16 easy steps to gardening in alaska

8/19/2019 16 Easy Steps to Gardening in Alaska

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16 Easy Steps to

Gardening in Alaska

1PLAN A GARDEN that will ll your family need and notbe too large to maintain conveniently.

2CHOOSE A GARDEN SITE with a sunny, southerlyexposure if possible. Avoid areas that are shaded by tallbuildings and trees a large part of the day. Cool weathercrops, which include the cabbage family and most rootcrops, can be grown on the less favorable north andnorthwest sites.

3A WINDBREAK 4 to 6 feet tall will greatly improve theproduc vity of a garden that is exposed to a prevailing

wind. Be sure to consider any shading in uence on thesite.

4TEST THE SOILby taking a representa ve sample of soilfrom the top 6 inches of the garden (your local Exten -sion o ce has informa on on soil tes ng). The best

me to take and submit a soil sample is in the fall beforefreeze up.

5SELECT VEGETABLES that grow and produce well inAlaska. When purchasing seed and transplants, buy va -rie es that will grow successfully in your area. For moreinforma on, see Extension publica ons RecommendedVariety List for Interior Alaska , HGA-00030, Recommend-ed Variety List for Southcen-tral Alaska , HGA-00031, andRecommended Variety List forSoutheastern Alaska , HGA-00231.

6CULTIVATE THE SOILby turning or roto lling it to adepth of 6 to 8 inches. Remove large rocks and thor -oughly break up all soil clods. If organic ma er is added,

mix it into the top 6 inches of soil.

7BROADCAST GROUND LIMESTONEover the garden atthe rate recommended by the soil test to bring the pHinto a range between 6 and 7. Limestone will not injureseeds or garden plants on contact. A low pH makes thenutrient phosphorus, needed for good root growth,nearly unavailable.

8FERTILIZEas recommended by thesoil test or place a band of 8-32-16 or10-20-10 fer lizer 2 to 3 inches awayfrom and parallel to the row and oneinch below the seed at a rate of onepound of fer lizer per 30 feet of row.Another method is to broadcast thefer lizer before plan ng at a rate of 2to 3 pounds per 100 square feet. With


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the broadcast applica on, mix the fer lizer thoroughlyinto the top 2 inches of soil because both nitrogen andpotash will injure seed and plant roots on contact. Ap -plying half the amount at plan ng and half at midseasonwill increase fer lizer e ciency and reduce the poten alfor leaching.

9PREPARE THE SEEDBEDby raking the surface smoothto provide the ne textured soil needed to make goodseed-to-soil contact and good germina on.

10RAISE THE SOIL TEMPERATUREby plant -ing through a clear plas c mulch. Clearplas c mulch hastens soil warm-up byallowing the sun’s rays to penetrate thesoil and preven ng the heat from be -

ing dissipated by the wind. In much ofAlaska, a clear plas c mulch is requiredall season for warm-soil crops such ascorn, tomatoes and squash. A trans -parent row cover will further enhancegrowth e ciency by increasing air temperature duringthe early part of the season.

Cau on: Most seedlings will sunburn if not released from beneath the plas c mulch as soon as they emerge from the soil.

11STAKE THE ROW AND PLANT,and seed at a depth nodeeper than two mes the seed diameter as soon as thesoil condi ons are appropriate. Radish, turnip, carrot,leaf le uce and pea seed can be planted before thedanger of frost is past. Cabbage, cauli ower, Brusselssprouts and broccoli are usually more successful whenplanted as transplants.

12THIN SEEDLINGSshortly a erthey are up to provide adequategrowing room for the strongestplants.

13CONTROL WEEDS byremoving them whenthey are small so theremoval does notinjure the roots of thevegetable crop. Short, frequent trips toweed the garden are more enjoyable than long tedioussessions.

14WATER the garden thoroughly at the me of plan ng.In much of Alaska rainfall is sparse and the garden willrequire regular watering. Crops grown through clearplas c will need less water because the plas c mulchconserves moisture by reducing evapora on. For plantsgrowing through plas c, add the water through theopenings from which the plants are growing. Add thewater carefully to avoid soil being washed away fromthe roots. Drip irriga on tubing may be placed on thesoil surface before the plas c mulch is laid if desired.

15CONTROL INSECTSby keeping a close watch over thegarden and applying the right controls at the right mes.In Alaska, all members of the cabbage family are at -tacked by root maggots. Slugs may also be a problem incoastal areas. Contact your local Coopera ve ExtensionService for recommended control.

16HARVEST the garden vegetables regularly. Crops likepeas and beans will keep producing when they arepicked regularly.


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Home gardens are important to the economy andlifestyle of Alaskans. Growing vegetables and owersis a hobby enjoyed by both old- mers and newcomersin the Far North. New and old alike are delighted bythe proli c and colorful blossoms and the rapid plantgrowth during Alaska’s long summer days.

Many families raise vegetables to reduce their cost of

living and relieve the monotony of shipped-in food.Home freezers make a family garden a yearlong sourceof food. Understanding how to encourage plant growthchanges gardening from a chore to a pleasant experi -ence that the whole family can do.

CLIMATE MAKES A DIFFERENCESoutheast Alaska is rainy and cool, and for successfulgardening good drainage is essen al. Rows planted onridges and mounds help drain and warm garden soils.Tile drains and ditches are also helpful.

The summer temperatures of the coastal areas of BristolBay, the Kenai Peninsula and the Anchorage area aremoderated by winds o the water. Here the soil temper -atures are low and rainfall may not be adequate. Clearplas c mulch will conserve moisture and help maturemany garden crops by raising the soil temperature. Inthese areas, choose a garden site that receives full sun.

Much of Interior Alaska, including the Tanana andMatanuska Valleys, is dry in the spring and early sum -mer. Soils are warm, but moisture must be conserved.Here again, a clear plas c mulch is an e ec ve means of

conserving moisture and raising the soil temperature.

On garden sites at high al tudes and in many areasnorth of the Yukon, growing through plas c lm may benecessary to mature a garden crop.

PLAN A GARDENWhen building a new home, the rst step is to plancarefully and follow that plan. Successful growing needsthe same kind of planning. When plans are put o un lthe last minute or neglected altogether, the garden isunorganized, with too much or too li le of most crops

in all the wrong loca ons. Good planning, selec ngproper vegetable varie es, adequate fer lizer and limeapplica ons, careful plan ng and good pest control allcontribute to a successful garden.

How large should the garden be and how many peopleis it intended to feed? A well kept 20' x 50' garden willsupply enough vegetables for the average family of four.

If less space is available, which vegetables will be leout of the plan?

Plan a garden using thevegetables the family likesbest, trying new crops andvarie es. Plant enoughto supply the family all year.Some sa sfac on comes fromgrowing a li le extra for theneighbors. A good garden willeasily return the cost of thefer lizer, seed and pest control.The pleasure of working in the garden andea ng high-quality vegetables is an addi onal dividend.

Make an actual scale drawing of the garden and thens ck to the plan.

Run rows north and south when possible so both sidesof the rows receive maximum sunlight. Plant tall cropssuch as trellised peas on the north side of the gardenwhere they will not shade shorter vegetables. Plant low

crops on the outside edges of the garden, preferablytoward the south.

Plant the cole crops — cabbage, broccoli and otherhardy vegetables — in the lowest part of the garden,where an early frost is most likely to occur.

Plant beans and other warm-weather crops on the high -est, best-drained part of the garden.

Allow ample space between rows and plants of broad-leaved vegetables like cabbage, cauli ower, broccoli,Brussels sprouts, turnips, rutabagas and chard. (See thechart on page 19.)

Plan conserva vely for each plan ng of rapidly maturingvegetables like radishes and le uce. A short row plantedevery two weeks from June to August will provide freshradishes and le uce all season.

Remember: The biggest downfall of a rst- me garden -er is plan ng a garden too large to adequately or easilymaintain.

CHOOSING A GARDEN SITE

Few people have a large eld from which to choose agarden site. If there is plenty of land available, dividethe garden plot into two parts and alternate the gardenfrom one side to the other each year. This rota on willhelp control soilborne pests such as root maggots.

What is the general nature of the soil? Is it sandy, loamy,dry or wet? Crops needing a rich loam will grow poorlyon a dry sandy site.


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All back yards may not be ideal, but most o er possibili -es if managed properly. A well-drained sandy loam

with added organic ma er is best and involves the leastwork. Heavy soils are generally wet, cold and hard towork. Light, sandy soils will dry out quickly.

Those who must garden with either of these extremesmay par ally o set the adverse condi ons. For exam -

ple, heavy, wet soils are o en improved through be erdrainage. An easy method is to work the soil into raisedbeds or ridges.

An ideal garden site is an open, gently sloping, southernexposure. Although level areas are usually good, theyare seldom as free from frosts as sloping land. O enonly a few feet of addi onal eleva on will add a numberof days to the growing season. If the garden is in a “frostpocket,” plant only frost-resistant vegetables.

Open areas are usually best because they allow sunlight

to reach the growing plants. Tall trees or buildings castlong shadows. Trees too close to a garden will also robmoisture and nutrients.

The garden should be near the house where it is conve -nient and easily reached.

USE OF A WINDBREAKIn areas of Alaska where a breeze is common, a wind -break will greatly improve the produc vity of a garden.The soil temperature is raised because of reduced soilevapora on and air temperature is raised because thewindbreak traps heat that the wind would normallycarry away. A three-sided windbreak 4 to 6 feet highmade of heavy clear polyethylene over a wooden framewill allow the sun to penetrate all parts of the garden,elimina ng shaded areas. The prevailing winds shouldstrike the windbreak while the side with the lowesteleva on is le open to allow the night’s heavy cold airto drain away. A living windbreak is e ec ve but will re -duce garden produc on around the edges as the rootswill use moisture and nutrients that would otherwise beavailable to the garden crop.

TEST THE SOILSubsamples are obtained by taking a representa veslice from the top 6 inches of soil from eight to tenplaces in the future garden. Mix the subsamples togeth -er thoroughly and place approximately ½ pint of thesoil in a container to air dry. Direc ons for submi ng asample for tes ng are available at your local Extensiono ce. Follow the recommenda ons developed fromthe analysis of the samples for a produc ve garden. Testevery other year to maintain maximum fer lity.

SELECTING VEGETABLE VARIETIESBecause of the long summer days and cold soils, manypopular vegetable varie es do not perform well inAlaska. To ensure success, choose vegetable varie esthat have been tested in and recommended for Alaska.

Ask your local merchant for adapted varie es. If seedsare ordered from a seed house, remember to order in

January or February since the spring season is extremelybusy at all seed houses. An early order will assure thearrival of the seeds by plan ng me.

PREPARING THE SOIL FOR A GARDENClear o all coarse surface debris and test for soil mois -ture before star ng to cul vate the garden. The test ismade by squeezing a handful of soil into a ball. If theball s cks ghtly together the soil is too wet. Wait a fewdays. If the soil ball crumbles easily when pressed withyour thumb, it is safe to spade without causing damageto the soil structure. Many Alaska soils are low in or -

ganic ma er and do not have good soil structure. Manysites in Anchorage and the Matanuska Valley are dry andcan be worked as soon as the frost is gone.

Small gardens can be spaded and then leveled with arake. A plot smaller than 10' × 20' seldom jus es “laborsaving” machines as it is usually easier to spade a smallarea than to start a cold gasoline engine.

Spade to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Several small shovel -fuls are be er than one large one. Each shovelful mustbe completely turned over and broken up. Since raking

only smooths the surface, all breaking must be donewith the spade.

Roto llers have revolving blades that pulverize soil andare popular with home gardeners. Decomposi on of or -ganic ma er is very slow in cold soils, and the roto llerhelps break up coarse material. Very li le addi onalsmoothing is needed on properly roto lled soils. Anextremely loose surface layer will dry out rapidly. Thisis good in heavy wet sites but may be bad on dry,sandy sites. Most soils must be raked smooth tolightly pack the soil a er roto lling.

Large gardens can be plowed and harrowedor disked. Large roto llers are used by somefarmers and may be available for customwork.

In areas protected from wind andwater erosion, the garden site maybe lled in the fall. This is a par -

cular advantage when soils are


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heavy and dry slowly in the spring. When lling a gardenin the fall, leave the soil surface rough to avoid watererosion and rake it smooth in the spring.

LIMING A GARDEN SOILThe pH, an expression of soil acidity, varies greatly inAlaska. In some areas, soils are very acid. Phosphorus, amajor plant nutrient, is very pH sensi ve and is, for the

most part, unavailable to garden crops when the pH islow. Lime should never be added without a soil test todetermine the pH. Most garden vegetables require a pHbetween 6.0 and 6.5 for the best produc on. Potatoesdo well at a pH of 5.0 to 5.4 and the low pH will helpkeep potato scab in check.

Ground limestone is graded according to par cle size,and the percentage of each size par cle is printed onthe bag label. The smaller the par cle size, the fasterthe limestone will react in the soil and in turn raise thepH. For the fastest results, purchase limestone that has

a large percentage of par cles that have passed throughne mesh screen (100 mesh with 100 openings per

square inch is a common ne screen). If a magnesiumde ciency has been observed in your garden, dolomitelimestone should be used when liming to correct thede ciency.

Wood ashes are a good supplement to an applica on ofground limestone to help raise the pH of acid soils. Theanalysis of wood ashes will vary depending on the typeof wood being burnt. Generally, wood ashes containabout 45 percent calcium carbonate, a form of lime.Addi onally, wood ashes will contain 5 to 10 percentphosphorus. Wood ashes should be collected and storedin a dry area. If stored ashes are exposed to the rain,they will quickly lose a por on of their nutrient valuedue to leaching.

FERTILIZING THE GARDENA garden harvest will be in propor on to the fer lity ofthe soil, providing other factors are favorable. AIaska’ssoils, like most other soils, need fer lizers for goodyields.

The oldest and most common fer lizer is manure, and ifit is available, it can be used. A minimum applica on ofa half pound per square foot is recommended for Alaskasoils. A newly cleared sandy soil will need four mes thisamount. Well-ro ed manures should be used. Manureso en contain viable weed seeds. For two years priorto the plan ng of potatoes an applica on of manure isnot recommended since manure may encourage potatoscab.

When manure is not available, compost is a suitablesubs tute. Compost is decomposed vegetable ma er.The UAF Coopera ve Extension Service has serveralexcellent publica ons on compos ng.

There are a number of commercially bagged fer lizersmade from either organic or inorganic materials. Allcommercially bagged fer lizers contain known amountsof nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Each pack -age bears a label specifying its contents in percent, forexample, 10-20-10. This number tells the amount ofeach element — nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and potash(potassium) (K), always in this order — contained in thefer lizer bag. For example, each 100 pounds of 10-20-10fer lizer contains 10 pounds of nitrogen (N), 20 poundsof phosphorus (P) and 10 pounds of potash (K).

A er the garden has been lled, fer lize as recom -mended by the soil test or broadcast a completefer lizer (examples: 8-32-16, 10-20-10) at a rate of 2to 3 pounds per 100 square feet, working it into thetop 2 inches of garden soil. Both nitrogen and potashwill injure seed and the roots of plants on contact, sothoroughly mix the fer lizer into the seedbed. For equalresults using approximately one-half the fer lizer, place

a band of complete fer lizer 2 to 3 inches away fromand parallel to the row and 1 inch below the seed ata rate of 1 pound per 30 feet of row. If the garden hasbeen fer lized for several years at this rate, one-half therecommended applica on should be adequate. Watchthe root crops; if they are thinned properly and growluxuriant tops but not bo oms, the fer lizer applica onis probably too heavy.


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Most commercial fer lizers areapplied dry as they come fromthe bag, so the plant food is notimmediately available. With awater-soluble fer lizer the plantfood is immediately available.This is recommended for use ingreenhouses and for transplants.

Fer lizers that contain a high per -centage of plant food are be erbuys because less ller is beingshipped. Plant foods containinga total of more than 40 percent nutrient are usually thebest buy.

MICRONUTRIENTSThere may be a boron de ciency in beets grown in soilsat loca ons in Southcentral and Interior Alaska. Carrots,turnips, rutabagas, celery, cabbage, cauli ower, broc -

coli and Brussels sprouts may also respond to boron oncertain soils.

If you want to try boron, test on a small area rst. If a fa -vorable plant response occurs, then go ahead and use iton larger areas. For boron, apply borax at the rate of notmore than 9 pounds per acre or 1½ teaspoons per 100square feet once every three years. (Never apply boronon beans, cucumbers, peas, squash or tomatoes.)

Whiptail, a molybdenum de ciency that causes theleaves of cauli ower and broccoli to become curled and

very deformed, has been observed in the MatanuskaValley and in the Fairbanks area. This de ciency is morelikely to occur in certain acid soils under heavy fer liza -

on. If these symptoms have been seen, apply molyb -demun at a rate of 4 ounces to 2.5 pounds per acre(.009 to .09 ounces per 100 square feet) depending onrecommenda ons from your Extension agent or experi -ment sta on personnel. To ensure uniform distribu -

on of micronutrients, mix with other fer lizers beforespreading. EXTREME CARE must be used when applyingmicronutrients to guarantee against over applica on.Even small amounts may be toxic.

STARTER SOLUTIONSAlaska’s short, cool growing season makes it importantthat transplants get a good start that can be aided by us -ing a fer lizer starter solu on. Starter solu ons may bepurchased at a local garden center and are highly con -centrated water soluble fer lizers with an analysis suchas 10-52-17. Fer lizers high in phosphorus are neededfor root development, and plant roots are always in -

jured during the transplan ng process. These fer lizers

should be mixed according to direc ons on the label.Pour ½ cup of starter solu on in each hole before thetransplant is set. Se ng the plant rst and then water -ing some mes causes undesirable soil cracks.

Another e ec ve starter solu on is made by placingcow manure in a large container and adding water. Letthis stand for a week or more, s rring occasionally. Use

a pint to a quart of this “manure tea” for each plant.

PREPARE THE SEEDBEDThe nal step before sowing the seed is to rake the soilsurface smooth. A ne-textured, smooth soil surface willinsure good seed-soil contact and good germina on.

RAISING SOIL TEMPERATURESIn Alaska, any prac ce that will raise the soil tempera -ture will improve the chances of a successful crop.

Plant the rows in your garden in a north-south direc on.This eliminates the shading and resul ng cooler soil onthe north side of an east-west row.

Plan ng on a mound helps increase the soil tempera -ture when the sides slope at right angles to the sun’srays during the warmest part of the day.

The sides of the mound must be 10 to 12 inches high toe ec vely raise the soil temperature. The mound shouldbe at least 12 inches across at the top, which is wideenough to plant two rows of many crops. If the ridgeis too narrow, the mound will dry out quickly. Rapidchanges from wet to dry may place undue stress on theplants. The wider mounds will warm more slowly, but aconstant warmer temperature with an adequate level ofsoil moisture will produce healthier plants and mature acrop sooner.

In Southeast Alaska where rainfall is high, the moundsprovide both adequate drainage and a warmer soil,which are needed to produce a successful garden cropthere.

Another e ec ve method used to raise soil tempera -tures is the use of clear polyethylene plas c mulch. The

advantages of a clear plas c mulch are higher soil tem -peratures, faster and be er germina on, and reducedevapora on. Plas c also provides an extended growingseason because spring frosts are not as cri cal when theplants are under polyethylene. The early start acceler -ates growth and early matura on.

Green beans and other broad-leaved plants must be re -leased from under the plas c as soon as the seed leavesbreak the soil surface, or the leaves will sunburn. Clear


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plas c mulch fosters faster and more complete germina -on, and for sweet corn protects the young seedlings

from frost. Soil under the plas c loses very li le waterthrough evapora on, and the soil heat is not dissipatedby the wind. On sunny days soil temperatures havebeen found to di er by 30 degrees between clear plas cmulch areas and unmulched plots.

When applying clear polyethylene mulch, prepare thesoil, fer lize and plant the seed as you normally would,then spread a 3- or 4-foot-wide sheet of 1.5 to 2 milplas c centering it on the row.

Fold back the edge of the plas c 6 inches and dig atrench. Then place the soil over the plas c now in thetrench. Be sure to keep the plas c taut and don’t forgetto fasten the ends down the same way or the weeds willpush the plas c up as they grow. When the crop is up,slit the plas c mulch and gently pull the leaves through.

The problem of weed control does exist because theclear plas c does not eliminate weed growth. Theweeds under the plas c do not seem to produce viableseed to reinfest the soil and do not seem to use su -cient plant food and moisture to a ect the crop. Exces -sive weed growth under the plas c will shade the soilsurface and reduce warming.

Herbicides are available but are not generally recom -mended for small home gardens.

Organic and black plas c mulches control weeds but arenot recommended in Alaska for warm season crops be -cause they also depress the soil temperature by shadingthe soil from the sun’s rays.

STAKING AND PLANTING THE GARDENWhen the raking has been completed, lay out thegarden as on the ini al plan, measuring o and mark -ing both ends of each row with stakes. A strong stringstretched between stakes will serve as a guide to keeprows straight and neat. Small gardens are easily plantedby hand.

Shallow furrows can be made with the end of a hoe orrake handle and deeper furrows made with the cornerof a hoe.

The seed should be planted at a depth equal to twomes the seed diameter. This means that small seeds

will have very li le soil covering them. Large seeds suchas beans and peas may be planted about ¾ of an inchdeep. Le uce and celery seeds require light for germina -

on.

Seeds should be spaced apart at least four mes theirdiameter. A common error is to plant too many seeds.A healthy le uce plant, for example, eventually needsat least 12 inches of space. Why plant 100 seeds whereonly one will grow well?

Press the soil to rm it so the seed is in good contactwith the moist soil.

When the band method of fer lizing is used, make asecond furrow 2 to 3 inches away from and parallel tothe rst one and 1 inch deeper. This will keep the seedfrom coming in direct contact with the fer lizer, andas the young tap roots grow, they will not grow downthrough the concentrated band of fer lizer.

USING TREATED SEEDWhen a seed sprouts, the young shoot is o en a ackedby fungi and other microorganisms. These soil organ -isms are ready to a ack as the ny sprout emerges from

its protec ve seed coat. In wet soils, many seedlings arekilled by these microorganisms.

Some seed companies make a regular prac ce of treat -ing seeds before they are packaged. These seeds arewell worth buying and cost no more than untreatedseeds. If treated seed is unavailable, a gardener cantreat his own by purchasing a “seed protectant” at agarden center. Apply the protectant according to thedirec ons on the label of the packet.

THINNING SEEDLINGS

Thinning is a prac ce necessary to reduce the plantpopula on to allow maximum growth. Root crops —carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, rutabagas — growwell in Alaska but must be thinned, otherwise they willgrow luxuriant tops and no bo oms. Crowded plantsare also more suscep ble to bol ng. Thinning should bea gradual process over a number of weeks, beginningshortly a er the rst seedlings appear. The young seed -lings should be thinned so the leaves do not overlap. Asthe plants con nue to grow, the leaf thinnings of le uce


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make good salads and the beets make good greens. Bythe last thinning the plants of root crops should be atleast 4 inches apart.

WEEDS AND CULTIVATIONAmong the worst enemies of any garden are weeds.These are plants not wanted in the garden. They com -pete for soil moisture, plant nutrients and sunlight.

Weeds are also detrimental because they o en hostdisease organisms and insect pests. Most weeds aremore aggressive than garden crops because throughthe years they have become acclimated to the areas inwhich they are found. Garden crops are usually grownout of their na ve habitat. Dormant weed seed found ingarden soils will outnumber the garden seed planted byhundreds of mes.

It is far easier to prevent weed growth than eliminateit a er it has become established. A number of precau -

ons may be taken to prevent ini al weed growth.1. Prevent the weed growth in and near the garden from

going to seed. Mowing these areas before the weedshave gone to seed will prevent reseeding. This prac ceis par cularly important around the perimeter of thegarden.

2. Avoid using manures that have not been composted,because untreated manure contains viable weed seed.In Alaska, chickweed seed is par cularly prevalent inhorse manure.

3. Check the pots of plants imported from outside of Alaskafor weeds. This is one way new species of weeds areintroduced into an area.

4. Plant your garden immediately following a cul va on;this gives your garden seed a chance to germinatebefore the weeds are already up. Many garden seedswill germinate slower than weed seed.

Most weed control in a home garden is done by handweeding and cul va ng. Chemical weed controls (herbi -cides) are available but are designed for use in large ar -

eas where sophis cated equipment can be calibrated tomake precise uniform applica ons. Most home gardensare not laid out for an e ec ve use of such herbicides. Ifyou decide to use herbicides in your home garden, care -fully check applica on rates and read the label carefullybefore making the applica on.

Remember: Herbicides are plant killers, and a mistakein applica on may also kill desirable garden or na veplants.

The best me to hand weed is when the soil is moistand weeds are easily removed with their en re root sys -tem. When all the roots are not destroyed, some plantshave the ability to send up new shoots. If the weeds areremoved when they are small, the roots of the gardenseedlings will not be disturbed.

Deep cul va on, through the use of a cul vator andhoeing, destroys the weeds but also the roots of thegarden plants. This in turn reduces the yield and theability of plants to withstand drought. When cul vat -ing seedlings, be careful not to cover the young plants,as the soil cover may kill them. Deep cul va on is notnecessary for weed removal because weeds should beremoved when they are small. Addi onally, deep cul va -

on brings deeply buried weed seed to the soil surfacewhere it will germinate.

Correct cul va on not only controls weeds, it alsoprevents the soil from crus ng and allows air movementthrough the soil that is needed for healthy root growth.A loose, crumbly soil is be er able to soak up the rainfall

that helps prevent soil erosion.Remember that short and frequent trips to the gardenmake weeding and cul va on less laborious and garden -ing more enjoyable.

Watering is especially important during dry, springmonths when lack of water delays germina on.

Many factors determine when and how much watershould supplement natural rainfall. Light, sandy soils


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CUTWORMS are the larvae of small moths. Many spe -cies are found in Alaska. Color and markings are vari -able. Cutworms o en chew o newly set garden plants,par cularly cole crops, at the ground level and eat holesin the leaves of other plants. Most damage is done fromlate May to mid-June.

ROOT MAGGOTS, onion maggots, seed corn maggots

and turnip maggots are the larvae of small ys and arecommon in Alaska. The last is most widespread and usu -ally does the most damage. They a ack turnips, radish -es, cabbage, cauli ower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts andrutabagas from late May throughout the summer.

The UAF Coopera ve Extension Service has a variety ofpublica ons on controlling vegetable garden weeds andinsects.

HARVESTING AND STORINGVegetables should be harvested in their prime. Do not

wait un l they are overmature. Harvest only the bestfor canning or storing. Crops are never improved bystoring. Handle vegetables gently. Clean completely andput them into a cool place at once. Do not harvest morethan can be prepared at one me.

Home freezers have simpli ed the storage of many veg -etables. They make garden-fresh crops available all yeararound. Canning is s ll a good way to preserve manyvegetables.

The UAF Coopera ve Extension Services has numerous

publica ons on food preserva on, including freezing,canning and drying.

GROWING TRANSPLANTSA warm, sunny window, some well-prepared soil anda container are the principal materials needed to startearly vegetable plants for the family garden.

Soil for star ng transplants should be taken insidebefore fall freeze-up and stored for spring use. Onepart garden loam, one part coarse sand and one partpeat, well mixed together,make an excellent mixture. Agood po ng soil should bewell-drained, which will helpprevent soilborne diseases.

Before sowing the seed, thesoil should be pasteurized tokill harmful soil organismsand weed seed. Pasteuriza -

on will control the commonsoilborne disease known as

lose water quickly andneed frequent irriga on.

Heavy soils and soilshigh in organic ma erhold water for a longme and therefore

need less irriga on. Thegardener has to decide

about his own soil.

The second considera on is the weather. Cooler weath -er means less water loss through evapora on and tran -spira on, reducing the demand for irriga on. Hot, dry,clear or windy weather increases the need for irriga on.It is preferable to water early in the morning when thetemperature is cool and the sun is not bright. Water -ing late in the day will leave the foliage wet during thenight, encouraging fungus diseases. Even though wellwater and river water may be cold, it does not greatlyin uence plant growth when applied by a sprinkler. The

ne droplets of water leaving a sprinkler head warmquickly enough to reach the wet bulb temperature a fewdegrees cooler than the air temperature.

Sprinkler irriga on is superior to furrow irriga on un -less your house does not have a pressure water system.With furrow irriga on, the eld must be level to allowfor an even water distribu on.

Soak the soil whenever the root zone is dry. A few heavywaterings are be er than frequent light waterings,which encourage shallow roots. To know when to water,

test the soil by squeezing a small handful. If it does nothold its shape when released, water is needed. Whenthe soil holds its shape but crumbles easily, there is s llmoisture available for plant growth. The test should bemade daily from then on.

If the soil ball s cks rmly together, there is ample mois -ture for several days. When plants show signs of wil ng,water at once.

CONTROLLING INSECTS IN THE GARDENAlaska is rela vely free of insects that a ack vegetable

crops. To avoid problems that are not common toAlaska, carefully check new plants that have been grownout of state. These plants may introduce new problemsto your garden. Alaska has only two common vegetablegarden insect pests, the cutworm and the root maggot.Both insects are destruc ve to garden crops as larvaeliving in the soil. Slugs may also be a problem in thecoastal areas of Alaska.


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“damp-o ” if the treated soil is placed in a clean con -tainer and not recontaminated.

To pasteurize soil, place 6 to 8 inches of well moistened,but not wet, soil in a large covered ke le. Insert a meatthermometer into the center of the soil. Preheat theoven to 300°F and heat un l the soil reaches a tempera -ture of 180°F. At that temperature, con nue hea ng for

an addi onal 30 minutes.

Do not allow the soil temperature to go above 180°Fsince the high temperatures will kill bene cial soil organ -isms and cause a breakdown of nutrients into substanc -es toxic to plants.

A microwave oven may be used if it is equipped witha temperature probe. Fill a 2-quart or larger casserolewith well moistened soil, inser ng the probe into thecenter. Set the oven at 180°F. When the oven automa -cally shuts o , leave the covered casserole in the closed

oven for 30 minutes.Note: Do not a empt to pasteurize smaller quan es ofsoil. Microwave ovens without a temperature probe can -not be used to pasteurize soil because the temperatureof the soil cannot be regulated.

Commercially prepared mixes ready for plan ng thathave been sterilized and placed in a sealed bag are avail -able.

FLATS — A convenient-size at is approximately 1½inches wide, 21 inches long, and 2½ inches deep. The

exact size is not important, but it should not be toolarge since damp soil is heavy and large ats are di cultto handle. Shallow cans or pans are good if holes arepunched in the bo om for drainage. The ats should benew or made of a material that is easily sterilized to pre -vent the spread of disease. Household bleach is a gooddisinfectant to use for sterilizing plant containers. Useone part household bleach for each nine parts of waterand soak the containers for one-half hour. Do not usethem un l they are thoroughly dry. Firm the soil alongthe edges when lling ats. This prevents a crack nextto the sides where water can run out without bene tto the plants. Fill to within ½ inch of the top with theprepared soil. Make the rows 2 inches apart and ½ inchdeep across the narrowest por on of the at. A narrowboard cut to t the at is a good row marker.

SEEDING FLATS— Sow treated seed, when it is avail -able, according to the instruc ons on the packet. Smallseeds can be sown evenly and rapidly from the lip ofpacket. Larger seeds are planted individually. Do not sowtoo thickly. Cover the larger seed lightly; very ne seed

not at all. Sprinkle the surface with a ne spray to make

a good seed-to-soil contact. Cover the at with clearplas c or glass to retain the surface moisture un l theseed has germinated.

Condi ons experienced during the rst few days a eremergence in uence the growth of new plants through -out their life. The temperature range for seedlingsshould be between 65° and 75°F during the day and 50°to 60°F during the night. The cool night temperatureprevents leggy growth in young seedlings.

New roots and shoots are extremely tender, so avoidfer lizing un l the rst true leaves start to appear. Thenapply a water-soluble fer lizer high in phosphorus toencourage good root growth. Apply the solu on at therate the label recommends. A er the rst true leaveshave developed, some rows will be too crowded. Startat one end of the at and systema cally thin out un lthere is ½ inch space between plants. This spacing al -lows the air to circulate around each seedling, whichwill help keep the foliage dry and reduce the chances ofa disease a ack.

To save space, new plants are o en grown in the origi -

nal seeding ats un l their rst true leaves appear. Theseedlings are then transferred to individual containersor to other ats where they should be spaced on 2-inchintervals. The plants are grown in these ats un l thegarden is ready.

A biweekly watering with a starter solu on will keepthem healthy and vigorous. A good transplant should beshort, stocky and vigorous when plan ng me arrives.


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NUTRIENTS IN ONE POUND FRESH VEGETABLES(Based on gures in USDA Handbook No. 8)

Ascorbic Protein Fat Carbohydrate Vitamin A Acid

Calories (grams) (grams) (grams) (IU) (mg)

Asparagus 66 6.4 — 12.7 2,290 84

Beans, snap 128 7.6 .8 28.3 2,400 76

Beets 78 2.9 .2 18.0 40 18

Beet greens 61 5.6 .8 11.7 15,490 76

Broccoli 89 10.0 .8 16.3 6,920 313

Brussels sprouts 188 20.4 1.7 34.6 2,300 426

Cabbage 86 4.7 .7 19.3 470 169

Carrots 112 2.9 .5 26.0 29,440 21

Chard 104 10.0 1.3 19.2 27,120 132

Corn, sweet 240 8.7 2.5 55.1 1,000 31

Cucumber 65 3.9 .4 14.7 1,080 48

Kale 128 14.1 2.7 20.1 29,880 420

Kohlrabi 96 6.6 .3 21.9 70 219

Le uce, iceberg 56 3.9 .4 12.5 1,420 28

Le uce, looseleaf 52 3.8 .9 10.2 5,520 54

Mustard greens 98 9.5 1.6 17.8 22,220 308

Onions, bulbing 157 6.2 .4 35.9 160 42

Onions, bunching 157 6.5 .9 35.7 8,710 139

Parsley 200 16.3 2.7 38.6 38,560 780

Parsnips 293 6.6 1.9 67.5 120 62Peas 145 10.9 .7 24.8 1,100 47

Peppers, bell 82 4.5 .7 17.9 1,540 476

Potatoes 279 7.7 .4 62.8 Trace 73

Radishes 69 4.1 .4 14.7 70 106

Rhubarb 33 1.2 .2 7.6 200 18

Rutabagas 177 4.2 .4 42.4 2,240 166

Spinach 85 10.5 1.0 14.0 26,450 167

Squash, summer 84 4.8 .4 18.5 1,800 95

Squash, winter 161 4.5 1.0 39.9 11,920 43

Tomatoes 100 5.0 .9 21.3 4,080 118

Turnips 117 3.9 .8 25.7 Trace 140

Turnip greens 127 13.6 1.4 22.7 34,470 628


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ASPARAGUS — This perennial vegetablegrows in favorable loca ons with care andmaintenance. A few plants along the sideof a house, next to the founda on, mayyield several meals for the family. Aspara -gus is a heavy feeder and demands amplewater. Asparagus is propagated fromcrown or seed and may be ordered from aseed house.

Set the crowns 5 to 6 inches deep and cover them withabout 1 inch of soil. Con nue covering the plant with aninch of soil each me the shoots appear un l the soil islevel. Do not cut the spears the rst two years, and thethird year cut sparingly. The tops should be allowed togrow at least six weeks between the last harvest and the

rst fall frost.

BEANS — Although beans are amarginal crop in much of Alaska,

both green podded and wax poddedvarie es are popular. In most placesthe season is long enough. Cold soil

temperatures retard growth, and the beans do not ma -ture. Yields are good during warm summers when theyare planted through clear polyethelene plas c mulch.Cau on: Green beans must be released from under the

plas c as soon as the seed leaves break the soil surface.Good crops of green beans can be expected every yearin the Interior.

Light, well-drained, sandy soils are best for beans. Light

applica ons of commercial fer lizer are needed. How -ever, too much fer lizer causes the blossoms to drop o .

Beans freeze easily. Early plan ngs must be protectedat night when the temperature falls to near freezing. Inwarm soils beans germinate in three or four days. Coolsoils or cold weather may delay their emergence for tendays or more. Do not cul vate a er the blossoms appear.

Avoid working in beans when the plants are wet.

BEETS — Beets are hardy and not harmed by lightfrosts. Because of Alaska’s long days, beets o en bolt;that is, they blossom and set seed the rst year withoutgrowing a good root. When beets start to bolt, they arealways of poor quality, and there is no way to stop theblossoming once it is started. Recommended variet -ies have performed sa sfactorily in the Interior but

may bolt in the coolerregions of Alaska. Lateplan ng and thinningreduces bol ng.

Soil requirements are not cri cal. A fairly deep, friableloam is best. It must be well drained and fer lized heav -ily for rapid growth. If adequate moisture is not avail -able or they are not thinned properly, the roots will betough and woody.

A beet “seed” is really a cluster of seeds. For this reasonbeets must be thinned as soon as their rst true leaves

appear. Pull all the extra li le beets, leaving only one ineach cluster. Space them so their leaves do not touch.When the tops are 6 to 8 inches tall and the beets aninch in diameter, they must be thinned again, leavingthe plants at 4-inch intervals.

Use the thinnings as greens, cooking both tops androots. Frozen beet greens are excellent. For best quality,use beets when they are 2 inches in diameter.

Two plan ngs can be made in some areas. The rstshould be made when the garden is rst planted, and

the second plan ng should be made in early July.BROCCOLI — Broccoli, like other colecrops, is hardy and grows best in coolweather. It is par cularly well adaptedto Alaska, as is cabbage and cauli ower.

The terms “broccoli” and “green sprout -ing broccoli” refer to the same plant, as “broccoli” wasoriginally a large cauli ower. Unopened ower buds formthe “head” of broccoli and the “curd” of cauli ower.

Broccoli may be seeded directly in the garden or started

early indoors in ats. A dozen plants are enough for afamily of ve. Broccoli must be protected against rootmaggots and cutworms. Harvest the central or terminalhead before the buds start to show yellow. New lateralheads will con nue to form. These must be harvestedcon nuously for sustained yields. Broccoli is an excellentfrozen vegetable, high in both vitamins A and C.

Soil requirements are not cri cal, but plenty of moistureand fer lizer is needed. Side dress with nitrogen twiceduring summer.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS — Budsform li le heads where theleaves join the stems. Theseare the edible part of this plant.These miniature heads tastesomewhat like cabbage. Theyfreeze well or may be cannedor pickled. Because of theirsmall diameter, Brussels sproutsdry out quickly when stored


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in a basement. This vegetable should be started earlyindoors and transplanted to the garden. In some areas,Brussels sprouts may be seeded directly in the garden,although the crop is usually late.

Brussels sprouts mature from the bo om toward thetop. Use the sprouts as they reach an inch in diameter.These plants withstand severe frost and persist un l late

in the fall.

Like most of the cabbage family, rapid growth gives bestquality. Ample water and fer lizer is needed throughoutthe growing season. Seedlings and transplants needprotec on against cutworms and root maggots.

CABBAGE — Cabbage may be seed -ed directly in the garden or grownfrom transplants. Plants are usuallyspaced 15 inches apart in the row.

Early cabbage is seeded in ats sixweeks before they are to be set out.

Cabbage is resistant to frost and grows well in coolsoils. Moisture seems to be the most important factorto good growth when temperatures are low. Cabbagegrows on sand, muck or heavy soils, but early crops areobtained on sandy soil. At least two side dressings ofgood commercial fer lizer or ammonium nitrate givestop yields of high quality cabbage.

Cabbage must be protected against cutworms and rootmaggots.

CARROTS — Carrots do best in sandy loam.Heavy, wet or stony soils cause misshapen car -rots and give poor yields.

Carrot seeds germinate slowly. Therefore, it isa good prac ce to plant a few radish seeds tomark the rows so they can be cul vated beforethe carrots are up. Deformed carrots usuallymean the soil is too compact or the seedlingswere not adequately thinned. Thinning is very

important. Carrot seed is usually planted too thick be -cause the seed is so ne. Before the plants are 1½ inchestall, pull the excess, leaving only one plant every 2 inches.

Chickweed must be killed early or the slow germina ngcarrots will be completely smothered.

Carrots will store all winter in clean, damp (not wet)sand. Place an inch of sand in a clean wood box. Thenput in a layer of carrots. Cover with sand. Then coverthe top layer with 3 inches of sand. Store at cool tem -peratures, but do not freeze.

CAULIFLOWER — Cauli ower is notas hardy as cabbage or broccoli. Cauli -

ower must be well watered and heav -ily fer lized for rapid growth. Like theother cole crops, cauli ower is started

early indoors and transplanted. A direct seeding maybe made in the garden for a late crop. Cauli ower alsoneeds protec on against root maggots and cutworms.

For home use, plants with heavy foliage need not beed. For commercial sale, white heads are demanded,

and shading by tying the central leaves together isnecessary. Freezing, canning and pickling are commonmeans of preserva on.

CELERY — Celery is hard to grow, althoughis it well suited to many Alaska sites. In otherstates, the best celery is grown on muck, butin Alaska, muck soils are usually too cold andfrosty. Be er-drained garden sites are less

subject to frost, and celery grows well on siltor sandy loams if ample water is available.

Celery should not be grown unless the gar -dener is prepared to water it.

Celery grows slowly and must be started 12 weeks ormore before being transplanted in the garden. As theplant gains size, its rate of growth speeds up. Celery isshallow rooted and a heavy feeder. Careful soil prepara -

on and liberal applica ons of fer lizer are required.Fer lizer should be applied in several light applica ons.

Celery requires a fer lizer high in potash.Home gardeners usually purchase a couple of dozentransplants for a family of four. A fairly skillful gardenercan grow his own transplants, although they must beseeded in early March and do require careful a en on.

Celery can be stored for several weeks in a cool cellar.Take up the en re plant, crown, roots and all, and placeit in an upright posi on in moist sand. Roots and topsmay be pruned a li le a er digging. Avoid we ng thestems of stored plants.

CHINESE CABBAGE — This is a good sal -ad vegetable, but early plan ngs usuallybolt, going to seed before heading. Plant -ings made in early July and harvestedimmature is one way to avoid seed stalk

growth. Apart from its tendency to go toseed, Chinese cabbage is no more di cult to

grow than le uce. It is seeded directly in the garden andthinned to one plant every 4 or 5 inches when small.


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CHIVES — This grasslike hollow-stemherb is good in salads and for avoringmeats and vegetables. Plants are started

from ny sets.

Chives are perennial and a single plantalong the south wall of the house near the

kitchen door is enough for a family of four. When large

enough, it can be divided into several plants. A por -on can be po ed and grown during the winter on the

window.

COLLARD — This green is welladapted to Alaska, as freezing doesnot seriously injure the plant. Col -lards look like unheaded cabbage,and their culture is the same as for

cabbage. They do well in poor soil if given ample water.Collards yield heavily. A 10-foot row is enough for a fam -ily. Thin the plants so they are 15 inches or so apart.

CORN — Sweet corn does not performsa sfactorily in most areas of Alaska. Inthe sunny areas or during warm summers,roas ng ears can be grown through clearpolyethylene on favorable sites. The clear

plas c mulch will protect the young seedlingsfrom late frosts, and the plants may remainunder the mulch un l they are 4 to 6 inches

tall since they will not sunburn. When trans -plan ng corn, be very careful not to injure the top orroots. Fer lizer will help produce good ears, but what

corn needs is a lot of hot sunshine, which is infrequentin much of Alaska.

Good roas ng ears can also be grown in the green -house, but the plants take up a lot of room.

CUCUMBERS — Like corn and toma -toes, cucumbers are not well adaptedto Alaska’s cold soils. Cucumbers can

be grown through clear polyethylenemulch in areas where summer tempera -

tures are rela vely high. Cucumbers do not

perform well outside in the cooler regions of Alaska.Plants may be started inside but must be transplantedwith extreme cau on. Any root injury that occurs duringthe transplan ng will heal very slowly, and many mesthe plants do not survive.

Do not start plants in peat pots and transfer both theplant and the pot to the garden. This prac ce willseverely restrict root growth since the peat pots do notdisintegrate in Alaska’s cold soils. Cucumbers do well in

a greenhouse situa on, but the standard varie es mustbe hand pollinated.

ENDIVE — Endive is like le uce, but it some -mes bolts, going to seed without producing

edible leaves. An early July plan ng with earlythinning helps discourage bol ng. A row 20feet long is enough for most families. Plants

must be thinned early before they are 2inches tall. Space them about 10 inches apartin the row.

Some people prefer blanched endive. To do this, waitun l the plant is full grown. Then bring the outsideleaves together and e them at the top. Do not e themwhen the plants are wet because they will decay.

KALE — This green does well in Alaskaand grows in any good garden site.Leaves must be picked young for top

quality. Kale is very nutri ve, contain-

ing vitamin A, thiamine and ascorbic acid. Itis some mes grown as an ornamental.

Care for kale like cabbage. It grows fast and is seededdirectly in the garden. A 20-foot row is adequate for afamily. Thin to a single plant every 12 inches.

KOHLRABI — The edible part ofkohlrabi is a bulblike swelling of the

stem above ground. It has a mild, tur -nip avor and is eaten raw or cooked. The

edible por on, being above ground, is lesssuscep ble to penetra on by root mag -gots. Kohlrabi withstands frosts and growsrapidly; it is a good vegetable for Alaska.

Kohlrabi is grown like cabbage and is planted directly inthe garden. Thin to 6 to 8 inches. Harvest when small,as kohlrabi o en becomes woody when larger than 2inches. Trimmed, kohlrabi stores for long periods of mewith li le care.

LETTUCE — Leaf and head le ucecan be sown directly in the garden.Successive plan ngs every twoweeks will produce a con nuous

supply, but there is no prac cal way tostore le uce.

For early head le uce, seedlings may be started in thehouse and transplanted in late May or early June. Rapidgrowth for good quality is assured by liberal applica onsof fer lizer and water. Do not crowd le uce in the row.Thin head le uce varie es to one plant every 12 inches.


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MUSTARD — A 10-foot row of mus -tard yields excellent early greens for afamily of four. High in calcium and iron,chopped mustard greens are easilycanned and frozen. Seed directly in thegarden and thin to one plant every 6 to8 inches in the row. Mustard sets seedrapidly and may come up the next

year. In some favorable sites, the seedlings may be hardto kill. For this reason pull the plants when they start toblossom. At this stage they are not good for greens.

ONIONS — Onions do well in awide range of soils if plenty of

moisture is available. Soils high inorganic ma er and rich in nitrogen

are ideal. Onions are very shallow-root -ed. Great care must be taken not to cut o

the roots when cul va ng.

Dry onions are commonly started from sets (smallonions), while green bunching onions are grown fromseed. Onion sets should be protected from onion rootmaggots. Place the sets in a very shallow trench. Space2 or 3 inches apart. Cover to their necks, but do notbury them completely. Weeds should never be allowedin the onion row.

Damp fall weather in much of Alaska slows down thematuring of dry onions. A er pulling, shake o the dirtand let the bulbs dry. Then rub o the tops and roots.Store in a dry, cool room.

PARSNIPS — Parsnips are a delicious rootcrop that are grown like carrots. Like car -rots, they emerge and grow slowly. Rowsare usually marked with radishes to makeearly cul va on easier. Plants must bethinned so that each plant has 3 or 4 inchesof space in the row. Parsnips are improvedby freezing. Once frozen they should not be

thawed un l cooked. Some gardeners leave a few in theground un l spring.

PEAS — Peas are one of Alaska’smost sa sfactory vegetables.They thrive in cool, moist weatherand are not bothered by diseasesor insect pests, and they outgrowmost weeds. Long days encour -age early blooming. A good crop

is obtained with li le trouble when side dressed withnitrogen. Picking and shucking is more trouble thangrowing them. A row 100 feet long takes a pound of

seed and yields about 5 pounds of shucked green peas,enough for most families. In sites where damp weatheris expected in August, pea vines should be trained to awoven wire fence, as pods of unsupported vines lyingon the ground may rot during the wet weather. If thegarden rows run north and south, a row of peas can beplanted about 6 inches on each side of a wire fence.Where rows run east and west, plant only on the southside of the fence.

To plant peas, dig a furrow about 2 inches deep. Spreadabout 2 pints of fer lizer per 100-foot row in the bot -tom of the furrow. Then ll the furrow with at least 1inch of soil and sca er the pea seed down the furrow.The seed should lie on the soil above the fer lizer. Coverthe seed with another ½ inch of soil and pack by tamp -ing with the rake or hoe. Tamping insures good contactbetween the seed and moist soil. A good stand of peasshould have plants every inch.

A er the vines are 6 inches high, sca er another 2 pintsof fer lizer down the side of the 100-foot row. Wait un -

l the vines are dry to do this, otherwise some fer lizerwill s ck to the wet leaves and burn them. Now pushdirt up against the vines so they are inclined toward thefence, where their tendrils can reach the wire. Anotherside dressing of fer lizer in early August will keep thevines growing un l frost.

Good, healthy pea vines may reach 3 or 4 feet on thesuppor ng fence. Some mes they are so heavy theirtendrils are broken and the vines fall to the ground.

To prevent this, e the vines to the fence with stripsof cloth, string or wire, looped at 6- or 8-foot intervalsthrough the fence mesh. Start picking peas from thebo om as the pods ll and before the pods wrinkle orturn yellow. When picking for freezing, take only goodpods. Leave old ones (containing hard peas) and youngones (containing undersized peas) on the vine. As thepeas are shucked, grade them again, so that only peasof the same size and age are blanched or canned.

Peas are easy to freeze or can once they have beenpicked and shucked. Old pods may be le to dry on thevine. Dried peas can be stored for soups or for bakinglike beans.


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POTATOES — Potatoes need lotsof space. If the home garden issmall, a few hills yield enough forfresh “peas and potatoes.” A row100 feet long with plants spaced

12 inches apart takes 15 pounds of seed. About 50pounds of potatoes can be expected.

Potatoes need loose soil for best growth. The easiestway to plant potatoes is to dig a furrow about 4 inchesdeep. Sca er about 3 pints of a complete fer lizer downthe bo om of the furrow, then rake back an inch of soil.Drop the seed a foot apart to one side of the fer lizer toavoid direct contact. Cover with an inch or so of soil andwalk on the row to pack it down. In warm weather, theplants will emerge in a week or 10 days. Cool weatherdelays emergence.

Small potatoes an inch or so in diameter make goodseed. Larger potatoes may be cut into several pieces so

that each has at least two “eyes.” There is no advantagein plan ng large whole potatoes.

An important prac ce in preparing the potato seedpieces before plan ng is called green sprou ng. A ercu ng the pieces, they should be placed in a closedpaper bag for four to ve days at room temperature toallow the cut surfaces to dry down and heal, otherwisethe seed pieces may rot. Place the seed pieces in indi -rect light at room temperature. This will allow the budsof eyes to sprout.

When the sprout is ¼ inch long, plant the pieces in thegarden. If the sprouts break o during the plan ng pro -cess, the work of green sprou ng is lost.

As the plants grow, rake soil around them. When thevines are a foot high, the row should be “hilled” (soil piledover it) 2 or 3 inches higher than the rest of the garden.Hilling kills weeds and buries the new tubers so they arenot exposed to light. New tubers turn green when notcovered with soil, and green tubers are apt to be bi er.

A er the tops are killed by frost, potatoes can be dug.They are not good if they freeze and thaw in the ground.However, if potatoes can be kept frozen un l they areused, they are suitable for ea ng, although they arevery sweet. Wash or brush the dirt from the tubers andstore in a crate or wooden box that has cracks and holesin it for ven la on. A cool basement is a good storagearea. A storage temperature of 36° to 38°F is best.

Potatoes should be grown in a new site each year ifpotato scab is evident.

RADISHES — Radishes grow rap -idly. Plant only a few feet of a rowat a me every week un l August.Radishes must be protected fromroot maggots. Thin so each planthas an inch or so of space to grow

in. Use while small and pull old plants before they blos -som.

RHUBARB — This perennial grows wellin Alaska. Plants with deep dark red

leaf stalks are superior to greenones. A large plant can bedivided into several smallerones. Dig up the old root andseparate it into several pieces,

leaving one or two buds on each sec on. Select a siteoutside the garden area where the plant can growundisturbed for several years. Inside the garden rhubarbgrows so big it can be a nuisance to work around unlessa whole row is set aside for it. The site should be welldrained, but not gravelly. Rhubarb plants also make agood founda on plan ng. Five or six plants will providean ample supply for a family with some le over for theneighbors.

Dig a hole a foot or so wide and a foot deep. If agedmanure is available, spade a pailful into the bo omof this hole. If manure is not available, spade a cupfulof commercial fer lizer into well-decomposed organicma er and ll the bo om of the hole. Finish lling thehole with garden soil so the crown is slightly above thesurface. Pack soil around the edge of the hole, leavinga depression to hold water. Pour in a bucket of waterand then mound the remaining soil over the crown.Good juicy rhubarb needs lots of fer lizer. Side dressold plants with a pint of commercial fer lizer sca eredover a 3-foot area in early May. Sca er another cupfularound the plant in early July and again in late August.Newly set plants should be le undisturbed for a year.The second year they may be lightly harvested. Rhubarbwill go to seed but the ower stalks may be cut withoutharming the plant.

RUTABAGAS — Rutabagas are grownlike turnips, but they need more spacein the row. Thin to 8 to 10 inches. Theirquality improves in a cool, moist storage,preferably just above freezing. Storagelife of rutabagas is extended if they arecleaned and waxed when pulled.


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NEW ZEALAND SPIN ACH — Truespinach goes to seed so quicklyduring Alaska’s long days that it isgenerally not recommended forhome gardens. However, several

of the newer varie es may givesa sfactory results. New Zealand spin -

ach, which is not a true spinach, is be er adapted andcan be grown in nearly all areas of Alaska. New Zealandspinach is grown like beets. A trial plan ng of perpetualor beet spinach is worthwhile. Seedlings are thinned15 to 18 inches apart in the row. Young tender ps ofbranches are harvested and eaten fresh or boiled. Theyalso may be canned or frozen.

SUMMER SQUASH — Summer squash, whichincludes zucchini, needs a light, well-drained

soil and moderate fer liza on. Plant inhills with ve to six seeds per hill. Eachhill should be spaced 4 feet apart.Summer squash will be more pro -duc ve when planted through clear

plas c mulch. Use the squash while it is s ll immature.If the thumbnail easily punctures the surface skin, it iss ll edible. Summer squash may be stored by freezing orcanning. Dry storage is not sa sfactory for more than amonth.

SWISS CHARD — Swiss chard is a largefoliage beet with juicy leaf stalks andbroad crisp leaves. The red kind, calledrhubarb chard, is colorful in spring sal -ads. Seed of green chard is more easilyobtained. Either kind is a good greenvegetable.

Swiss chard goes to seed, especiallywhen it is planted early and is too crowded in a row. It isgrown like beets, thinned 6 to 8 inches apart while s llin the seedling stage.

Pick the big tender leaves and leaf stalks. Chop with apair of shears and boil like spinach. Frozen chard is supe -rior to canned.

TOMATOES — Outside of the Interior,few garden sites are warm enough togrow good tomatoes. The vines grow,the plants bloom and set fruit; but thefruit does not usually ripen. Many gar -deners harvest green tomatoes for pick -ling or spicing. There are favored sites in

Anchorage and the Matanuska Valley where certain to -mato varie es mature when grown under plas c mulch.

In the Tanana Valley and parts of the Yukon Valley wherethe climate is more con nental, a few adapted varie esregularly mature fruit outdoors when grown throughclear polyethylene mulch. In most of Alaska, tomatoesare usually grown in greenhouses or shelters where theyare supplied with addi onal heat.

Tomato plants must be started indoors and then trans -

planted outside. Plants are started indoors eight weeksbefore the danger of frost is past. Enough plants fora garden may be started in a window box and trans -planted to small pots or paper cups. Seedlings are rsttransplanted soon a er their rst true leaves appear.A er the danger of frost is past and there is assuranceof con nued warm weather, tomatoes are again trans -planted — this me into the garden, if you are going togrow them outside.

At transplan ng me the plants are usually 8 to 10 inch -es tall. Leave as large a ball of soil and roots as possible

on each plant and set them in posi on with the earthpacked about them. Be careful not to injure their roots.

Tomatoes do best on fer le, well-drained soil. Usefer lizer sparingly. Too much nitrogen encourages vinegrowth.

Hoe around tomatoes to control weeds, but deep hoe -ing injures their shallow root system. Tomatoes needa lot of water, especially when the vines are growingrapidly. Water the soil, not the vines. Uniform moistureis needed. Wide varia ons in soil moisture can damage

the fruit. Blossom end rot is o en seen a er a period ofrank growth and is a sign of water stress.

Mature tomato vines may be covered with plas c tohasten the ripening of their fruits. Fruit that is nearlymature can be brought into the house for nal ripening.

TURNIPS — Turnips are hardy andeasy to grow, but like cabbage, they aresuscep ble to damage from root mag -gots. Plant early for summer ea ng. Nospecial soil prepara on is needed. A lateplan ng in mid-July gives be er turnipsfor winter storage. Thin while tops ares ll tender. These young turnips makeexcellent greens. A er thinning, theturnips should have at least 4 inches

of space between them in the row. Pull, clean and waxturnips before they turn woody for best winter storage.


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PLANTING GUIDESuitable for a family of four allowing some extra for home processing

(Adjust to family’s needs, likes and dislikes)

Length Plants Depth Row Plant

Of Or Seed To Space Space Days To ApproxVegetable Row Needed Plant (inches) (inches) Mature Yield

*Beans 100 ¾ lb ½ in 36 6–8 65–90 50 lbBeets 50 ½ oz ¼ in 24 2–4 60–80 50 lbBroccoli 50 25 plants transplant 36 18–24 50–100 30 lbBrussels sprouts 50 25 plants transplant 36 24 100–120 30 lb

Cabbage 60 30 plants transplant 30 18–24 50–130 90 lbCarrots 100 ⅛ oz ⅛ in 18 2–4 50–90 100 lbCauli ower 50 35 plants transplant 24 18 65–75 75 lbCelery 25 40 plants transplant 24 6–8 100–120 45 lb

*Corn, sweet 100 ⅛ lb ½ in 30 12–14 75–115 100 earsChard, Swiss 25 ¼ oz ¼ in 24 6 60–75 25 lb

*Cucumber 25 25 plants transplant 36 12 60–80 50 lb*Eggplant 12 8 plants transplant 36 18 80–100 15 lb

Endive 25 ⅛ oz ⅛ in 20 10 60–80 15 lbKale 25 ⅛ oz ⅛ in 24 10 70–130 25 lbKohlrabi 50 ⅛ oz ⅛ in 18 4 50–75 50 lbLe uce, head 25 ⅟ 16 oz ⅛ in 18 10–15 50–80 25 lb

Le uce, leaf 25 ⅟ 16 oz ⅛ in 18 3–6 40–70 20 lbMustard greens 25 ⅟ 16 oz ⅛ in 16 6 50–75 15 lbOnion, scallion 10 ⅛ oz ¼ in 14 1–3 50–70 10 lbOnion 25 10 lb Sets 14 2–4 45–70 25 lb

Parsley 10 ⅟ 16 oz ⅛ in 16 4 50–75 5 lbParsnips 50 ⅟ 16 oz ¼ in 24 3 100–150 50 lbPeas 150 1½ lb ½ in 30 2 100–120 40 lb

*Peppers 25 15 plants transplant 24 18 90–130 25 lb

Potatoes 150 30 lb 1 in 30 10–14 90–110 200 lbRadishes 25 ⅟ 16 oz ¼ in 12 1 25–35 18 lbRutabagas 50 ⅟ 16 oz ¼ in 20 4 50–75 75 lbSpinach 25 ⅛ oz ¼ in 24–36 8–10 60–80 20 lb

*Squash, summer 10 4 plants transplant 36 30 60–75 75 lb*Squash, winter 25 6 plants transplant 60 48 120–135 60 lb*Tomatoes 75 25 plants transplant 36 24–36 90–110 150 lb

Turnips 50 ⅟ 16 oz ¼ in 18 3 50–75 75 lb

* Grown through clear polyethylene


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Published by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with the United States Department of Agri-culture. Te University of Alaska Fairbanks is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution.

©2014 University of Alaska Fairbanks.

3-77/RY/7-14 Reviewed April 2014

www.uaf.edu/ces or 1-877-520-5211

16 easy steps to gardening in alaska

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