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Have we lost sight of the “Electroculture” campaign that was kinda popular a couple years ago? I know some probably felt like they needed knee boots when discussing the subject, and i was chief among the skeptics until i discovered how well it worked on the slugs. Zero maintenance, no messy...

Each winter i’ll build a few of these as a way to stay busy (pass the long winter) and always enjoy that time. The garden is waking up so i better quit playing and get after it, in earnest! Oh yea, it’s garden related if i add any fish guts to the Hydroslate barrel and apply it to the plants! Mike

Im pretty much a stick in the mud, never putting any effort into eclipses, Northern Lights etc. They got coffee table books for that! We have a photograph of the Kennicott mine out of Chitna Alaska, taken in the middle of the night showing a fabulous Northern Lights display. The Photographer...

Ive grown the “CoastalStar” Romaine for years now, it does well for me up here. I’ll keep starting these now on into spring and at a point they’ll all go to the greenhouse then into one of the cold frames as the weather moderates. In time i’ll have a roughly structured “rotation” going that will...

Once ive got the lights going each spring, i’ll start some Romain for fresh eating, it’s pretty fast and always a treat. These 8 should be edible in another 4 weeks? The Parsley’s ready to up-pot now, and the Cilantro is ready now.

Can’t eat them fast enough! Even got one plant that loves me enough to grow hooks on the fruit to support themselves if i don’t get there in time with the little plastic support hooks!🤭 MIke

On that “potty” subject 🤭 when we first moved up here the Iditarod started just down the road and all we had to do was drive 2 blocks out to the frontage road and get in line with myriad others parked along the road to watch. Having a fertile imagination is a healthy thing but mine get’s off in...

Im a sucker for Sweet Peas as well and have bought from these folks for a long time. These later years i find myself gravitating to the fragrance collections. Mike https://www.selectseeds.com/collections/sweet-peas

While living in the Dakotas we tried the sand/root cellar thing. Before long everything smelled like and tasted like dirty sand! Maybe if you started with clean washed sand that would work well. It was a nice arrangement; i used bee boxes to store them so id sit one on the sand floor then a...

Back in the 60’s we’d say “hey Man; can you dig it”? Well , that’s where im at with the new grow lights! I can dig it!!! Just getting going right now but some Lettuce & Cilantro (for fresh eating) Parsley, Celery, Mint and Comfrey are thriving under them. Tomato’s and some flowers will go...

Here’s the whole ball of wax. 1x4 with grinder sharpened construction screws on 1/2 inch spacing; protruding 1/4 inch. A thin piece of foam backer and a top board to lean on. This “tool” is sized for gallon bags. Stack 4-5 bags onto “tool” then foam then push board and rock on it a bit. Peel...

Im sure folks are successful using a number of methods. Our commercial carrot producers tell me 32 degrees, 95 % humidity and some air movement. I cant exactly replicate that but have very good success by storing in heavily perforated bags in refrigerator's set at 35 degrees. I have two fridges...

Comfrey might deserve some thought. Easy to grow and produces nice flowers along the way. Foliage will be large leaf similar to Gloxinia and flowers pink to purple. Quite useful for any number of things as well. For me it’s an animal feed, a compost starter, a poultice for sprains, respiratory...

On the South facing side of the greenhouse they have as much sun as Alaska generates in the summer which is considerably more than anyone else gets; and its 100ft to the trees. Both are shallow rooted, and being in a raised bed I'm led to believe they are more susceptible to freezing. Or maybe...

This cow Moose has been hanging out for a bit, trailering a couple twin calves. I intercepted her as she headed around the corner of the house and stopped momentarily to peer into our bedroom window. (Alasgun) Mike

I only have two perennials that are kept in raised beds. Asparagus and strawberries, both are a fight to keep going and i believe it has to do with winter kill. Both are going away this year! It’s hard to beat fresh from your garden Asparagus; im just to lazy to start over! Out of Seldovia...

Today’s a “tweener” around here. Day after my birthday and day before my anniversary! That would be our 50th anniversary to boot!🥳 Im not much of a football guy; watching big guys line up; run into each other, go “Ugh” and fall down then repeat all afternoon never got my interest. However...

Well, here’s the thing. About 10 years ago while Alaska was considering legalizing pot and relaxing restrictions on small growers; our State Fair invited in some guest speakers. I assume these folks task was to sway public sentiment in their direction before the vote. I found myself at a booth...

My amendment list has settled down the last couple years and what you see here goes on everything i grow. Every 3x12 bed gets a 2 gallon bucket and Onions and Potatoes get 2- 2gallon buckets! This year im adding the ground Comfrey and each bed will get a measured 2lbs along with the other stuff...

Im pretty structured, the only changes are when i tweek starting dates. Locations change due to rotation but the varieties have mostly been the same for 8 years! I keep this schedule on my tablet for easy referral from year to year, plan once then be lazy for years to come.😳 2026 seed starting...