Seed Starting With Kids in Alaska

by Sue Ryan, an Alaska Master Gardener As a mother of four, I am always looking for ways to include my kids in my love for gardening. This spring, I was able to pique their interest by having them help me start seeds for our summer beds. Not only do kids love to learn about how things grow, they are also more likely to eat and try new veggies that they have grown themselves. Devious, I know! In the past, my starts have been miserable attempts with few of the Read More …

Got Gravity? 10 Steps to set-up a low-tech drip-irrigation system using gravity and rain.

by Heidi Rader, Tribes Extension Educator  Photos by Donavan Kienenberger If you lack indoor and outdoor plumbing like many of us in Alaska, then a rain collection system is essential for gardeners. A full tank or a slight slope is usually sufficient to provide enough pressure for a basic drip-irrigation system. Drip-irrigation is a great way to conserve water as well as water only the plants that you want to grow., i.e. not weeds. If you have a small garden, soaker hoses are a simple ways to water your garden Read More …

Building a Greenhouse in Tok, Alaska

by Mary Hinckley, An Alaska Master Gardener in Tok, Alaska Last summer my husband, Snooks, built  me a greenhouse. He had the green thumb but he said the greenhouse was for me. It was beautiful and I was touched, but I was no gardener. I’d spent a lot of time dodging gardening responsibilities for fear of killing something beautiful. I was willing to learn, however, and at a friend’s suggestion I enrolled in the Alaska Master Gardener Online course.  The class fit perfectly into my schedule and gave me the Read More …