Where Master Gardeners share their knowledge.
Table of content What is crop rotation? What are the benefits of crop rotation? An example crop rotation schedule How to make your own crop rotation plan What is crop rotation? Crop rotation is when each year a different plant is grown in a spot, for example if a farmer were to grow wheat in a field one year and field peas and a field the next year. What are benefits of crop rotation? Rotating crops from one year to the next between different varieties increases yields by 10% to Read More …
Table of content Garden bed design Soil Planted varieties How you water How you water: With the hose How you water: Drip irrigation How you water: Let the rain do it Garden bed design Different designs of garden beds have different levels of water conservation. Though hugelkultur mounds have lasting fertility they are open allowing for loss of water to evaporation so when trying to conserve water dig a hole to build your hugelkultur beds in to reduce evaporation. When building garden beds on a hill build a large berm Read More …
Table of content What does a cover crop do? Where should a cover crop be used? What are some good cover crops? Buckwheat Turnips Field peas What does a cover crop do? A cover crop has several uses, the first of which is to suppress weeds in a plot of land not used to grow something else. Cover crops are also used to add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Another use for cover crops is for animal fodder sometimes even during the winter. Where should a cover crop Read More …
Table of content Where to grow Greenhouse and hoop house bed preparation Garden bed preparation How to grow Starting seedlings Planting Maintaining plants How to harvest Storage Seed saving Where to grow If a you have greenhouse or hoop house that is best for winter squash. If you do not have a greenhouse or hoop house a garden bed with rich well drained soil and full sun will have to do for winter squash, and is preferable for summer squash. It is best if the greenhouse, hoop house, or garden Read More …
One day I was hungry so I looked around the kitchen and found that there were eggs, potatoes, garlic and cheddar cheese, so I made them into a delicious scramble. I made it several times for my family and I, with varying quantities of the ingredients until I decided to make it into a proper recipe with repeatable results. Because I was making it into a recipe I thought that I might as well improve it at the same time. I was eating chili pepper on eggs a lot so Read More …
Homer is on the southwestern edge of the Kenai Peninsula on the north side of the Kachemak Bay. The weather is effected by the close proximity to the Gulf of Alaska and other large bodes of water nearby. In the Homer area the summers are cool and moist, with relatively mild winters. It rains lightly throughout much of the season interspersed with some weeks of sun, so watering may only be needed occasionally. The probable growing season is from June to mid September. Reliably there are 113 frost free days, Read More …
A slow start Last spring I moved to the Homer area with my family. It was late June by the time I got a chance to start a garden. I knew I was going to have a late start, but I have always had a garden, and I knew I could grow something in what was left of the season. I knew the season was going to be short, so I decided to focus my efforts in the greenhouse. I planted some beans and squash in six inch deep boxes, Read More …