University of Maine Cooperative Extension Penobscot County

09/09/2026

09/08/2026

A Better Garden or Field Next Year Starts With Your Soil This Fall 🌱

A Better Garden or Field Next Year Starts With Your Soil This Fall 🌱

Early fall is a great time to test your soil. Testing now gives you a clearer picture of what your soil needs and time to make recommended adjustments before the next growing season.

A soil test can help you determine:
✓ Soil pH and whether lime is needed
✓ Nutrient levels and fertilizer needs
✓ Steps you can take to improve soil fertility and productivity

🧪 Soil test kits and forms are available through UMaine Extension county offices, or samples can be submitted directly to the University of Maine Analytical Lab and Maine Soil Testing Service.

Whether you’re growing vegetables, managing a lawn or garden, or working with agricultural fields, test—don’t guess!

🔗 Learn more and get started: https://umaine.edu/soiltestinglab/

09/08/2026

If you're headed to Unity on Friday, September 25 for the 50th Annual Common Ground Country Fair - be sure to stop in and see 4-H staff Alice, Emily, Gabby, and Meg who will be doing some hands-on learning with kids creating nests and seeing how much engineering is involved in the process.

09/08/2026

It’s that time of time of year!

It’s that time of time of year! Please be mindful when walking through the gardens especially the milkw**d so the babies don’t accidentally get bumped.

09/02/2026

4-H Super Sitters Virtual Series

Learn the basics of babysitting through our introductory 4-H Super Sitters Virtual Series! 4-H staff will introduce interested teens to the basics of babysitting – what questions to ask families, how to hold a baby and change a diaper, and the developmental stages of children. This workshop is targeted for youth ages 11-18, with a maximum of 12 youth participants. The last session, December 1, will be a hybrid model, with in-person location(s) to be determined.

Cost: Free
Ages: 11 – 18
Dates/Time: Tuesdays, October 27 – December 1, 2026, 4:00 – 5:30pm
Registration Deadline: September 30, 2026

For more information and to register for the Zoom link, visit the 4-H Super Sitters Registration:

https://umaine-extension.formtitan.com/ftproject/events?eventid=a1cUy000007RtcH

09/01/2026

Maine Home Garden News – September is here! 🍎🌻

September is when next spring’s garden begins! 🌱

The latest Maine Home Garden News is here with timely tips on harvesting, fall planting, soil care, overwintering tender plants, removing pesky landscape fabric, and what to watch for in Maine’s changing weather. 🍅🌺🌦️

Plus, discover some of the wildlife you might spot this month—and why you shouldn’t clean up your garden too much! 🐦

Our favorite September advice? Just walk around your garden. Notice what worked, what didn’t, and what you want to change next year. 👣

https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/2026/08/31/maine-home-garden-news-september-2/

In This Issue: September in the Maine Garden: The Month That Sets Up Everything Else Ask the Expert: How do I get rid of this pesky w**d cloth in my perennial garden? Seasonal Sightings for September Featured Resource: Growing Fruit Trees in Maine Save Money and Beautify Your Garden by Overwintering...

09/01/2026

Browntail Moth Update: What to Look for in Late Summer 🍂

Browntail Moth Update: What to Look for in Late Summer 🍂

Browntail moth caterpillars are now hatching and beginning to feed on host trees. At this stage, their feeding can “skeletonize” leaves, eventually causing them to turn a noticeable copper color.

🌳 Keep an eye on oak, apple, cherry, elm, birch and other hardwood trees for signs of feeding.

Egg masses can be difficult to spot right now, so late autumn, when winter webs become easier to see, may provide a better picture of potential browntail moth activity next spring.

Follow Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry for the latest browntail moth updates and resources.

👉www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/browntail_moth_info.htm

08/31/2026

A little bit of rain is just what the flowers needed.

08/28/2026

Fair Season Rolls On! 🎡

Fair Season Rolls On! 🎡

Late summer means plenty more opportunities to enjoy Maine’s agricultural fairs! From 4-H and livestock exhibits to local food, demonstrations and longtime fair traditions, here’s what’s coming up:

🎠 Acton Fair | August 27–30
🌾 Piscataquis Valley Fair | August 27–30
🐄 Washington County Fair | August 29–30
🎪 Windsor Fair | August 29–September 7
🌻 Blue Hill Fair | September 3–7
🍎 Harmony Free Fair | September 4–7

Keep an eye out for UMaine Extension and 4-H while you’re exploring the fairgrounds!

Which Maine fair are you headed to next?

08/28/2026

The bees are busy getting ready for a visit with Ms. Cindy tomorrow (8/28)- We hope you’ll join us for story time at 10:30am.