Advice for New Gardeners and Those New to Anchorage

What kinds of plants grow best in Anchorage: Our growing season is relatively short and cool, so a lot of the favorite veggies to grow take 40-60 days to grow to maturity and grow well in cool (40-60 F) temperatures.

The long days and abundant daylight makes some plants grow extra big, sweet, or both. Other plants respond to the light by bolting (going to seed) which tends to be accompanied by becoming woody and bitter.

What should I grow:  To get started, I recommend growing leafy greens and just about anything in the Brassica (cole crop) family. These include kales, collards, mustard greens, arugala, and other lettuces.  Turnips, beets, rutabega, and kohlrabi are all winners too. Many of these 'root crops' offer the benefit of growing a leafy green AND a tasty root or tuber.

When to Plant: A rule of thumb is to start planting in mid/late May and get all your plants in the ground by Solstice (June 21st). The snow may have already melted, but it takes awhile for the soil to warm up. Keep an eye on the Birch trees. When their leaves are the size of squirrel ears our soils are ~45 F and warm enough for planting a lot of the standard Anchorage garden veggies.

If you're planting warm-loving squash, tomatoes, etc wait till June. You run the risk of shocking the plants roots and leaves with cold soil and wind temperatures. I've seen many a squash not recover from being planted too early.

Consider growing high value foods: In a garden you generally have limited space, so prioritizing plants that are expensive at the store like herbs can be a smart move. Having fresh greens on hand is nice too.

Also consider what is widely available and locally grown already like potatoes and carrots or cabbage. These plants grow very well in Alaska and would do well in your garden, but they could take up a lot of space and it is also relatively inexpensive to buy high quality locally grown potatoes and carrots at your supermarket or farmers market.

A second crop: If you get started growing in May, early July can be a great time to harvest the first crop and start a second round of veggies. This is especially true if you grew radishes, lettuce, or other  plants that need <40 days.