Highbush blueberries are native fruits. Like rhododendrons, these Ericaceous family members prefer to grow in areas with very acidic soils with a good layer of peat-like organic matter over very well drained soil. In swampy areas, they’re on hummocks, so roots aren’t submerged. The roots of highbush blueberries don’t penetrate clay soil well. They have
Epazote can be grown in Maine and added to Mexican dishes. Photo courtesy of Pete Nutile, Photographer, Johnny’s Selected Seeds. by Jason Moore Local farmers’ markets are an excellent source of traditional organic produce, such as sweet corn, peas and tomatoes, but also of regional and ethnic favorites, such as fresh fiddleheads, chicory, okra or
Unity College displayed a chicken tractor that student Sara Trunzo designed and built for use in the campus apple orchard. The 32-square-foot structure includes a closeable hutch for shade and nest boxes, water, feeder, and plenty of open space and sunlight. It also protects birds from predators and lets people access the birds and their
Eliot Coleman, at the 2007 Common Ground Country Fair, demonstrated a new way to extend the growing season: Sow double beds with lettuce, spinach and other cold-tolerant crops in early October; cover the beds with hoops and row covers; and around Thanksgiving, add a second cover of greenhouse plastic. The crops should be protected over
Tat soi, sown 8/11/07, was ready to eat at the Common Ground Country Fair on Sept. 21. English photo. by Jean English No surprise: I came home from the Common Ground Country Fair with a cornucopia of gardening ideas; and the lush results that came from taking a little time, space, seed and compost that
A large compost pile is made with a 25-foot length of snow fence. Green (nitrogenous) and brown (carbonaceous) layers of organic materials are alternated. By Adam Tomash and June Zellers © 2007 Photos by the authors Eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and cucurbits are among our favorite crops. All require warm soil and a fairly long growing season, which means they need a protected, heated space
Solomon’s seal is one of dozens of flowering plants that support the ruby-throated hummingbird. English photo. by Deb Soule Hummingbirds of North America, by Sheri Williams, lists 31 species of hummingbirds, but the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is the only breeding hummingbird living east of the Mississippi River. It is found in Maine between May
English photo. by Roberta Bailey Around the end of June or the very beginning of July, the garden changes dramatically from a plot full of fragile seedlings and newly seeded rows into a full-blown summer garden. This year the shift occurred on July first in my garden. I was absent-mindedly walking through it on my
by Melissa White A cruel paradox in our world today is that a disproportionate number of lower income people are obese. Of Mainers with under $25,000 annual household income, 25% are obese, compared with 15% of those with incomes of $50,000 or greater.1 One factor contributing to this discrepancy is the cost of healthful food.
Planting about a quarter of your garden to cover crops each year can add fertility, reduce erosion, help break pest cycles, and much more. English photo. by Eric Sideman, Ph.D. The Heart of Organic Growing Those who buy organic food often describe organic farming and gardening in the negative: as growing crops without using synthetic
