Author: Heidi Rader

Tater Tires for Season Extension and Increased Potato Production in Alaska

Heidi Rader

By Mary Hinckley, an Alaska Master Gardener in Tok, Alaska Several years ago on a trip Outside, Snooks and I discovered Andean Fingerling potatoes. Up until then we’d become increasingly disappointed in grocery store potatoes. They seemed to have lost their savor, containing only starch and no flavor. We agreed that they were more like filler than food. But in a health food store we discovered potatoes called ‘Red Ruby Crescent.’ Brand new to us, we decided to give them a try and paid the outlandish price of five dollars Read More …

Watering Your Garden Without Running Water or Electricity

Heidi Rader

By Evan Stirling, An Alaska Master Gardener in Ester, Alaska Welcome back for the update on starting a garden in Interior Alaska. One of the things I had tried to emphasize in my first posting was that a lot of gardening seems to be about patience. We’ve met a lot of people who use gardening almost as a sort of meditative practice, which seems really great. With that said, if you are just starting out like us, it’s hard not to go all gang-busters crazy with all the things to Read More …

Got Pests!? Identifying and Controlling Pests in Alaska using Integrated Pest Management Techniques

Heidi Rader

By Glenna Gannon, Alaska Master Gardener Teaching Assistant Have you ever planted your beautifully pampered seedlings only to wake the next day and find them riddled with holes? This year that is exactly what happened to me. I noticed a smattering of holes all over my pak choi especially, and arugula to a lesser extent. Step 1: Identify your pest When we find that our precious vegetables starts that we have nursed along through the Alaskan spring are attacked before they have a chance to thrive, it is easy to Read More …

Gardening North of the Arctic Circle

Heidi Rader

by Jennifer Dillard, An Alaska Master Gardener North of the Arctic Circle! New to Alaska, my husband and I moved to Bettles Field, a remote Interior Alaska community, ready to embrace a new way of living. Having lived in Wisconsin and Illinois where I had my own garden and participated in a community garden, I felt confident in my gardening skills but translating these skills into Arctic conditions was a completely new and challenging journey for me. Fully aware that I lacked even the basic knowledge of how to garden Read More …

Starting an Alaskan Garden

Heidi Rader

by Evan Sterling, An Alaska Master Gardener in Ester, Alaska Background Well, this is my very first posting on the Alaska Master Gardener blog, but I certainly hope it won’t be my last. I’m a newly minted Master Gardener working on completing my volunteer hours, and to tell you the truth, I do not feel like much of a “Master!” Yet, anyway. I’m 28, almost 29, and just starting out with my partner, Shannon, on our own piece of land in Ester, Alaska. We don’t have any plans of becoming Read More …

Easy Window Sill Gardening in Alaska

Heidi Rader

by Laura Emerson, An Alaska Master Gardener With a minimal investment of time, space, and money, beginning gardeners can enjoy rapid results with a window sill garden.On my 4 inch wide window sills of two, four foot (double paned) windows that face south, I was able to fit six plastic six- pack planters each (twelve packs total, 72 plant holes). Once the first seeds sprouted, I added two tables in front of each window to hold deeper pots for the biggest plants while reusing the six-packs for new seeds. I Read More …

Pollinators in Alaska

Heidi Rader

A Lesson Plan for Gardening in the Classroom in Alaska, by Jessica Mulvey, an Alaska Master Gardener “If the bee disappears from the surface of the Earth, man would have no more than four years left to live.” …. The above quote has been falsely been attributed to Albert Einstein but is the spirit of the quote true? Pollinators, bees particularly, have been in the news over the past decade due to dramatic & devastating population declines. Debates over pesticides and their effects on pollinators are currently being heard in Read More …

Invasive Plants of Alaska

Heidi Rader

A Lesson Plan for Gardening the Classroom in Alaska, by Heidi Doudna, an Alaska Master Gardener Goal and outcomes: Students will be able to list at least 6 noxious weeds commonly found in Interior Alaska Students will identify and collect sample edible noxious weeds Students will demonstrate recognition by creating booklets and matching samples found Subject Area: Science Grade Levels: 4-6 Ideal season for lesson: Summer Time to complete lesson: 1 hour Materials Required: Invasive Plants Profiles Don’t Plant a Problem Fairbanks Invasive Weed Rack Cards Pencil on strings attached Read More …

Subversive Food Plots–Then and Now

Heidi Rader

A Lesson Plan for Gardening in the Classroom in Alaska, by Jessica Mulvey, An Alaska Master Gardener “And he gave it for his opinion, ‘that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together.’’ -Jonathan Swift A small kitchen garden. Photo by Heidi Rader. Throughout history, food production has been a driving force for Read More …