Time has arrived to get your spring bedding plants

By Kendra Raymond

Most everyone in our area can agree, it has been a tough winter. From early to late-season storms and the damage that ensued, it is time to recoup our losses and move forward with yard beautification.

A mother and her daughter select plants for a
window box in Raymond at a local greenhouse.
PHOTO BY KENDRA RAYMOND

The storm damage clean up continues in our area and neighbors are coming together to help each other regain some sense of normalcy on their property. The Town of Windham brush disposal area on Enterprise Drive has extended their closing until 6 p.m. June 9.

Now it’s time to think about adding some color and pizzazz to your yard with flowering annuals, vegetables, and perennials. The chance of frost has passed, and local garden centers and big box stores are brimming with colorful options ready to plant.

As a horticulturist, I have spent plenty of time in greenhouses during the spring season. Most customers arrive, list in hand with a laser focused expression on their face. They wander through the rows of colorful annuals, fulfilling the “mandatory” bucket list.

I am pondering the question, why does this seasonal rite of passage hold such reverence for us Mainers? To look for answers, I spoke to a couple customers at a local greenhouse who were purchasing contents for planters which are often located on steps or decks.

The two said that they plant the same annuals every year and they wouldn’t consider changing up their yearly purchases. Both explained that there is no need to deviate as the planters have always flourished.

Another group had a different opinion, telling me that they are willing to try anything new, and that they “like surprises.” The shoppers also expressed interest in the new farm to table trend, as well as untraditional container plantings like herbs or vegetables.

The Mid-Maine Greenhouse Growers Association reminds home gardeners to stay connected, listing their mission as: “Our goal is to help you find the right plants to get the most out of every flower bed, vegetable patch and patio pot - because we grow the plants we sell.”

Containers or gardens

For container planting, that is anything being placed in a hanging basket, plant pot, window box, or other receptacle – it is important to think ahead. Most seedlings are sold in 4- or 6-packs and are often root bound and still immature. Most of these plants will expand substantially when transplanted into a larger space, so make sure to allow room for expansion. I learned a little trick, which I will share here: mix up a bucket of fertilizer, remove the seedlings from the packs, dip the roots into the solution, and then plant into new soil. This gives the plants a boost of energy.

If your bedding plants are being moved into a garden, the fertilizer dip can also be used in this application. You may also want to consider a soil test just to make sure the garden will provide the necessary conditions for growth, including the proper pH and nutrient content. Before planting, it is a good idea to turn over your soil with a rototiller or pitchfork, amend with manure and peat, and rake flat.

Sun or shade

Before purchasing annuals, I would recommend considering the destination for the plants. Once this is determined, simply ask an employee at the greenhouse which plants like sunny or shady locations. There are also many plants that thrive in both sun and shade.

Maintenance

Another important factor to keep in mind is the time you are willing to invest in caring for your annuals. Most container plantings are quite low maintenance, and only need watering about once a week. Gardens are usually watered by the rain, with just a bit of supplementation during dry spells or when the plants are first moved.

The University of Maine’s “The Garden Pro Answer Book” by Dr. Lois Berg Stack, is filled with copious amounts of information for home gardeners, landscapers, and garden center owners. It provides information on challenging sites, gardening, and many tables and charts.

Check out the Maine Landscape and Nursery Association website at: https://www.melna.org/

The University of Maine bulletin, “Annual Flowers for Special Uses” is a great resource and can be visited at: https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/manual/annual-flowers-special-uses/

The Real Maine website provides a useful directory of greenhouses and nurseries here: https://www.realmaine.com/horticulture/annuals-bedding-plants/page/2/?listing%5B0%5D=nursery-greenhouse-garden-center <

Raymond Village Library to host presentation by Maine crime novelist

By Kendra Raymond

Whether you’re an outdoorsperson, bookworm, or just interested in a night out, a presentation by a noted crime novelist may be just the ticket. “A Night with Paul Doiron” will be offered at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 15 at the Raymond Village Library.

Sponsored by Friends of the Raymond Village Library partnering with Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shops, the groups are pleased to offer this rare opportunity to the community. The event is free and pre-registration is required.

Don’t jump in the car just yet; Librarian Rachel Holden says that there is a lot of interest in the event. In fact, Holden says there has been so much hype that the house is already full. As a backup plan, she has started a wait list in case of cancellations.

Doiron enthusiasts are encouraged to call the library to be added to the list.

The hour-long event will feature a reading by Doiron from his upcoming novel, “Pitch Dark,” the 15th book in his Mike Bowditch series.

Following the reading, Doiron will accept some questions from attendees.

“The reading will be followed by a Q&A and a book signing. Sherman's Maine Coast Bookshop of Windham has agreed to partner with us and will send a representative for onsite sales of Mr. Doiron's currently published books and to take pre-orders for Pitch Dark before and after the event and these sales will be cashless for simplicity's sake,” said Holden. “Additionally, Mr. Doiron will bring an advanced reader copy of “Pitch Dark,” which one lucky attendee will win.”

Holden explained that an advanced reader copy, or an ARC, is a copy of the book that publishers send out for free to booksellers, librarians, book reviewers, before the book is printed for mass publication and distribution.

According to the Goodreads website, Paul Doiron is the best-selling author of the Mike Bowditch series of crime novels set in the Maine woods.

His first book, “The Poacher’s Son,” won the Barry Award and the Strand Critics Award and was nominated for an Edgar for Best First Novel. His second, “Trespasser,” won the 2012 Maine Literary Award.

His novelette “Rabid” was a finalist for the 2019 Edgar in the Best Short Story category. Paul’s 12th book, “Dead by Dawn” won the New England Society’s 2022 Book Award for Fiction, as well as his second Maine Literary Award. It was also a finalist for the Barry Award.

His books have been translated into 11 languages. He is the former chair of the Maine Humanities Council, Editor Emeritus of Down East: The Magazine of Maine, and a Registered Maine Guide specializing in fly fishing.

Doiron attended Yale University, earning a degree in English. He also earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Emerson College. He resides in coastal Maine with his wife, Kristen Lindquist.

Doiron has been featured in stories by News Center Maine, the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, Maine Voices Live, and the Portland Press Herald, to name a few. He’s also been interviewed by numerous library representatives and bookstores, and many of Doiron’s recordings are available on You Tube.

A prolific author, Doiron manages to keep fans engaged by releasing a new book most years, usually in the early summer. He has also been known to publish two in a year’s time.

The prestigious Kirkus Reviews heralds “Pitch Dark” as “A perfect beach read that will make you hug yourself in pleasure and excitement and search for a little more warmth.” It follows Warden Service Investigator Mike Bowditch as he embarks on his next adventure that is sure to have you on the edge of your seat.

"Pitch Dark" goes on sale June 25 from Minotaur Books and MacMillan Audio.

The Raymond Village Library is at 3 Meadow Road in Raymond. Visit the website at: https://www.raymondvillagelibrary.org/

Registration for the free event is required by calling the library at 207-655-4283. Fans are reminded that the event is presently full. However, people can be added to a waitlist by calling the library. <

Lake Region Community Chorus spring concert nears

It is concert time again for the members of the Lake Region Community Chorus. Performances of the group’s “Sing, Sing, Sing” spring concert will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17 and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 19 at the Bridgton Academy’s Twitchell Chapel in North Bridgton.

The Lake Region Community Chorus will perform its spring
concert 'Sing, Sing, Sing' at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17 and at
3 p.m. Sunday, May 19 at Bridgton Academy's Twitchell
Chapel in North Bridgton. SUBMITTED PHOTO

This enthusiastic singing group is made up of 60 members from 12 surrounding towns who will present a varied program made up of traditional Classical pieces, folk songs, show tunes, medleys of hits by The Beatles and John Denver and lots more.

The Lakes Region Community Chorus is directed by Jan Jukkola and Susan Stockwell and accompanied by Patrick Speckamp. The program will also include accompaniments by these very talented musicians, Rusty Wiltjer, percussion, Mark Priola, electric bass, Ian Smith, trumpet, Liz Rounds, flute, Glen Jukkola, violin, Pam Ward, guitar, Brian Sprunger, guitar and Jacob Kuvaya, bass.

The chorus is a vibrant and dynamic non-profit organization providing choral programs for the Lakes Region of Maine community.

Its history is short because it’s a relatively new organization.

The chorus had its first meeting in February 2013 to discuss the possibility of forming a choral group in the Lakes Region.

It was amazing how quickly everything seemed to come together, and with Laurie Turley as its original conductor, chorus members performed their first concert in June 2013.

Since then, the original group of 36 singers has grown with each season, and now has 58 members from 14 communities, including Bridgton, North Bridgton, Naples, Sebago, Harrison, Waterford, Stoneham, Raymond, Casco, Windham, Denmark, Lovell, Hiram and Fryeburg.

The LRCC is a community of voices joined together in song.

Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for individuals with an interest in singing to share their love of choral music through regularly scheduled rehearsals that will culminate in community and outreach performances. It also strives to enhance each member’s ability to sing by teaching vocal exercises and techniques and to enrich their choral experience by providing a wide variety of musical selections that will increase their knowledge and appreciation of choral literature.

 
Lakes Region Community Chorus performs two concerts each year. One falls in early December and features holiday music. The other is a springtime concert generally falling in mid-May.

 
With the generous support of Bridgton Academy, concerts are performed in the Twitchell Chapel on the Bridgton Academy campus in North Bridgton. Rehearsals are held on Monday nights at Twitchell Chapel. For the December concert, rehearsals start around Labor Day, and for the Spring concert, they start around the end of January.

Chorus members would like to thank the Bridgton Academy for all their help and support and providing them with rehearsal space and a concert venue. They would also like to thank their enthusiastic audiences and local sponsors.

Each concert is free but donations to help cover the expense of music and operating costs will be gratefully accepted.

If interested, come and join the Lake Region Community Chorus as they lift their voices and sing, sing, sing. This year’s concert is sure to be remembered long after the final chords are sounded.

Please visit the Lake Region Community Chorus website for more details or call 207-647-2584. <