March (Mid March) Garden Talks

Hello again,

Mid March is here already! The Portland Flower Show is just past. What a great show--much hard work went into it and we saw many happy faces there!

I would be remiss if I did not point out that the Pray Hardscapes/Skillin's booth won The Lyle Littlefield Commemorative Award for the garden that best introduces new or under-used woody plants. Also we won The Roger Luce Award for the garden that best utilizes new or underused herbaceous plants. Congrats also to our friends at Jaiden Landscaping for winning Best of Show! See more details about the Portland Flower Show right HERE!

Thanks to all the customers who visited Skillin's on their way to or from the Show. The Portland Flower Show really gets people "revved up" for the coming Spring gardening season. And as my uncle John Skillin used to say about this time of year  for us gardeners: "It is getting to be our time."

Speaking of "our time", our Skillin's Open Houses are coming fast now! This Friday, Saturday and Sunday March 16, 17 and 18 at Skillin's Falmouth and next Friday and Saturday, March 24 and 25 at Skillin's Brunswick and Cumberland! Click HERE for our Open House Specials! Come see our good friends, the Maine Orchid Society at Skillin's Falmouth on March 17 and March 18. Also we have a good series of classes those days and you can see all about them and more classes right HERE!

It is time to bring you all a few Gardening Tips. What mild weather we have been having in Skillin's Country. Some areas still have snow but much of the snow is gone. It really feels like an early Spring is upon us!

*For the most part it is still too early to walk much on the lawn or garden area because it is still quite wet. Walking too much on mushy soil will actually compact that soil and take some of the natural vitality away from the earth under your foot prints. So for now resist the urge to tread on wet soil! Soil that is dry enough to walk on will feel firm underneath or spring back quickly underfoot.

*Some of you may have started some seedlings already. Some plants (peppers, celery, greens of all types, perennials) can and should be started by now. Many vegetable crops (tomatos, vine crops like cukes, squashes, watermelons) should not be started for a few weeks yet. If you have started some seedlings, it will soon be time to do some "thinning" of seedlings. As contrary as it seems to be, thinning seedlings is important so the "survivors" can grow stronger with more room and more light! Our friends at Gardeners Supply recently gave some good thinning advice:

"Nobody likes to thin seedlings. It's fussy work, and always hard to decide which ones to save and which to toss. Here's and easier way: When the first true leaves appear, use a scissors to snip off the extra seedlings at the soil line. You'll be left with only as many seedlings as you need.

Don't seed too thickly. Two to three seeds per pot is sufficient.
Some gardeners carefully separate the seedlings and replant the extras in other pots. Thrifty, yes, but it's easy to damage the tiny plants. If you decide to transplant any of the seedlings, loosen them carefully from the soil, using a table knife. When handling the seedlings, grasp them by their leaves or roots; avoid holding the stems, which can be damaged easily.

If you're thinning a crop of lettuce seedlings, you can actually add the tiny thinnings to your next salad. "

*One outside job that can be done is to shovel any snow off your raised beds. Give the soil a better chance to warm up faster by getting that snow off! Let the soil dry out some. This weekend or next week if you have the chance sprinkle some good natural garden fertilizer on the beds (think Garden Tone by Espoma--sold right here at Skillin's!) and gently hoe the Garden Tone into the soil. You never know with some good sun you could easily be planting peas or spinach or other greens into those raised beds for a good early crop!

*If you can get to them now is a last window to prune your apple or other fruit trees. Also you could prune to shape some summer flowering shrubs like spirea, potentilla, rose bushes and butterfly bushes. Stay away from Spring flowering shrubs like lilacs, rhododendrons and forsythia. You will just be pruning off branches that will be blossoming in a few short weeks. Although you can prune forsythia and flowering crabs just a little bit for vases indoors. Cut a few branches of forsythia or flowering crabtrees, bring them indoors in a good sized vase and soon  you will  have flowers indoors!

*Resist uncovering any perennials right now! Most of my perennials are just covered a little by balsam fir tips I laid down in December. In a couple of spots the perennials are starting to grow underneath the balsam. Do not take off any mulch yet from your perennials. I am usually later than some but I do not uncover my perennials until late March (around March 25 at the earliest). The ground will slowly warm through the mulch and the mulch will protect the soil from freezing and thawing during the earliest days of Spring in Skillin's Country. In many cases I will pull only some of the mulch and then take the rest off in early April.

*This is a repeat from earlier in the month but do clean out the wet bird food from your bird feeders. Our plentiful moisture of the last few weeks left my feeders (no, wait my bird's feeders) with some wet food. Birds do not prefer wet food and uneaten wet food can mildew easily! Keep the food dry and our feathered friends will be happier (and more loyal if you know what I mean!)

*Don't forget your houseplants. There is more light in Skillin's Country and your plants will be growing more! So water thoroughly and slowly when you do water. Let lots of excess water gush out of the bottom of the pot and drain away. Then water again only when the soil is dry. Begin feeding your plants again--we have lots of great all natural options like Dynamite, Organica's Plant Tablets or Neptune's Harvest Fish and Seaweed fertilizer. (I recommend any of them!)

*We have loads of Spring flowering bulbs available for you and NOW is a great time to get tuberous begonias and dahlias started indoors. Use all natural Bar Harbor Blend by Coast of Maine, peat pots (so you can submerge them into larger pots or outdoor soil later) and place them in the sun. You will get WEEKS more flowering out of these gorgeous plants! We have the BEST bulb selection in Maine!


Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
March 12, 2012

March (Early March) Garden Talks

Hello again,

February is leaving us with little snow in Skillin's Country. Contrast that with last year when we were buried deep. Who knows what turns our weather will take in March?

Here is a pretty good list of practical gardening tips for all of us:

*If you have ornamental grasses in your yard and you left them uncut in the fall for winter interest, then the "thrill" is probably gone. In other words, Mr. Winter has probably left your grasses bleached out and matted from earlier snow. When you can get the shears out and prune those grasses hard--to within an inch or two of the soil line. As I like to say to wary gardeners: "show them (the plants) who is boss"! This type of pruning will ensure a nice compact, thick and balanced growth habit going into the Spring and summer.

If Your Ornamental Grasses are Looking a Little Worn Like These Then Early March can be a Great Time to  Trim Them Back!

*March is the ideal time to prune your fruit trees while they are still dormant ( before the buds show any green). Take out any dead and winter-damaged wood, suckers at the base and branches that rub against one another. Then, thin out the interior so it's not crowded or twiggy. Finally, shape the tree overall to maintain a healthy, pleasant stature. Good fruit tree production starts in March with good pruning! Click HERE for more pruning details and pics!

*Terry Skillin also wants to remind you that the end of March or beginning of April is a good time to start your dormant oil program. Regular spraying is necessary for a quality yield of fruit. We sell some very safe sprays for your fruit trees that will help combat insect and disease. Combine your spraying with good pruning like we discussed above means you will be well on your way to a great yield of fruit. You know Terry and I love fresh apples, pears, peaches and more so if you grow some good "stuff" bring a piece or two for us!

*When you are able to get outdoors for some garden chores, be careful of your wet lawn and garden soil. Trodding too often on very wet soil can tear at your lawn but even more depressing compress the top part of your soil. Hey ground was made for "walkin'" on but just be sparing in making your tracks!

Our Garden Soil Should be a Little Dryer Than This Before We "Trod" On It!

*Get your Garden Journal ready to record what works and what doesn't, sketches, bloom times and to do's for later in the month. Got a Journal? Check out last year's journal or notes. Now is a great time to do that!

*Okay, we are all pumped about Spring and starting seeds. But it is better to start seeds later rather than sooner in most cases. As our friend Margaret of A Way to Garden reminds us: "Small, compact seedlings are better than older, leggy ones for transplanting. Only leeks and onions should be started indoors before mid-month. After that, the pace quickens: Sow cool-season crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi and Brussels sprouts mid-March, to set out six weeks later." Jeff Skillin is adamant that tomatoes do not get started until April 15 or after. Warm weather loving vine crops like squashes and cukes do not get started until well into May!

*March is a GREAT time to start tuberous begonias early. I recommend starting them in peat pots during this month. You get a huge head start on the growth of the begonia and that means they will be almost ready to flower when you set them out doors in the ground or in a larger container in late May. And because they are in peat pots they can just be placed into the ground OR in the larger pots without disturbing the roots of the begonia! The same principle holds true for dahlias--our begonias are available now; our dahlias will be available before the end of March.

Tuberous Begonias are just a Wonderful Plant to Grow. March is a Great Month to Start Them Early!

*The birds are still feeding heavily from our feeders. Make sure you provide them quality seeds (we can show you here at Skillin's). And keep the food dry in their feeders. Should we get any torrential rains, make sure any exposed seed is cleaned out of the feeder!

*Come see Skillin's and many other good displays at the Portland Flower Show. The show runs from March 7 through March 11.

*This time of year is still a great time of year to cut some flowering branches (like forsythia) early and force them to flower inside the house, to read more about seed starting, to get an understanding of how many of our houseplants and to do some vegetable garden planting. All of this and more is covered in our mid February Garden Talks!



Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
February 27, 2012

Direct Seeding in the Ground for Vegetables

Good gardening friend Paul Parent of the Paul Parent Garden Club sends out a great newsletter every week with pertinent gardening topics. I encourage you to go to his website to sign up for his newsletter. Paul can also be heard every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 10 AM at his website or at WBACH (104.7 FM) every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 9 AM. Paul recently sent this article out called "Direct Seeding in the Ground for Vegetables" (I occasionally add a few comments in italics) and here it is:


Placing seeds in the ground should be done when the ground has warmed up to temperatures of 60 degrees or above. Peas and spinach are the exception; they will germinate at 50 degrees. (Don't forget the old farmer's adage that peas should be planted by Patriot's Day!) I place an old outside thermometer in the ground about 3 inches deep into the soil. When it's ready, I plant. If you use weed block over the soil, the soil will warm up much faster and it will keep weeds out all season long. Great advice about the weed block!

Many Great Tasting Vegetables Can Be Grown from Direct Seeding in the Ground!

Click HERE for a great chart by Paul on timing, spacing and an idea of yield for your direct seeded vegetables!
Your soil should be prepared before planting with good organic matter--we can help you with that right here at Skillin's! If your soil is heavy, be sure to add liquid gypsum to break up the clay soil and add lime if your soil is acidic. Powered lime can be applied in the fall, but if you want a better garden and forgot to lime last fall, use Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal because it will change the acidity in just 7 to 10 days. Most vegetables want a pH between 6 and 7 reading for better growth and to help make the fertilizer you apply work better.


If the weather is wet and air temperatures cold, hold off and plant your seeds a week later. Wet soil will rot the seeds and germination will be erratic with many misses in the row. If the weather pattern persists, plant your seeds closer together and thin the rows later as they develop. Spacing is very important with root crops and thinning the rows will help them produce more vegetables and better quality.

When planting in rows, I always cut a shallow trench with my garden hoe to plant seed into. This helps to keep the rows straight; you can see where they are planted, making it easier to water before and after they germinate and become visible. Use the soil on each side of the row to cover the seed and be sure to mark the front and back of the row so you will know what you planted there.

I always add Soil-Moist and fertilizer (I recommend all natural Garden Tone by Espoma for a vegetable fertilizer) to this trench before planting and mix well. Blend the soil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches, as soft soil will encourage quick root development. Potatoes need to be planted in a trench 6 inches deep and just as wide to help young tubers to develop in soft soil. Fill in the trench slowly as the shoots begin to grow until the ground is level.

Water the garden daily, and keep the soil moist during the seed germination period. Side dress plants growing in the trench with a granular fertilizer; apply on both sides of the planting row 3 weeks after foliage forms in the trench. Keep notes and enjoy the season.

Thanks to Paul Parent!

Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
April 1, 2011

Heirloom Flowers of our Forefathers

Hello again,


Below is some great information from our good friends at Botanical Interests--a family owned seed company whose seeds we feature here at Skillin's Greenhouses.

Presidents' Day this week celebrated the February birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. As we are gearing up for spring, we thought it would be a good time to remember that our forefathers found inspiration in their gardens.


George Washington had a farm at Mount Vernon, Virginia from 1754-1799, where he planted over sixty types of crops. In addition to growing cash crops like tobacco, wheat, and rye, he viewed his farm as a grand experiment where he grew orchards, vegetables, medicinal herbs, and flowers. Some of the vegetables he grew included cabbage, cauliflower, celery, crookneck squash, and Swiss chard. He also likely grew popular flowers of the day such as black-eyed susan, foxglove, hollyhock, blue flax, echinacea, lavender, marigold, nasturtium, and Oriental poppy.

Though Thomas Jefferson's birthday is in April, one cannot think of heirlooms without mentioning him. His 5,000-acre plantation, called Monticello, in Charlottesville, Virginia, was his own personal laboratory for botanical experimentation. His interest in horticulture was documented in his Garden Book that he began in 1766, listing meteorological records and notes about his sowing times and harvests. He was so fascinated by plants that he required Meriwether Lewis to study botany for nine months before starting his infamous expedition with William Clark across the Far West in 1804. Vegetables were the mainstay of Jefferson's diet. He grew over 250 varieties including artichokes, beans,cabbage, lettuce, peas, spinach and tomatoes. Some of the heirloom flowers grown at Monticello were columbine, Johnny Jump Up, sensitive plant, snapdragon, Sweet William, and violet.

Abraham Lincoln was born on his father's Sinking Spring Farm in Kentucky in 1809. Life in the early 19th century was intimately linked to the garden and farm, and one of Lincoln's recorded childhood memories includes sowing pumpkin seeds between rows of corn on his father's farm. Today, the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site in Illinois contains a working living history farm that teaches visitors about rural life in the mid-1800s.

Though many of the specific varieties grown by our forefathers are no longer available today, many heirlooms that have been around for fifty years or longer are still enjoyed.

Botanical Interests offers over 300 heirloom seed varieties. (And we offer by far most of the 300 varieties right here at Skillin's!) Some of these varieties were likely planted by our forefathers, and others were certainly planted by our fathers and grandfathers. This season, plant a little history in your garden and reap the beautiful and delicious rewards!

Thanks to Botanical Interests!
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
March 1, 2011

The ABC’s of Seed Starting

Hello again,

Saturday March 5 brings a free class on Seed Starting to Skillin's at 10 AM and 2 PM. We have some great March and April classes coming up; check them out at http://www.skillins.com/information.html! You may sign up for any classes including Seed Starting at skillins@maine.rr.com!

In honor of our Seed Starting class, I am bringing to the Garden Log the ABC's of Seed Starting which is a handout we developed several years ago!

All you need for seed starting: seeds, some type of container, seed starting mix and some water. There are many different types of seeds: some very fine, some as big as the tip of your finger. And as there are many different types of seeds, there are also different ways to handle them. If you have purchased seeds, you will find the package gives a great deal of information on how long it takes to germinate (important as to how far in advance to start your seeds), how deep to plant the seed, how far apart to plant when transplanted outside (gives you an idea how many plants you want to grow) and their height at maturity (so you don’t end up planting something very tall in front of something low growing). You may also want to note the date of the packaging as the freshest seed has the highest rate of germination. If you harvested your own seed you may find the plants to be inferior since the cross-pollination has not been controlled. Seeds that are now offered as F1 hybrids produce the best as they are the first generation of pure plants that have been hand pollinated.

Before you begin, gather the materials you will need. Seedling trays can be either open trays or row trays with humidity domes to hold in moisture. You will need a soil medium such as Jiffy-Mix to be used in peat pots or row trays or you may opt to use Jiffy-7 peat pellets that serve as individual peat pots when water is added. Moisture and warmth is necessary for good seed germination. Moisten the soil medium making sure it is not too wet before you sow your seeds. Heating cables can be purchased to aid in warming the soil. Use milled sphagnum moss sprinkled over your seeds after sowing. A mist type spray bottle helps in watering without washing your seeds away. White plastic markers remind us of what we have planted.

Container, seed, soil mix—you are all ready to go! Be sure to read your seed packets. Tender annuals and warm loving vegetables benefit from the head start they get indoors especially here in the north where the season is short. Scatter the seed evenly over the surface taking care not to sow too thickly as crowded plants are prone to “damping off”.

Milled sphagnum moss can be sprinkled over the seed. Generally the covering should be the same thickness as the seed. Most seed germinates in the dark. Newspaper can be used over the tray but be sure to check often and remove as soon as seedlings appear. Some very fine seed such as begonias need light to germinate and would benefit from being 3 inches below fluorescent lights. When seedlings emerge place them in a southeastern window and take care that the sun is not too hot. Be sure to rotate the trays a ¼ turn daily as the seedlings will grow toward the light and you do not want them to stretch. Plants grown under fluorescent lights grow more evenly but make sure you have placed the trays close to the lights to be beneficial. When using artificial light, cool white and warm white work the best in a two light system. Special grow lights such as the Vita-lite fluorescent tubes are a bit more expensive but provide the closest light to sunlight. At first the seedlings should be within 4” of the lights; move them further away as they get bigger. Plant lights should be on 12 to 16 hours per day (timers are very useful here).

Dome covers will aid in humidity and may help to keep the soil moist but dome covers should be removed during the day as it is just as important that the seedlings have good air circulation. You will still need to water your seedlings when the soil surface is dry to the touch. Do not let them dry out but do not saturate them either. Keep your seedlings evenly moist. Water them lightly until the water drips out of the bottom of the container.

In the coming weeks look for Transplanting Seedlings, where we talk about how to handle successfully started plants. As always let us know if you have any questions!

Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
February 22, 2011

Growing Vegetable Plants Indoors from Seed

Good gardening friend Paul Parent of the Paul Parent Garden Club sends out a great newsletter every week with pertinent gardening topics. I encourage you to go to his website to sign up for his newsletter. Paul can also be heard every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 10 AM at his website or at WBACH (104.7 FM) every Sunday morning from 6 AM to 9 AM. Paul recently sent this article out called "Growing Vegetable Plants Indoors from Seed" (I occasionally add a few comments in italics) and here it is:

These plants should be started indoors at the times recommended by this chart, before transplant. You will have to decide when the planting time is safe where you live. Example: on Cape Cod you can plant outside, tender plants like tomatoes on May 1 to 15. In Maine, where I live, it would be May 15 to 30 and in a Northern Vermont town like St. Johnsbury, it would be May 30 to June 15.

Broccoli! Yummy and Easily Grown in the Garden!

Before you plant directly into the garden you must "harden- off" the plants to acclimate them to the outside weather and temperatures. This is done by moving plants outside into a garage or tool shed for the daytime, where they are protected from the wind and rain, for 3 to 4 days. Leave the door open so plants can get sunshine on them, but are sheltered from weather. By suppertime bring them back indoors for the evening for the first 3 to 4 days. There are various methods you can use to "harden off" your plants but the 3 to 4 day time period is the key!


After this period, leave plants outside if the weather permits during the day for an additional week and back in the building at night time with no heat. This two week hardening off period will help thicken the walls of the plant and make it easier for the plant to adjust when moved outside and planted in the garden. I know, I know all this hardening off seems to be quite the delay to getting going on the "real gardening" but caution at the beginning of the gardening season in Skillin's Country is often critical to a successful gardening season!

When you start the seeds, be sure to use a sterilized potting mix designed for seed starting like Jiffy-Mix (sold right here at Skillin's!). This will eliminate possible fungus problems and prevent the seeds from rotting. When you transplant the seedlings into flats or individual pots, you can use a potting soil, but always use a seeding soil to start seeds in. Starting soils are very light so that seedlings can poke thru the soil easier and are well-drained to prevent damping-off of seedlings.

To help the seed germinate faster you can provide bottom heat with heating cables placed under the seed trays. Skillin's has easy to use and durable heat mats for this job. If you are just going to germinate a few seeds use a heating pad on LOW setting and wrap it in a bath towel to spread out the heat more evenly. Cover the towel with a plastic bag to prevent water spillage and damage to heating pad.

Your local garden center will also sell a seed germination tray with a clear cover, like a mini greenhouse, for under $10.00. Yes we do! The cover will help to hold moisture around the seed for better germination and prevent drying out of the soil. Keep the seed tray warm, around 70 degrees, until plants germinate, then cool 5 degrees if possible. Once plants sprout, you can use grow-lights if you do not have a south facing window to help plants grow without stretching for the light. Run the lights for 12 hours during the day and then off at night, so the plant can rest. Plant lights should be 6 to 12 inches from plant. Try it if you have not before--it is fun!

Thanks to Paul Parent!

Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
February 20, 2011

Transplanting Seedlings

Hello again,

At the Skillin's Garden Log we have discussed the ABC’s of Seed Starting. We reviewed how to start seeds indoors and when to start seeds indoors. (If you need a copy of that article, just let me know!). It may be time to transplant your seedlings when they show their first true leaves! This brings us to sections E, F, and G of the ABC’s of Seed Starting.


Equal parts of peat moss and vermiculite makes a good growing medium for your seedlings to be transplanted into now that they have their first true leaves. (Actually instead of peat moss and vermiculite, I would recommend Pro Mix or sifted Bar Harbor Blend potting soil by Coast of Maine Organics. Unless you sowed your seeds directly into an individual peat pot (which I actually recommend in many cases), you will want to transplant your seedlings from their starting trays to give them more room and a better chance to grow. For containers, consider using plastic 6-packs, 3” or 4” peat or cow pots, or peat flats, spacing seedlings one to two inches apart. Moisten your mix with warm water to make handling manageable. Fill each container within a quarter inch of the top and tamp down. Gently tap the seedlings as a group out of the container they were started in. Carefully separate the seedling, attempting to keep as much of the original medium around the roots as possible. Using a label or a pencil, make a hole for each seedling in your mix. Generally you will want to place the seedling at the same soil level it was previously. (Bushy type plants like lettuce or petunias need to be planted at the same soil line so their growing point is not buried, where upright plants such as tomatoes can be planted to the base of the first leaves and roots will develop along the stem that is buried.) Pinch the soil in around the base of the transplanted seedling. Set in a pan of warm water for bottom watering, as this will be the least likely way to disturb the new transplants.

Fungus disease known as damping-off can be the worst enemy of new seedlings. A seedling will appear perfectly healthy then you discover it has toppled over- a black line of rot cutting through its stem. Over crowding, being too warm and damp, and still air can all lead to this infectious loss. Prevention is the best weapon against damping-off. We do recommend a light application of milled spaghnum moss sprinkled over the top of your growing medium as good protection against damping off. Make sure your seedlings get enough air circulation. Don’t keep them covered with plastic and don’t over water.

Growing your seedlings on, place them in a very sunny window using a sheer curtain in between to prevent scorching, or place under artificial light, adjusting the height as they grow. Fertilize once a week with a quarter strength solution of a liquid organic fertilizer ( I highly recommend Neptune’s Harvest Fish and Seaweed fertilizer diluted with water.) Yummy! Continue to water and grow on until ready to set out.

Mike Skillin
April 6, 2010

Garden Talks March 23-Pruning, Damping Off of Indoor Seedlings, Rhubarb, Tomatoes and Late Blight

Hello again,

Good friend Hammon Buck of Plants Unlimited sends out some very nice gardening information and this recent post came to my attention so I thought I would pass it on to you. This is extremely topical and VERY good advice for us gardeners in Skillin's Country. Plants Unlimited is a terrific garden center based in Rockport Maine. Hammon and I talk quite often and I always learn something about gardening and garden center business when we do speak. I hope he benefits some as well. Plants Unlimited is always worth a visit and they can be found at http://www.plants-unlimited.com/ and also at 629 Commercial Street (Route 1) in Rockport ME. Any comments I make are shown in italics:

"Prune many flowering shrubs and trees now while they are still dormant. Be aware that if certain varieties (forsythia, rhodys, lilacs and other spring flower plants) are pruned now, you might lose your spring flowers. The buds on plants are swelling and we prune now because they are full of energy and bounce back quickly. Also, it's so much easier to see the plants form without leaves obscuring your view. First, remove any dead branches or tips, then remove interior branches that cross through the plant - this "opens" the interior up for more light and air. Also remove branches that are rubbing together. Finally, you can prune to improve the symmetry of the tree by removing longer erratic branches. Use sharp pruners, loppers or saws as needed.

Larger branches on trees often require heavier duty tools than hand pruners. Folding saws, pole pruners or in extreme pruning, chain saws, might be needed. The branches should be cut close to the trunk (but not too close) and on an angle. Larger branches often require an undercut so that the weight of the falling branch does not rip away tree bark when it falls. Also, cut larger branches in sections to avoid weight damage."


Check out our pruning class this Saturday at 10 AM and 2 PM at Skillin's Falmouth! This will be a great class. Call us at 781-3860 for reservations OR contact us at skillins@maine.rr.com!

"It's a great time to prune rose bushes too, while they are still dormant. Remove any damaged or dead canes and crowded or crossed stems. Then, shorten undamaged canes in order to shape the plant. A good general tip for pruning most plants is to select buds that will grow outward (they are on the outside of the stem) and cut the branch slightly above this bud. This forces the plant to grow outward, avoiding growth toward the inside which only leads to rubbing branches and congested plant form. "
 

Damping-off of indoor seedlings is a fungus disease that is the downfall of many folks who start their seedlings indoors. Damping-off is the single term used to describe underground, line, or crown rots of seedlings due to unknown causes. The term actually covers several soil borne diseases of plants and seed borne fungi. Damping-off can be prevented by using sterilized, well drained soil and containers with good drainage. Other preventative measures are avoiding overcrowding, over fertilization which cause plants to grow to quickly and too crowded and good air circulation. Do NOT allow your seedlings to become too moist and avoid watering late in the day or on cloudy days when water can't dry off the foliage quickly. Fungicides can be applied as a last resort, but will NOT be needed with good cultural practices. Other natural things you can do are apply milled sphagnum moss or cinnamon on the soil surface after seedlings are sown. Also mist the seedling once of twice a day with water containing either chamomile or clove tea."

 

"If your rhubarb has become thin and less productive, it's time to rejuvenate it. As soon as you see buds, dig up the plant clump and divide it. Replant these clumps with cow manure or any other high nitrogen fertilizer (I would actually plant the divided clumps with a good dose of Plant Tone by Espoma and then water several times with Neptune's Harvest Fish and Seaweed fertilizer). Continue to feed a few times through the summer with the fertilizer. Do not harvest any this year. This allows the plant to grow vigorously for next year. Generally, you should divide rhubarb every three years or so. "

 

Late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans – a very destructive and very infectious disease – killed tomato and potato plants in gardens and on commercial farms throughout the eastern U.S. during 2009. Late blight is the same disease that caused the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s. While late blight occurs at some locations in the Northeast each year, the occurrence of late blight in 2009 was different compared to most seasons. In 2009 infected plants were distributed through large local retail stores throughout the region (Ohio to Maine) during June, and outbreaks were reported over this entire region by early July. Never before had such an extensive distribution of infected plants occurred, especially so early in the season. The early introduction combined with the abnormally cool, wet growing season as well as the exceptionally contagious nature of the disease during cool, rainy, windy weather resulted in a disastrous year for farmers and gardeners. The following are some frequently asked questions about this disease and what home gardeners can do to prevent problems this year.

I think I had late blight on my tomatoes last year. Will it overwinter in my garden?

Tomatoes will not carry late blight over the winter, because freezing kills the whole plant.

                                                      (tomato late blight)

Will seed from any tomatoes left in the garden last year carry over the disease?

Tomato seed, even from fruit that was infected with late blight, will not carry the pathogen, so no need to worry about the tomatoes left behind in the garden or compost pile.

What about my tomato stakes? Will it carry over on my tomato stakes?

No, late blight will not survive on tomato stakes and cages.

I grew potatoes last year. Can late blight overwinter on potatoes I may have left in the garden?

Potatoes that freeze or fully decompose will not carry the pathogen over winter. However, the biggest threat for overwintered disease in New England is on potatoes that might come up this year. In the spring, inspect last year’s potato plot and any compost or cull piles for volunteer potato plants. If you find potato plants, pull them out and put them in the trash or destroy them. If tubers were infected and survive, then the late blight pathogen could grow upward from the tuber, infecting the stem and producing spores when weather conditions are favorable. These spores could then disperse to other tomato and potato plants.

Is there anything else I can do to prevent late blight this year?

Yes. Late blight is not seedborne (however, it is tuber-borne in potato), so tomato plants started from seed locally (in the Northeast) will be free of the disease. Growing your own tomato transplants from seed or purchasing transplants that were started here in the Northeast from seed will ensure a healthy start to the season for you and local farms.

Also, purchase certified, disease-free seed potato from a reputable source. Seed potato grown in the Northeast is less likely to carry the disease. Examine your seed potatoes and plant only firm, blemish-free tubers.

I have spots on my tomato plants that show up in June or July every year. Could this be late blight?

Probably not. In addition to late blight, each year tomatoes become infected with early blight and Septoria leaf spot, which look very similar to late blight symptoms. If you have problems with early blight each year, consider growing tomato plant varieties that are resistant or tolerant to early blight. Also frequent early sprayings with a natural fungicide like Seranade or a disease preventer product like Vaccinate will help reduce the chances for early blight. Also feed your tomatoes with Tomato Tone by Espoma or liquid feed with Fish and Seaweed Food by Neptune's Harvest. These all natural foods contain good dosages of calcium which helps to prevent early blight, leaf spot and blossom end rot on tomatoes.

Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
March 23, 2010

Garden Talks August 3--Flowers to Sow Now for Fall/Spring Color

Hello again,



Our friends at Botanical Interests posted a great blog entry a day or two ago detailing some great seeds to sow now for fall color and early Spring color next year. The link is http://www.botanicalinterests.com/blog/?p=431 and I will copy the text below for your reading pleasure.



Before I do that our 2009 Botanical Interest Seeds have just left here and within a week we will have a whole new assortment of 2010 seeds! So any seed mentioned below we will have in stock by the end of next week. Here goes:



Flowers to Sow Now for Fall/Spring Color

Even though the mercury may be sky high on the thermometer right now, it’s the right time to consider starting flowers for fall blooms and to provide pretty bulb covers in the spring.

Pansies and Violas add a fabulous pop of color to fall borders or containers. July to August is the best time to start them. (It takes around 2 ½ to 3 months from the time you plant pansy or viola seed to get the first blooms.) Consider how ‘Bewitching’ the black and orange ‘Bewitched Blend’ Pansies would look in October if you start them now!

Burgundy Amaranth will give your garden bright jewel-toned burgundy leaves even if you don’t have time left in the season to achieve their full height or plumes. The leaves are also edible and make a colorful addition to salads when picked young.

Coleus Rainbow Blend will add an explosion of bright color to those shady spots that may be looking a little barren or bedraggled by late summer and early fall. It can take the heat as long as it’s kept moist and has some shade. Foliage will last until the first fall frost. When frost looms near, you can take cuttings of your favorite colors to root in a vase of water for some indoor color that lasts for a couple of months.

Perennials – If you start perennial flowers now, they will have time to put down roots and survive the winter, giving you lush blooms next spring and summer. Most perennials need to be planted 8-10 weeks before the average first fall frost date.

Bulb CoversIf you are planning to plant bulbs this fall (like tulips, hyacinth, crocus), consider sowing some Pansies, Violas, Candytuft Snowflake, or Alyssum Basket of Gold within the next few weeks to make a pretty bulb cover next spring to complement the blooming bulbs and to mask the foliage as the bulb blooms fade.



Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
July 31, 2009