trunks of smaller trees, as high as snow is likely to cover, to protect bark from rodent damage.
Purchase products to winterize the garden: mulches, burlap, stakes, rose cones and collars, Wilt-Pruf.
Additional Information for October: Preventing Winter Injury to Plants Winter Care of Your Garden Pond
Plants Not to Cut Back in Fall Plants for Fall & Winter Interes
NOVEMBER
Monthly Garden Activities… Now's a great time to mulch strawberries if you haven't done so. Pull out frost killed annuals and compost health plants. Discard any annuals that are diseased. Perennials can be cut back to a few inches from the ground though over-wintering foliage helps trap snow, which is an excellent insulator. Some plants provide winter interest and other provide food for the birds. Mulch perennials beds once the ground has started to freeze. Mulching moderates soil temperatures and reduces freeze-thaw cycles in the soil. Remove all garden debris and weeds from the vegetable garden. Empty your composter and roto-till the compost into the garden bed. This also frees up composter space for the new crop of leaves. Make notes of which vegetables grew well for you and the cultivar names. Protect trunks of young fruit trees from winter damage. A hardware cloth cylinder of 1/4" mesh will deter hungry voles and rabbits. To protect against sun scald, paint with thinned water based white paint or you can use a spiral tree wrap. Most houseplants originated in the tropics or subtropics where rainfall is relatively warm, so don't use cold water when you water them. Run all gas-powered equipment to empty the fuel, and winterize as recommended by manufacturer. Clean, sharpen, and oil hand tools.
Bulbs:
Q – How late can I plant spring-flowering bulbs?
A – Until the ground freezes. However, bulbs planted later probably will flower later in the spring than established bulbs.
Q - What if I can’t plant my bulbs before the ground freezes?
A - Plant them in deep pots, spaced apart appropriately for the variety (if you have room), or one per pot for ideal spacing, in good quality soil. Water them and place them in a very cool, protected location such as an unheated basement or a cold frame. Check about once a month to make sure they are not drying out too much. By spring, they will be growing actively, and give them good light as soon as possible. Then, whether they have flowered yet or not, plant them outside in their final location as soon as the soil is workable, and fertilize. If the bulbs were planted at the wrong height in the pots so that planting them in the ground at the right depths will bury the leaves too much, plant the bulbs at the correct depth anyway but don’t back-fill the hole completely until later, when the leaves have had a chance to develop well and send good nutrients back into the bulb for next year.
Fertilizing: Don’t.
Flowering Holiday plants
Foliage plants:
Q – How should I care for my houseplants during the winter?
A – Reduce water and do not fertilize till late winter. Apply fertilizer at low rates for African violets and orchids.
Holiday decorating:
Q – How much garland is needed for a standard door or around a lamp post?
A – 20’ around most doors, 10’ around a standard home lamp post.
Q - How many lights do I need to decorate a tree?
A – See list at the end of the November section. Also check back of light package.
Q – How many bunches of boxwood does it take to make a full-size boxwood tree (on one block of oasis)?
A – Approximately 3 or a little more, depending on the maker’s style. See our handout on making a boxwood tree.
Q -How many bunches of fir does it take to make a one-sided 12” wreath?
A – Approximately three. Making Balsam Fir Wreaths
Q – How do I keep my Christmas tree fresh? Care for the Cut Tree
A – Make a fresh cut on the bottom of the trunk immediately before placing it in the tree stand filled with water. This means cut off a whole cross-section of trunk to open up the tree’s vascular system so it can draw water up into the needles. Also, use a product such as Prolong added to the water to keep it fresh. If you are able to spray the tree with Wilt-pruf, that will help (you will probably want to spray outdoors, but the temperature needs to be above 40 degress to use this product).
Q – How long can I keep a live Christmas tree inside my home? What else do I need to know about it?
A – Only a short time. Care for the Cut Tree
Q – When will you be getting in a fresh supply of holly (or fir, or boxwood, or whatever?)
A – Ask the manager of that department. In general, we receive wreaths before Open House, evergreen boughs Nov. 1 but no more after Dec. 1, boxwood by Open House or at least Thanksgiving, holly after Thanksgiving, mistletoe by Dec. 1.
Q – How do I get my Poinsettia to re-flower?
A – The process needs to be started in September, by October 1. Controlling exposure to light and dark conditions is critical. General cultural requirements include proper fertilizing and watering.
Q – How do I get my Christmas cactus to re-flower?
A – Bud formation is triggered by day length and happens in fall if the plant is exposed only to natural daylight and no artificial light during that period. One way is to leave the plant outside until frost (do not allow plant to get frost damage). General cultural requirements include proper fertilizing and watering according to seasonal needs.
Perennials & roses:
Q – When and how should I mulch my flower beds?
A – Not before the ground is frozen, or at least after it is freezing somewhat solidly each night, and before a significant snowfall. Mulching is usually appropriate anytime in November (unless the weather is unusually warm) until Thanksgiving. It may be done after this, if the ground is not covered with snow. If you do not mulch before snowfall, don’t lay mulch on top of the snow, as it will cause an ice layer to develop that will be damaging to the plants. Do not mulch with plastic or any material that will heat up in the sun or will not allow air to flow through the material. Hay and straw are good only if they are free from weed seeds, and sometimes it blows away. Pine needles are good but may not be available and sometimes carry a dormant slug population. Evergreen boughs are ideal, because they allow air passage, they insulate, they are easy to remove in spring, and they do not harbor many pests. Another reason to wait until late in the season, however, is to allow rodents to find other nesting homes for the winter first, so they will be less likely to select your nicely mulched areas.
Q – How should I protect my roses over winter?
A – “Winter Protection of Roses” "Winterization and Care"
Pests:
Q – There are small tunnels running across the top of my lawn. What causes them?
A – Moles cause these tunnels. They will eat bulbs and roots during the winter, especially in years when their population is high. Use traps or poison. Two methods that will deter other digging rodents: Barriers of woven wire or hardware cloth sunk below the surface of the soil around prize bulbs may stop moles, but you would have to cover a wide surface area. Another method is to plant the bulbs in wire cages with mesh large enough to allow sprouts to come through in spring.
Planting: Fall Planting of Spring Bulbs
Pruning: Please see September information on pruning.
Trees & shrubs:
Q – When do I apply Wilt-pruf to my evergreens?
A – Late November, and again in mid-January. Temperatures should be above 40 degrees.
Q – How do I protect my evergreen shrubs from wind, snow damage, and sun damage?
A – Tighten guy wires on newly planted trees to stabilize them through harsh winds. They still need light, so a teepee arrangement or a lathe barrier is better than burlap wrap. Never wrap with plastic. Use Deer-Off to protect from deer damage.
Q – Can I still plant trees & shrubs?
A – It’s getting late, and therefore risky. Especially avoid planting any types of evergreens.
Q – How can I protect my shrubs from deer?
A – Apply Deer Off or a similar product, according to package directions. Repeat application in a few weeks.
Timely tips:
Clean up and remove all diseased or insect-infested material, especially around roses, apples, and other plants prone to pests & disease. Remove asparagus at ground level. Don’t compost this material, but put it in the trash. Disease-free and insect-free plant material may be composted.
Cut back perennials (not roses).
Additional Information for November:
Making a Boxwood Tree
Wreath Making with a Wire Ring
Christmas Wreath Notes
Live Christmas Trees
Typical Lighting Requirements
List of All Handouts Available in Retail for Holiday Season
DECEMBER
Bulbs:
Q – I forgot to plant my spring-flowering bulbs. Are they any good now?
A – Plant them in a good soil in large pots and place in an unheated, protected area like an unheated basement, woodshed, cold frame, or garage. Water them once, then keep them from drying out hard during the winter, but don’t keep them soggy-wet. Plant them in the ground after danger of hard frost. Use Bulb Booster or an all-purpose fertilizer when planting and place them in the ground at the proper depth for that type of bulb (you may have to partially fill in the planting hole at first, then backfill as top growth elongates). If no unheated space is available, just keep the bulbs dry and cool, then plant them outside as soon as the ground is workable in spring, and hope for the best. Some will survive. Of those that do, some may not flower till the next year.
Perennials, Trees, & Shrubs:
Fertilizing & Planting: Please see Sept. & Nov.
Holiday decorating, foliage plants: Please see November
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