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Old 08-20-2008, 05:27 PM
 
Location: Rochester Hills, MI.
25 posts, read 61,630 times
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Question to all you native Alaskan types...probably is a newbie question but as they say "the only stupid question is the one not asked...." or something like that. Anyway, my fiance and I are planning on moving out to the Anchorage/Palmer/Wasilla area sometime after Thanksgiving (pending a passing score on my agility test for the Anchorage PD) and she has been wondering weather or not she has to have a greenhouse to grow vegetables in. In looking for a place to live once we get there, I have come across many houses that have greenhouses and the ones that do not show it in pictures make SURE to include that in the property description. How hard is it to have a prosperous garden in the Alaskan climate? She is thinking of planting herbs, tomatoes, beans, peas and probably zucchini (spelling?).... Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
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Old 08-20-2008, 05:50 PM
 
109 posts, read 287,551 times
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Handy gardening hint to those with cats: Good old fashioned moth balls work wonders to keep cats out of your gardens

OK, here's the real skinny on greenhouses up here: They are not necessary, but you will want one.

It is difficult to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, peppers of any kind, without one. There are a handful of really good outdoor performers in tomatoes-such as Polar Star, but most need the additional heat of a greenhouse-and to be kept up off ground level also.

You will need to buy starts, or start your own. I start most things around March 15th, under lights in the house, shooting for about mid May to start hardening off.

Most herbs, and beans can be grown outdoors-but if you do have a greenhouse with the space-by all means put them in there too. I have no idea how zucchini would do inside-they fare very well generally outdoors-same with peas.

In the ground plants, all short season: Peas, beans, zucchini and other summer squashes. Broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbages, onions, beets, carrots, potatoes, dill (which goes bonkers up here, btw), lettuces, spinach, beets, radishes. Kholrabi, daikon, romanesco broccoli, turnips, also in the ground. By seed: Beans, peas, carrots, beets, radishes, spinach.

Please keep in mind I am only reciting things that I have tried myself, and each individual location is going to have their own "micro climate". This spring, three neighbors lost all their squash to an early frost, I lost one plant so go figure.
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Old 08-20-2008, 07:58 PM
 
Location: NC, USA
7,084 posts, read 14,795,112 times
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Well, my garden, by local standards is small, right at a quarter of an acre. The Yellow squash and zucchini produced quite well for about a month and a half, once the tomatos started coming in, they produced a bushel a day for about two months, I ended up carrying a lot of them to work and giving them away, better than watching them rot. Cucumbers also were over producers, the peppers, Serano, Jalapeno, Cowhorn, and Sweet Bananas have been steadily producing for months, am still harvesting large amounts weekly. I only had three 100 ft rows of a variety of corn known as "incredible", lives up to its' name, I planted a week apart, ate fresh corn for over a month, sauted then froze the rest, some never made it inside, t'was eaten raw, quite sweet. The Cantalope and watermelon are starting to come in, won't have many, only a half row of each, I do the "sugar baby" watermelons, about the size of a bowling ball, and so green they are almost black, I've been saving the seeds from the sweetest melon for several years, now, they are uniformly delicious, am doing the same with my cantalopes. We ate well all summer, as did several of my older neighbors and a lot of friends and co-workers. As a rule, I live for about 2 months a year on a diet consisting of Tomato sandwiches!!!! My favorite time of year! We also froze over three gallons of blackberries for future use in cobblers, pancakes, muffins, I am a believer in creative cookery.
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Old 08-22-2008, 05:38 PM
 
Location: Florida
1,329 posts, read 2,925,115 times
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Just realized no one mentions fruit trees, are there any? I would have thought apples maybe....
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Old 08-22-2008, 06:18 PM
 
26,476 posts, read 36,301,263 times
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Not a lot of fruit trees, no. But I know where there are some crabapples in the upper Susitna.

My tomatos are just about ripe--next weekend I'm going to start making tomato soup and canning it.
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Old 08-22-2008, 09:38 PM
 
109 posts, read 287,551 times
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If you are lucky, and have the fencing to keep the moose out-there are some apple varieties that manage to produce small fruit. I am thinking that's the Norland? And crabapples of course. And if you have patience and the right pair, kiwi also.
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Old 08-22-2008, 10:25 PM
 
Location: Naptowne, Alaska
15,603 posts, read 39,641,516 times
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There is a man in North Kenai that has an orchard. He has managed to come up with a variety of apples that seem to fare well on the peninsula.
I have 3 braeburn trees in my garden. They made it through last winter outside, and I also have some started that I brought back from Sweden (which is full of fruit trees). Will probably be ten years to get fruit tho.
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Old 08-31-2008, 04:19 AM
 
Location: Alaska
1,007 posts, read 2,202,374 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SuValley View Post
If you are lucky, and have the fencing to keep the moose out-there are some apple varieties that manage to produce small fruit. I am thinking that's the Norland? And crabapples of course. And if you have patience and the right pair, kiwi also.
I thought Kiwi was tropical? That would be so cool to be able to grow that up here.
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Old 08-31-2008, 01:04 PM
 
Location: Missouri
24 posts, read 84,743 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DreamChasers8 View Post
I thought Kiwi was tropical? That would be so cool to be able to grow that up here.
New Zealand has a fairly mild climate. I don't think it gets extremely hot or cold, unless a volcano is erupting
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Old 08-31-2008, 02:14 PM
 
Location: Madtown
286 posts, read 1,147,020 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DreamChasers8 View Post
I thought Kiwi was tropical? That would be so cool to be able to grow that up here.
I believe that cold weather strains of kiwi are available.
What's really interesting are the brilliant pink leaves.
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