7-19-12 Great gardening - Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Observation: It's the middle of summer and many gardens in the Anchorage area are in full swing, including mine. While most items are doing okay, my pea plants are about 5 1/2 feet tall without a single pod on them. They typically grow out of control from about a foot off the ground. I thought it was just something I might have done wrong until I went to my neighbors and her peas also did not grow. I'm thinking maybe the chilly July may have contributed. Might have to rethink the garden selection for next year and how I go about planting different items. Desirae Roehl
LEO says: The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are the most likely to thrive average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree Fahrenheit zones. Alaska's Plant Hardiness Zone is 'Zone 4b: -25 to -20 (F).' USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Media:
Alaska Dispatch News (2012-08-06) Alaska Farmers See Fewer Crops, "Cold weather in Southcnetral Alaska isn't just affecting people's moods. It's seriously hurting vegetable crops in the Matanuska Susitna Valley, one of the state's major farming regions." Author: Suzanna Caldwell