Wait

Heidi Rader

By Dana Fedorchuk, an Alaska Master Gardener Like a new page, Spring gives the feeling of newness and fresh opportunities. Posting my first blog post in Spring feels right in touch with the seasons, just like a planting the garden. In many parts of the world, planting begins with Spring, but here in Alaska we wait. We wait because of that evening chill in the air. We wait because the Farmers Almanac tells us to. We wait because of the handful of snowflakes that fell with the chilly breeze. We Read More …

An Alaskan Landscape

Heidi Rader

By Amy Reed, An Alaska Master Gardener in Anchorage, AK Footprints outside the window. This is my first time writing a  blog, and I am excited to share my adventure with my new flowerbeds! My husband, daughter, and I moved to  Anchorage from Eagle River this past winter. Because our new yard was covered  in snow, I had no idea what I was in for come spring! The new house abuts the Chugach State Park, so from the grizzly bear prints in the snow, I knew I would be sharing Read More …

Marigolds: Edible, Beneficial, and Beautiful

Heidi Rader

By Mary Hinkley, an Alaska Master Gardener in Tok, Alaska   I believe in marigolds. Though marigold’s pest resistant qualities are mentioned on many of their seed packets, I feel they’re under rated. Most of my raised beds have a marigold border. This serves two purposes; the garden is beautiful and it’s safe from pest invasion. Early this season I went to the local nursery to get some for my greenhouse and found that it was too early for their marigold crop, so I bought some seeds, went home, and Read More …

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 …