Alaskan Gardening/Weather (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Willow: houses, school, organic)

[Isaysos]

Hi all,
I have a few odd ball questions.
What kind of fruits and vegetables are you able to grow in your back yard, with out a green house in the Anchorage and Fairbanks areas? I hear of the enormous squash because of the daylight in the summer, are those grown in green houses? Are you able to grow things such as watermelon, tomatoes outside?
Also, are there many deciduous trees in these areas or is it all evergreen?
Is anyone able to compare the winters and summers in these areas to the Twin Cities area? Winters in southern Minn. can get pretty outrageous to. I hear there is permafrost not too far below the ground in all of Alaska. I don't know how that could be because I think its been warmer in Fairbanks than here this summer. (could be wrong).
Sorry for all the questions. I have a friend considering Alaska, at least for a few years to see what its like.
Any responses are appreciated. Thx

[akdreamin]

I made a little graph to compare average temps, Minneapolis vs Chicago vs Anchorage.


So basically, summer is much cooler in Anchorage than either Minneapolis or Chicago. The dead of winter is about the same in Minneapolis and Anchorage, however the winter is a bit longer in Anchorage than in Minneapolis. Lastly, the winters in Anchorage are 10 clicks cooler (on average) that Chicago.

These are the daily high temperatures.

[Moose Whisperer]

The biggest difference is probably the length of the growing season is much shorter. Anchorage has a roughly 100 day season in the summer, but the longer daylight hours help to offset the difference. Raised bed gardens are popular up here to get a head start on the soil issue. I suppose most things can be grown, but I'm not a gardener. And yes, there are lots of deciduous trees/plants up here, particularly Birch, Willow, and Alder.

[Isaysos]

Thanks. I've never heard of raised bed gardens before. Ill have to google that one. How about critters up there. I know they have moose, but do they have rabbits, skunks, snakes, possum, etc. like they do down here?

[warptman]

Watch out for the wallaby's, those are the worst!

[akdreamin]

Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Publications

School of Natural Resources&Agricultural Sciences (http://www.uaf.edu/snras/afes/pubs/pvt/index.html - broken link)

also here's a list of stuff grown on a family farm up in palmer.

http://rempelfamilyfar.e-siteworks.com/whatwegrow/ (broken link)

[Isaysos]

Originally Posted by akdreamin

Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Publications

School of Natural Resources&Agricultural Sciences (http://www.uaf.edu/snras/afes/pubs/pvt/index.html - broken link)

also here's a list of stuff grown on a family farm up in palmer.

Rempel Family Farm | What We Grow | Certified Organic Matanuska Valley Vegetables (http://rempelfamilyfar.e-siteworks.com/whatwegrow/ - broken link)

That is a lot of helpful information. Thank you!
I cant believe the vegetables can grow that big in such a short time frame!
He must be an experienced gardener indeed.

[browncoatflan]

We are just now moving into our (rental)house in Eagle River, and so I stopped in to talk to the folks at P&M greenhouse on Eagle River Rd since it's on my way home and I have a vested interest in sinking to my elbows in loamy dirt ...veggies..herbs... /drool+glazed eyes.... anyhoot...

I was wondering if it was too late to plant anything in my greenhouse.

Nope, they says.. I can plant lettuces and chard and spinach and onions, I still have time for some squash if I don't mind that they'd be a little small. There's also some peas and beans I can throw in, as well as kitchen herbs.

Buuuut.. here's the caveat- I gotta do it soon, and I may have to stick a little heater in there. If I want to keep it going through the winter, I may have to also invest in some faux sunlight to help make up for the dark.


That's what I was told, anyhow, and it makes sense to me because I've done the same in Germany, Italy and northern WI.



Shan

[Moose Whisperer]

A neighbor of mine has some kind of propane heater in his green house. I wonder how long before that thing goes up in flames. A house burned down yesterday from a salmon smoker on the porch.

[warptman]

Shan Shan who's not a man, how does your garden grow? lol