1. Summer Gardening Workshop
Building raised beds and growing healthy plants in interior Alaska
Sponsored by Solitude Springs Farm

2. Why plant a garden? Fun and rewarding Peace and quiet
Time for relaxation and meditation

3. Is gardening in Alaska difficult
Alaska presents its unique set of challenges to the gardener:
Climate: cold winters/short, cool summers
Soils: cold, acidic, poor drainage?
Pests: few, but include moose, rodents, aphids
Weeds: fireweed, swamp marigolds, lambs quarters, siberian pea (introduced), horsetail, vetch, native grass
Diseases: few, but include mildews (host specific), ?

4. Alaskan Benefits Long summer days Cool temperatures Summer rain
Beneficial except for plants prone to bolting
Cool temperatures
Promotes beautiful flowers (Holland)
Root crops are sweeter
Leafy vegetables are sweeter
Summer rain
Reduces watering requirements

5. Popular plants Flowers – most annuals and many perennials Vegetables
Outside: carrots, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, beets, lettuce & other greens, spinach, onions
Greenhouse: cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
Plants take longer to mature than indicated on seed packets!!!!

6. Overcoming difficulties
Long days and bolting: plant early and again late in season
Cold/acidic soils: plant in raised beds
Cool summers: use a greenhouse
Moose: electric fence or a dog
Diseases: mildews – sulfur spray or 1 tbsp each baking soda, vegetable oil, dish soap
Preventative

7. Raised Beds

8. Raised Beds

9. Raised Bed Construction
Use pressure treated lumber, redwood, or cedar for long life
Can also use untreated wood, logs, stone, bricks
Other ideas:
to build raised beds final_Nov08.pdf

10. Raised Bed Construction
Using 4x4 end posts and 2x6 side boards
Height > 12 inches, Width =< 3ft, Length = any
Most plants require about 12 inches for proper root growth
Widths greater that 3 ft make access to center difficult
Length: remember you have to fill the thing!!
End posts should extend at least 4 inches below to anchor bed in position, ?? Extend above??

11. Raised Bed Construction
Materials:
1 – 4”x4”x8’ pressure treated lumber
Cut into four equal pieces
6 – 2”x6”x?’ pressure treated lumber
2 – 2”x6”x10’ pressure treated lumber
Cut into six-3 ft long pieces
1 – 2”x4”x8’ pressure treated lumber
Cut into two 24 inch long pieces
Deck screws, drill, ⅛” drill bit, screwdriver, shovel, 4’ wide weed cloth, soil, compost/manure

12. Raised Bed Construction
For beds > 8ft long: attach vertical pieces of 2x6 in center of long sides from top of top board to 8 inches below bottom board (stabilizers)
Drill pilot holes to avoid splitting wood
Use coated screws for long life
Lay weed cloth under bed to prevent grass/weeds from growing up into bed
Hardware cloth (optional) for burrowing animals

13. Raised Bed Construction
Use square to orient side boards to 4x4s
Build long sides and then attach with short sides.
Place bed upside down in final location and mark perimeter
Move bed and dig holes for end posts, center stabilizers (beds > 8 ft long and (optional) trenches for side boards

14. Raised Bed Construction
Place weed cloth and (optional) hardware cloth where bed will sit
Place bed right side up in final location and fill around end posts and stabilizers with dirt
Be sure to cover weed cloth with dirt to prevent decay and damage
Fill bed with mix of soil, potting mix, and compost/manure in roughly equal proportions
10’x3’x12” bed will require 30 cubic feet (1.1 cubic yards) of material

15. Planting and Care
Raised bed frame should be maintenance free for years
Contents require annual addition of organic matter – to maintain 12 inch depth
Annual weeding and fertilizer applications
Can use synthetic or organic fertilizers
Weeding just has to be done!
Weekly watering during dry periods (or more often, depending on soil used)

16. Planting and Care
Enjoy the plants you grow in your new raised bed!!!!!!

17. Gardening Q & A Topics: Soil amendments, sun exposure Fertilizers
Flowers: varieties
Vegetables: varieties
Fruits: varieties
Pests: animals, insects
Diseases: mildews – powdery, boytritis
Frost protection
Other issues??

18. Raffle
Raised bed
Gardening gloves
Seeds
Gift certificates
More

19. Sponsor Brought to you by Solitude Springs Farm
Check out our seedling sale in late May and early June
Produce sales from July through September

20. Happy Gardening