Recycling Plastic

Garden helpers:  Please save and bring in some 1 & 2 liter plastic bottles (like juice/soda/milk) so we can make some drip irrigation jugs to put between our plants, especially the tomatoes.

Week of 6/17

Garden Schedule (weather permitting):

Tuesday: 9-11
Thursday: 9-11
Saturday: 10-12

If it's really pouring on a scheduled work day, we won't plan to work.  Check back for an alternate time.

Spring in the Garden

Iris by the Front Door

In the back garden

Out back

On the back patio

Hostas by the back patio

Iris out front

Beautiful!

Pruning Clinic

This past week we hosted a pruning clinic in the orchard, led by University of Maine Cooperative Extension Educator, Dr. Richard Brzozowski.  Staff and students from the Falmouth schools, and a couple parents, participated in the hands-on lesson.  We received an initial overview from Dr. Brzozowski about the reasons for pruning, when to prune, and tools and methods used.  Then we set out to tackle the fruit trees, which include apple, pear, cherry, and peach.

Late winter/early spring, while the trees are still dormant, is the best time to prune...so our timing was just right.  Pruning wounds will be able to heal faster when the tree is beginning to grow for the season.  Attention to pruning affects both the tree's productivity and longevity.  Of course, any time there's diseased, dead, or dying wood, it should and can be removed.

We also got a mini lesson on pruning high bush blueberries.  We'll be finishing up this job in the coming weeks.

Dr. B stated that interested parties should view the material on pruning that is available on the University of Maine Cooperative Extension website.  The Extension also has a free, monthly electronic  newsletter for home gardeners called "Maine Home Garden News."  Here's the link for subscribing:
http://umaine.edu/gardening/maine-home-garden-news/.

Seed Sale

The Falmouth Schools Farm to School Group is sponsoring a flower, herb, and vegetable seed sale through Fedco Seeds of Waterville, Maine. The profits will benefit the existing high school garden and middle school greenhouse, and the elementary children's garden which will be constructed this spring at the elementary school. The Children's garden will combine a kitchen garden, which will be used as a farm to school resource in the elementary cafeteria, and a butterfly/ sensory garden. Watch Principal's Notes in February for more information on this exciting venture.

This is a great opportunity to purchase organic and non-organic seeds for your home flower beds and vegetable gardens. Simply download the order forms, mark your purchases, pay by check made out to FHS (Falmouth High School), and send it into school in an envelope marked FALMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL SEED SALE by March 8th.

Payment must accompany the order. Orders should be here for pick up by March 21st.

Should you have any questions, please contact Mark Melnicove (mmelnicove@falmouthschools.org) at FHS, Stephanie Knight (sknight@falmouthschools.org) at FMS, Sue Raatikainen (sraatikainen@falmouthschools.org) at FES, or Martha Poliquin (mpoliquin@falmouthschools.org) , Food Service Director. Thank you for your support and happy planting!!

www.fedcoseeds.com/forms/fhs.pdf

www.fedcoseeds.com/forms/fhsOG.pdf

October in the garden...we have a final crop growing before the weather turns and we must put away our gardening tools for another year.

It's always a sad parting, knowing that we won't be able to dig in the soil again until many months from now. 








Fall also brings clean-up of the beds and our last few turns with the lawn mower. Let's hope we can extend our season a little while longer!

Our new lettuce crop is enjoying the cooler temps of September. 











Our Fredonia grapes are now a beautiful color, hanging from the arbor.

And end of summer bloomers are in full display...