Month: November 2017

The Dirt on Testing Your Garden Soil

Boreal Bioscapes

Whether you are planning a new garden or have well established beds, testing your soil can provide valuable information about your garden’s fertility and help you plan additions of amendments to correct for imbalances and deficiencies. Healthy, fertile soil is the foundation of a productive garden. Photo by Author. Soil is comprised of inorganic mineral material, decomposed organic matter, and air space. Healthy soils are home to complex communities of microorganisms, fungi, insects, plant roots, and other organisms. Soil is often described as a “world underground’ because of the complex Read More …

Heating it up: Compost Heated Greenhouses

Mountain Gardener

Most Alaskan gardeners are creative out of necessity. With a growing season made up of unique light patterns, temperature fluctuations and abbreviated season lengths, gardeners learn to adapt. Gardeners who want to continue growing into the winter months have additional challenges. There is a great deal of information available about season extenders – nothing compares to fresh greens even in the dead of winter. Those who want to harvest their own fresh produce year-round often turn to greenhouses as a solution. However, heating in greenhouses can be a significant expense Read More …

To Pull or Not To Pull? Is It Native or Invasive?

sebigelow

To Pull Or Not To Pull? Is It Native or Invasive Invasive plants affect all areas of Alaska and need to be addressed by all Alaskans. Learning to identify invasive plants, animal and species can help reduce, if not eliminate, the negative effects such as complete elimination of native species. A great example is the chokecherry trees which are not native to Alaska. These can be found in yards, parks and along roadways demonstrating how aggressive the plant is. Three common species found in the Anchorage area are the Amur Read More …

Making Peace with Green Tomatoes

Slugslayer

I used to be so angry when summer ended and I would have so many green (unripe) tomatoes. Now I accept, and embrace the bounty of green fruit. I will share with you some tips of ripening these green tomatoes, and then recipes for the ones that never turn. The Ripening There are a few different options to ripen a tomato. You could cut your whole plant down, with tomatoes still attached, and hang in your garage or crawl space. Another option is to pick all your green tomatoes and Read More …

Poinsettia Progression: The Origin, Growth, and Care of Euphorbia pulcherrima

cngriffin

The holiday season is upon us once again, and what holiday decorations would be complete without the addition of colorful poinsettias? The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) in its many varieties can bring stunning colors to your holiday season display, but did you ever wonder what the origin of this symbolic holiday plant is, how the colors develop, or how to grow and care for poinsettias yourself? I.   Tropical Origins Poinsettias are indigenous to Mexico and belong to the Spurge (Euphorbiaceae) family. Its native habitat is at moderate elevations in deciduous Read More …

Plant Starts for Gifts

btaylo13

Plant Start for Gifts In the spring when it is time to start plants indoors to be transplanted outdoors after the danger of frost has passed is an ideal time to introduce younger students to seeds and plant growth. Students can make and decorate starting pots from toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls that have been cut in thirds. These can be easily decorated using makers or paints, water proof if possible. The plants will need to be started four to six weeks before they are ready to go Read More …

There’s a Moose in My Garden by Brenda C. Adams

sebigelow

There’s a Moose in My Garden by Brenda C. Adams The book I chose is one of my favorites for several reasons including the information is laid out in a manner allowing you to find the topic you are looking for easily, the beautiful pictures, various tips given throughout the pages and it was a gift from my husband who has always supported my gardening. With the information provided in this book I have been able to redesign areas and improve others throughout my garden. The book is broken into Read More …

Book Review: “The Firecracker Boys” by Dan O’Neill

mlivingston2
Project Chariot

Fukushima, Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and… Point Hope? You might initially think that the book “The Firecracker Boys” doesn’t have anything to do with gardening in Alaska. Yet it has everything to do with gardening in Alaska. How can you safely garden anywhere if the soil is contaminated with radioactive material? Can you imagine having to test your soil for radioactive material? If Edward Teller had his way, several atomic bombs would have been set off in various locations in Alaska, and people would have had to worry about large Read More …

Book Review: There’s a Moose in My Garden by Brenda C. Adams

Slugslayer

This book is a must read if you are designing your garden for the first time, or if you want to alter an existing bed. I found this book a pleasurable easy read with beautiful pictures. There’s a Moose in My Garden is Alaska specific, focusing on designing a cold-climate garden. Adams’ has three sections of the book; Designing a Northern Garden, Building and Managing a Low-Maintenance Northern Garden, and Some of My Favorite Hardy Plants and What Makes Them Special. Within those sections she goes into: designing, planning, practical Read More …