Gardening in Alaska is not easy. I mentioned a bit about my poor apple orchard on the post I have for Raw Apple Pie. This photo is the ONE apple tree that was left untouched by the rabbits, in full bloom last summer! It survived yet another winter which I am so thankful for. I hope we have as good of a harvest as last year or better. Apple trees are so pretty in bloom.
I don’t remember if I told you that we had to dig up all 12 of the apple trees that died from the orchard and now it is a nice grassy area used for cultivation of a large raspberry patch we are Gardening in. The poor tree above is what all the apple trees looked like before the rabbits ate them.
I must admit it feels very nice to have an 8 foot fence and no worries of something coming up behind me while I weed the garden areas, like Bears! I love raspberries and am hoping for a good harvest this year. Last year the moose chewed down all my raspberry bushes to about 2 ft high and the rabbits finished off what was left of a possible harvest. So I was happy to move the raspberry patch into the fenced area where they will be more protected. Ah the trials of cultivating in Alaska!
My grandson and granddaughter will have so much fun picking and eating raspberries this year…..crossing our fingers. I also have a nice strawberry patch that I began from starts that a homesteader in the area gave me a few years ago. They are the best sweetest strawberries I have ever tasted…but they don’t seem to survive outside of Alaska and I’ve never been able to find a name for them. But I get plenty to freeze and eat fresh.
Last summer Gardening was very difficult. Even past the summer solstice, it didn’t get much warmer than mid 50’s – 60’s! It was a very strange growing season last year and all the locals were commenting about how cold it was. We are all really hoping for a warmer summer this year. I’m getting the Gardening bug and am starting to make my seed list. Have you started a Gardening list?
What are you doing for Gardening this year?
I bet when some folks simply hear Alaska they can’t even imagine gardening anything!
Gardening is hard everywhere. Each location has its issues.
the apple blossoms are beautiful. I have been wanting to go visit Alaska for quite some time now!
Our worlds are so different. I live in Phoenix AZ where I LOVE cold weather and it is summer 9 months out of the year…..ugh. I can’t imagine it is very easy to grow anything there but it is also very hard to grow stuff here too. The heat is too much and grass is a pain in the butt.
I Jennifer..I just flew home yesterday from a vacation in the Phoenix area. Yes we both have challenges in our climates 🙂
beautiful flower. alaska doesnt have a long growing season and im always late getting started with mine.
Thanks Darlene…they are apple blossoms 🙂 I hope not be late this year but can’t predict mother nature!
I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to garden in Alaska! Off subject, I know, but that tree is gorgeous!!
Jayden..I hope it blooms as well this spring!