Fall Growing in

ALASKA

The Best crops for A

Successful Fall Harvest

Optimize Your Harvest with Expert Recommendations for Fall Crop Selection in Alaska.

Carrots

How To Successfully Grow Carrots:

  • Planting: Dig a furrow in the soil about ½ inch deep. Sow carrot seeds thinly in the furrow. Cover the seeds with soil and water thoroughly.
  • Thinning: When seedlings reach approximately 2 inches in height, thin them to be 3 inches apart.
  • Fertilize: Add compost tea or nitrogen-rich fertilizer to the carrots every few weeks.
  • Maintain regular watering: especially in dry periods (aim for 1 inch of water per week).
  • Harvest: Carrots are ready for harvesting when they reach a diameter of about ¾ inch.
  • Maturity: In Alaska, expect carrots to mature in 60-70 days.

Beets

Growing Beets in Alaska:

  • Planting placement: Ensure a sunny location with at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. Beets can thrive in containers or raised beds.
  • Prepare the soil: amend rocky or poorly draining soil; beets prefer loose, easy-to-dig soil.
  • Soil pH: Maintain a soil pH between 6.0 - 7.0 and focus on phosphorous over nitrogen.
  • Planting: Create furrows in the soil approximately ½ inch deep. Plant one beet seed every 1-2 inches in a row. Space rows at least 1 foot apart. Cover the seeds with soil, gently compact the ground, and label your garden.
  • Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during the initial weeks of growth.
  • Thinning: After the beets sprout, thin out seedlings to avoid overcrowding. Use scissors to cut excess seedlings at soil level, leaving 3-4 inches between plants.
  • Mulch: Apply mulch to retain moisture and protect the plants.
  • Handling: Handle the soil gently as shallow beet roots can be easily disturbed.
  • Weeding: Remove weeds carefully without disturbing the beet plants to ensure they receive proper nutrients and space to grow.

Radishes

How To Successfully Grow Radishes:

  • Planting: Plant radish seeds 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep in the soil. Space seeds ½ to 1 inch apart.Shallow planting is recommended for warmer soil and better germination.
  • Germination: Germination typically takes 7 to 14 days.
  • Thinning: After germination, thin radish plants to maintain a spacing of 1 to 2 inches between them.
  • Watering: Ensure constant moisture in the soil until seedlings emerge.

Turnip

Cultivating Turnips:

  • Placement: Select a sunny location for planting turnips.
  • Planting: Prepare the soil by cultivating it and enriching it with plant food. Plant turnip seeds 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep in the soil. Space seeds 2 inches apart. Firmly press the soil over the seeds to secure them.
  • Germination: turnip seeds typically germinate within 5 to 10 days.
  • Thinning: In the garden, maintain a spacing of 3 to 4 inches between turnip plants.
  • Watering: Ensure continuous soil moisture until seedlings emerge. Keep the soil surface consistently moist until turnip seedlings emerge.