If you don’t like the Maine weather, just wait – it’ll change.
Creating vibrant landscape designs can be challenging, given Maine’s intense four seasons ranging from bitterly cold nights in the middle of winter to hot and humid summer days. This extreme variety of temperatures can put stress on plants.
The tips below will help you create a beautiful landscape in Maine’s inconsistent climate.
Know your climate zone.
The USDA classifies each area of the United States by zone numbers ranging from zone 1, being the coldest, to zone 18, being the hottest. Knowing your zone will help you determine what plants will thrive where you live.
Maine is divided into four zones, 3 through 6. Each zone is further subdivided into sections a and b, with 5-degree F differences between them.
For example, Bangor is located in zone 5a (-15 to -20 degrees F average annual minimum temperature), and Portland is located in zone 5b (-10 to -15 degrees F average annual minimum temperature).
Understand your soil.
Wind and soil conditions are important factors to consider. Maine can have sandy or clay soil which can present some challenges for new gardeners. To learn more about your soil, consider getting a free soil test through any University of Maine Cooperative Extension office.
Once you know what kind of soil you have, look for plants that will thrive in your soil. Consider the wind and sun conditions around your property. If it is always windy, pick hardy plants that will handle the wind well. If you have low sun conditions, choose
plants that don’t require a lot of sunlight.
Evaluate humidity and soil moisture.
Summers in Maine can be humid, but given the climate changes in recent years, this isn’t always the case.
Remember to pay attention to the moisture content in both the air and soil. It’s a fine balance, as either being too wet or too dry would be detrimental.
Use native plants.
The best way to landscape is to use plants that are native to Maine.
Seabreeze can help, we always have plants that are native to our climate. We’d love to partner with you to help you figure out what plants will work best in your yard.
While native plants are preferable, plants that are native to areas with a similar climate — like certain parts of the Pacific Northwest — will also flourish in Maine.
Get in touch with Seabreeze Property Services today to get started on coordinating your seasonal landscaping changes.
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