Category: Hints for Alaska Gardeners

School District Dives into Aquaponics; A Progressive Approach to Hard Times

cbarnes10

I am the greenhouse manager for Southeast Island School District (SISD), whose district office is located in Thorne Bay, Alaska on Prince of Wales (P.O.W.) Island. SISD serves roughly 160 students throughout 9 communities; 7 on P.O.W., 1 on nearby Baranof Island, and 1 on the mainland. It’s got to be one of the only school districts in the state, and definitely in the “bush”, that has an employee with that title, “greenhouse manager”. Why would a school district, with tightening budgets, increased high-stakes testing demands, new standards (Common Core), Read More …

Perilla (shiso)-bring out the flavor of sushi

akladybug

What is the Perilla (Shiso)? Perilla is a traditional Japanese herb with refreshing, aromatic, green-frilled leaves. It is called Shiso in Japanese. The plant has tender, flat and soft-textured leaves that are very popular for using in Sushi. It is also known as beefsteak plant. Perilla is a bushing plant. It is also grown as sprouts or micro-greens. As the plant matures, you can pinch off leaves for use which promotes branching and leaf production. I am interested in Asian vegetables and herbs. Every year I grow this plant from seed Read More …

Painting with Plants

kmikulla

That’s right! You can make a painting using the plants grown in your garden or found locally where you live. There are several different ways in which to make the paints, however I tend to focus on watercolors because they are quick and simple with beautiful, subtle results. If you’ve dyed fabric or yarn using natural dyes before the process is similar, but since you don’t need as much dye for painting, the process is done on a smaller scale with minimal equipment. I love doing it on my own, Read More …

My Most Awesome Gardening Experience This Summer – Wow, I learned a lot

tlirwin

Wow, I’ve learned so much about gardening this summer. When I started my gardening project this summer for the first time in a very long time I was extremely excited. Being the planner I am, I researched, read books, talked to other gardeners and still came away with several “what was I thinking?” Here are some of my learning curve experiences and thoughts: Start lettuce with transplants instead of seeds. Unless you really do want more than 50 lettuce plants. Instead of planting in the raised beds I think next Read More …

Learning to Love Chickweed

cmichetti

Like many Alaskans I have spent countless summers struggling with chickweed in my garden and lawn. I painstakingly remove plant after plant until I am feeling smug about myself. Then I see “just one more plant” and I delve back in again. It’s almost to the point of needing a support group. This year I decided to try a little reverse psychology on myself and research my nemesis — know thy enemy so to speak — just to see if we could all get along. Common Chickweed ‘s Latin name Read More …

Planning is the first step to gardening success

jmclay

Planning a garden is the first step to gardening success. Like many things in life, I learned this the hard way. The first time I had my own space in Alaska for a garden, I just tilled up some ground, threw in some seeds and hoped for the best. Some things worked great and others failed miserably. Many people I talked to have discovered same way I did that gardening techniques used and varieties grown in the lower 48 states don’t necessarily work in Alaska. Also, our state is so Read More …

Getting KREATIVE with KALE

ekvanwyhe

This year my garden is exploding with kale! We have so much of it that you would have to eat salad every day of the week for the rest of the year just to use it up (or so it seems). For this blog post, I will be focusing on kale, its benefits, and what you can do to change up the way you eat kale. Kale is a phenomenal plant. It thrives in Alaska’s chillier climate and can be planted early in the season when the ground is still Read More …

All About Worms

klodens

All About Worms Lesson Plans for:  k-2 Subject Areas: Science, Math, Language Arts Goal: To teach students about worms and how the contribute to the garden. They will explore worms and what they need to thrive. Time Needed For Lesson: 3 Hours (including extension) Ideal Season: Spring, Summer, Fall Materials: -Night crawlers or red Wiggler worms (1 per student) -Worm anatomy chart -Magnifying glass (1 per student) -Rulers (1 per student) -Paper and pencils Procedure: Read: An Earthworm’s Life by John Himmelman and Earthworms by Clair Llewellyn to students before Read More …

Adaptive Gardening

Bonnie

At the end of a gardening session do you slowly rise to your feet, stretch, and feel the pains that toiling in the soil bring to your body? How many of us take the time to think about how the same activity level would affect a person with limited flexibility, one who is an amputee, or a person who is wheelchair bound? This summer I have been privileged to look at these issues from an up close and personal perspective. When we are young, bending, reaching, hauling heavy items, and Read More …