Maine Master Gardener News
February 2008
New Annuals for Your Garden:
Five Top Performers from the 2007 Field Trials
Article by:
Dr. Lois Berg Stack
Cooperative Extension Specialist, Ornamental Horticulture
University of Maine, Orono ME
Local field trials provide an objective assessment of plant performance, without the bias of advertising or a national perspective. In 2007, the field trials at Rogers Farm in Stillwater, Maine, assessed nearly 100 annuals’ performance. I managed the trials and rated the plants, but I’d like to acknowledge the fantastic assistance I’ve received from Gleason Gray and many Penobscot County Master Gardeners – I’m very grateful for their help in planting, mulching, weeding and watering. Also, Emily Palmer, my 2007 summer student worker and currently a sophomore at UM-Farmington, was invaluable. Her daily work in the field trials was top-notch, and her willingness to do whatever was needed for the project made the project successful.
There were many high-performance annuals in this year’s trials, but these five plants were among the best, performing very well until hard frost. Change from week to week creates interest in flower gardens, but this constant high performance by some core plants is important in developing gardens that present beauty and unity every day of the season.
The information following is based on the conditions of the field trials in the Penobscot County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at Rogers Farm: full sun, well-drained fertile soil, and supplemental irrigation as needed. We picked a few faded flowers off some plants in the trials, but the ones described here were not pruned or deadheaded all season, making them good candidates for a low maintenance planting.
Coleus ‘Electric Lime’
Last July’s heat was tough on all of the coleus cultivars in the field trials … except ‘Electric Lime.’ It thrived through hot days, cool nights and high humidity, and was the last coleus to succumb to frost. It is not as spectacular as some coleus cultivars on the market; it doesn’t have giant leaves or bold colors or exotic leaf form. But it does have staying power, at a time when foliage duration has come to mean as much in annual plantings as it has always meant in perennial gardens. Its green leaves with yellow veins would combine well with either bright yellows and oranges, or bold purples and blues. Try it in a container with purple-leaved sweet potato ‘Margarita’ or setcreasea, or any of the yellow- or orange-flowered calibrachoas. This plant is grown from cuttings rather than from seed, and will be available at garden centers that sell plants in the Ball FloraPlant series.
Cuphea ‘Totally Tempted’
I’ve trialed several cupheas in the past, and have always admired their dependability, neat habit and interesting flowers. But none of them have ever taken the gardening world by storm. ‘Totally Tempted’ might be the cuphea to do just that. Its red-and-purple ruffled flowers are small but numerous and very showy. This plant looked good every day of the season in our trials. It needed no pruning or deadheading, did not fall apart or develop insect or disease problems, showed heat and drought tolerance, and displayed full color all summer. At 10” height and spread, it could be used in sunny window boxes, deck containers, as a garden edging plant, or in a flower pot on the breakfast table. Like all Proven Winners, it will be available only as a potted plant at garden centers; it is not available from seed.
Dahlia ‘Mystic Illusion’
Most of the dahlias I’ve trialed in the past few years have had white flowers and a dwarf habit. And, while most started to flower by midsummer, they needed fairly frequent deadheading to perform well. ‘Mystic Illusion’ is an exception. Its dark, shiny purple-black foliage caught my eye from day one. The lemon yellow single flowers did not appear until late August, but by then I was smitten by the foliage, which remained very high quality all season long. The 30-inch plants were uniform and full, and the 3-inch flowers were held up high. It’s available only as potted plants in garden centers, and is a member of the Proven Selections series. In the garden or in large containers, plant it with anything pale yellow.
Juncus pallidus ‘Javelin’
Grasses and related plants have become very popular in recent years. Here’s one you can grow from seed; ‘Javelin’ is an introduction of the PanAmerican Seed Company. It will be available as seed from many mail order seed companies and as started plants from many garden centers. ‘Javelin’ reached nearly 4’ height by the end of the season, and most of this aptly named plant’s leaves bore flowers typical of rushes - very small and botanically interesting but not showy. ‘Javelin’ is valuable because it adds strong vertical line to the garden. While they sway a bit in the breeze, the sturdy leaves maintain an upright position and solid green color through the season. Vertical lines grab our attention. Plant small clumps of ‘Javelin’ at spaced intervals in your flower gardens to make visitors pause and admire your efforts.
Zinnia ‘Profusion Knee High Red’ and ‘Profusion Knee High White’
At 20” height and rather loose upright habit, the ‘Profusion Knee High’ series of zinnias is a nice addition to Ball Seed Company’s ‘Profusion’ series of more dwarf and dense zinnias, of which three colors are recent All-America Selections Winners, a tribute to their floriferousness, lack of need for deadheading, and resistance to powdery mildew and leaf spot. ‘Profusion Knee High Red’ and ‘Profusion Knee High White’ zinnias gave outstanding field performance until hard frost. They never developed powdery mildew or leaf spot, and they produced abundant flowers all season without deadheading. Consider ‘Profusion Knee High’ zinnias if you want colorful plants that are short enough to look good in a flower bed all summer, tall enough to produce cut flowers for small bouquets, low-maintenance enough to be productive with minimal maintenance, and quick enough to produce solid color by late June.
Pruning Class at the
Highmoor Farm
Saturday, April 26 (rain date is May 3)
From 9 am to noon.
Learn to prune fruit trees with Renae Moran, University of Maine tree fruit expert. A one-hour lecture will be followed by a demonstration in the orchard and a chance to prune apple, peach, pear and plum trees. There is no charge for the class, but please bring your own pruning tools
For more info: (207) 933-2100, ext. 105.
PO Box 179, Monmouth, ME 04259
Portland Flower Show
March 5-9
Contact: 207-775-4403
www.portlandcompany.com/flower
New England Spring Flower Show
March 8-16
Contact: 617-933-4900
Bangor Garden Show
April 3-6
Contact: 207-990-1201
Small Scale Gardening Workshops
Offered Throughout the State
University of Maine Cooperative Extension invites all gardeners to attend “Enjoy Your Garden With Containers and Raised Beds,” a day-long program on small-scale gardening being held throughout the state of Maine at 11 locations. Each workshop begins with check-in at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. Gardeners should bring a lunch; beverages will be provided. The fee of $5 covers printed handouts and workshop materials. A limited number of scholarships are available. Pre-registration is required.
To register or for more information, please call UMaine Extension’s Oxford County office at 207-743-6329 (800-287-1482 in Maine) or e-mail bmurphy@umext.maine.edu.
“This workshop is for gardeners who have felt overwhelmed with their past gardens and are looking for quick and easy ways to grow their own produce on a small scale,” says Donna Coffin, Extension educator. “Container and raised bed gardens are a great way for new gardeners to get started and have a successful year growing vegetables, fruits or flowers.”
The dates and locations for the programs are:
March 6, UMaine Extension’s Oxford County office, South Paris
March 11, Woodford’s Congregational Church, Portland
March 12, UMaine Extension’s Somerset County office, Skowhegan
March 13, UMaine Extension’s Penobscot County office, Bangor
March 17, UMaine Extension’s York County office, Springvale
March 19, TBA, Farmington
March 25, UMaine Extension’s Andro/Sagadahoc County office, Lisbon Falls
March 26, UMaine Extension’s Piscataquis County office, Dover-Foxcroft
March 29, UMaine Extension’s Aroostook County office, Presque Isle
April 2, Longfellow’s Greenhouse, Manchester
April 9, UMaine’s Hutchinson Center, Belfast
How do Maine Master Gardeners
View and Apply Their Training?
Article by
Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator
Hancock County
Barb Murphy and I, two Extension Educators who’ve been running County Master Gardener Volunteer programs for 15 years, decided to do some research to find out more about you, the Maine Master Gardener Volunteer. We both love the part of our jobs that is devoted to working with Master Gardeners. Our goal was to affirm that the Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) experience makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
What really motivates a person to take the MGV training? Is it the desire to learn about plants and horticulture, a yearning to give back to the community, or something else altogether? What do people do with the information they learn in the training? Do they ultimately adopt the horticultural practices that are taught? How about the volunteer experience - is it a source of pride and personal growth? What types of volunteer experiences do MGVs find most meaningful?
In December of 2006, we sent a survey to the 240 people who took the Maine Master Gardener Volunteer training in the spring of that year. Roughly half (123) of the trainees responded. In the survey, we gave a list of sixteen horticultural practices, and asked people to indicate which ones they adopted during the 2006 gardening season as a result of taking the Master Gardener training. Two open-ended questions also asked people to identify the most important component of the entire Master Gardener experience and one accomplishment of which they were proud.
What was the most important thing you learned from your Master Gardener Volunteer Course (including your volunteer experience)?
Three broad themes emerged from the narrative responses to this open-ended question. Not surprisingly, forty two percent of respondents identified a specific horticultural skill as the most important thing learned. The horticultural skills most frequently mentioned were soil testing and amending, pest management techniques, and composting. Others however placed the highest value on a new appreciation for the power of volunteering (20%). These people made statements like “I learned just how good it felt helping others,” or “how much can be accomplished by a group in the community.” Thirdly, seventeen percent said that the most important thing they learned related to an improved understanding of the concept of environmental stewardship.
The following table presents horticultural practices that MGVs adopted. Most highly favored practices included composting, cultural pest management, use of cover crops and mulches to prevent soil erosion, and methods to extend the growing season.
“As a result of taking the 2006 Master Gardener Volunteer Training, I (check all that apply):”
|
Horticultural Practices |
Respondents |
|
|
|
Number |
Percent |
|
Started or improved my composting system |
94 |
76%
|
|
Practiced cultural (non chemical) methods for managing pests
|
85 |
69% |
|
Reduced soil erosion by using cover crops or mulches in the garden
|
73 |
59% |
|
Used at least one new method to extend the growing season (plastic mulch, cold frame, floating row cover, appropriate variety selection, multiple plantings, etc.) |
73 |
59% |
|
Chose to grow varieties of vegetables, small fruits or tree fruits that were recommended by course instructors |
66 |
54% |
|
Successfully grew my own garden transplants from seed
|
66 |
54% |
|
Pruned my small fruit or tree fruit plantings according to what I learned in the course |
66
|
54% |
|
Identified the insects in my garden before using control measures
|
66 |
54% |
|
Identified plant disease symptoms before using control measures
|
63 |
51% |
|
Chose disease resistant varieties for my fruit and vegetable plantings
|
60 |
49% |
|
Had my soil tested
|
59 |
48% |
|
Developed a planting plan for my vegetable garden which includes crop rotation
|
58 |
47% |
|
Amended my soil according to test recommendations
|
50 |
41% |
|
Based my choices of what vegetables to grow at least partially on their nutritional value |
49 |
40% |
|
Started a new vegetable garden
|
48 |
39% |
|
Started a new fruit planting
|
43 |
35% |
Please share an accomplishment of which you are proud, as a result of the Master Gardener program.
The majority of responses to this open-ended question fell under two broad themes. Forty nine percent of respondents described an accomplishment related to their volunteer work. Projects where volunteers helped people in need were most frequently mentioned. Examples included participation in community gardening projects to feed the hungry, gardening with disabled seniors (“garden angel” program), gardening with children, and community beautification.
Thirty two percent of respondents chose to highlight a home gardening accomplishment. Most frequently mentioned achievements included increased yields, the design and construction of new home gardens, and the use of new pest management methods.
So, we learned that Master Gardeners quickly adopt horticultural practices learned in the training, especially those related to composting, soil and pest management. In addition to improving gardening practices, many Maine Master Gardeners feel more confident and proud of themselves as a result of participating in the program. Growing a productive garden with fresh fruits and vegetables to share with family and friends is a highly valued achievement. Master Gardeners express pride in using their new knowledge and skills to assist others in need, a renewed faith in volunteerism, and a stronger commitment to environmental stewardship.
15th Annual
Maine Garden Day
Workshops, Educational Displays, and Trade Show
Saturday, April 12th, 2008
Central Maine Community College, Auburn, Maine
Cost: $40 per person (includes lunch)
Registration: Advance registration required. Seating limited to first 450 registrants
Schedule: For a printable version of the workshop schedules, visit
http://www.umext.maine.edu/mainegardenday/default.htm
7:15—8:00 AM Registration, refreshments, and Trade Show
3:15 PM Day ends…. Safe trip home
For more information: 1-800-287-1479 or (207) 743-6329
HANCOCK COUNTY NEWS
Welcome
to our newest members of the
Hancock County Master Gardener family
Lynn Ahlblad, Lamoine
Sherri Alden, Lamoine
Jessica Bercume, Sunset
Margaret Brunton, Birch Harbor
Kathleen Burgess, Blue Hill
Lynn Cheney, Blue Hill
Claire Daniel, Trenton
Mark Dunbar, Orland
James Flye, returning MG from Franklin
Marion Foss, Deer Isle
Martha Goss, Little Deer Isle
Julie Herrick, returning MG from Lamoine
Laurie Karnes, Sedgwick
Lori Lord, Ellsworth
Holly Masterson, SW Harbor
Michael Maynard, Harborside
Brenda Mercer, Penobscot
Deborah Miller, NE Harbor
Linda Nighman, Mt. Desert
Scott Nurse, Gouldsboro
Debra Pinkham, Steuben
Linda Reichel, Bar Harbor
Linda Reichel, Ellsworth
Susan Stahlberg, returning MG Hancock
Laurie Tardiff, Hancock
Re-enrollment time approaching!
Returning volunteers will be receiving enrollment packets in the mail within the next month. Be sure to fill out the enclosed form and mail back to Sue if you want to stay active and remain on our mailing list for the upcoming year
Master Gardener Course
Offered in Eastport
This Summer
A Master Gardener training is being planned for Washington County’s Eastport this summer. The dates have not been confirmed.
The topic will be Fruit and Vegetable Production.
If you know of someone that might want to take this course,
have them e-mail Marjorie at
or call the Extension Office at
1-800-287-1479
Newsletter created by:
Hancock County Cooperative Extension
63 Boggy Brook Road, Ellsworth, ME 04605
1-800-287-1479 or 667-8212 Fax: 667-2003
Editors:
Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator
Sue Baez, Administrative Assistant II