What Eats Spinach in Maine, and When
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension documents ten insect pests across the state’s home gardens and landscapes, but only one of them has any…
Gardening in Maine
Everything we have worked out for Maine: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Portland, the last spring freeze runs April 22 to May 1 and the first fall freeze runs October 9 to October 21, USDA zones 3b-6a, 2,408 growing degree days in the year.
That is enough for early varieties, tight for anything late. Garlic does well: 30.4 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Maine: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
What Eats Onion in Maine, and When
One insect on Maine’s official pest watchlist actually bites into an onion crop: seedcorn maggot.
What Eats Corn in Maine, and When
In Maine gardens, the one insect that actually feeds on corn is the seedcorn maggot, and it does its damage underground, right at planting, not once the…
What Eats Pumpkin in Maine, and When
Three insects out of Maine’s documented pest list actually feed on pumpkin: striped cucumber beetle, squash vine borer, and seedcorn maggot, according to…
What Eats Potato in Maine, and When
In Maine, potato foliage is eaten mainly by the Colorado potato beetle, which strips leaves from shortly after emergence through midsummer.
What Eats Parsnip in Maine, and When
In coastal Maine, one documented pest actually goes after parsnip: seedcorn maggot.
When to Overseed a Lawn in Maine
Late summer to early fall is the answer for most of Maine, but the exact date moves depending on where you live and how you count backward from your…
First and Last Frost Dates in Maine
Portland’s climate data puts the last spring frost between April 22 and May 1, and the first fall frost between October 9 and October 21.
When to Pick Tomatoes in Maine, and Ripening the Rest
Frost decides the picking date more than the calendar does. Along the coast near Portland, the first fall freeze typically lands between October 9 and…
When to Pick Apples in Maine, and How Long They Keep
Apples in Maine are ready to pick from mid-August through late October, depending on variety, with fresh eating varieties coming off first and the hard…