*Newbie* From Alaska!

I actually signed up a few days ago and have met a few people, but just found “The Welcome Mat”! So far I love this website! There is an incredible amount of information here!

I am a newbie to gardening AND to Alaska as well! I am beginning to understand that this is going to be a challenging combination that I am very much looking forward to!

We have 2 acres with a ½ acre lake and a small garden pond. My plans are to put in a herb garden around the pond, (after reading about ponds in the forms, I might even expand the pond! Unfortunately I think it is to cold here for fish) I also want to put in a small veggie garden on the lake side of the house/cabin. I will have to learn how to build and use a greenhouse, what I can & can’t grow here. I would like to do some landscaping as well! (Mostly with the native plants & trees that grow in this area) but I would like flowers & shrubs around the house! I probably wont be able to put in the fruit & pine trees I want, but maybe I can find some that will work here. The north side of the property has been left natural with lots of trees, I would like to maybe put in some trails so that it can be enjoyed but left as natural as possible. The lake (like the woods) I would like to keep as natural as possible but usable.

Soooo much to do and learn!! This will truly be “The Golden Years” I can hardly wait!

Welcome !! Enjoy ! This is an incredible wealth of knowleadge and friendship !!!
Margo


The "Precious" Princess sleeps :))

Hi welcome, sounds like you got a great place... Daves is to..

Twyla

hello from new york state. would love to see a picture of your property if you can manage to send one. thanks

Welcome to the Garden...you'll love it here...we have some great members in Alaska. I hope you run into them. Jo

Hello and welcome! You will have a blast here!!!
Princess is too cute!!! jl


Mags

At this time I only have a few photos of the property we are buying in Soldotna, AK. (I was REALLY hoping we'd be moving this week-end) but we are set back yet another week! There will most likely be snow on the ground by then and I will have to wait till spring to do some of the things I wanted to do. Oh well there is still alot I can do!

I guess you can only attach one photo per posting. I will add 3 photos. This first one is of the lake. (BTW these were taken in September, cloudy with a few rain showers) I am a long ways from being a photographer, but you can get the idea anyway. The lake is about 1/2 acre, it is a natural lake and is totaly on our property.

The pic of the lake is kind'a dark, it really is alot nicer than what this shows. Anyway this next one shows a little bit of the woods on the north side of the property. They have thined alot now that the leaves have dropped, But you still can't see the neighbors!

This last one is of the small garden pond. After reading in the forums about ponds I am thinking about expanding it! This will be the home of my herb garden and *reflecton bench* At this time I don't have a pic of the spot I am thinking of puting in the veggie garden and greenhouse, I am sure they will come later! As you can see from these, I have alot of things to do! It will be a challange to do all that I want here, but I am looking forward to it!!

great pictures but i did'nt find the lake in picture number one.
thanks. like to see more pictures when everythng is growing.

What a great spot! Tell us about the house/cabin too. You will be able to garden there, just select the right kinds of plants. What USDA zone are you in? How long is the growing season? By spring you might be able to see what area gets the most sun so you know where to put the vegie garden. Will the bears and moose be "helping" you garden?

HERBIE,
I don't have many pics yet, the property is about 200 miles away from were we are currently renting, I wont have good pics till we get moved in. (HOPEFULLY by the 13th!!) Here is a little better pic of the lake. It isn't very big, (only 1/2 an acre) but it's all on the property. It is real shallow along the edges (almost boggie, thats ok though, the moose like it! ; o ) Just out from the dock (you can't see it from this pic) it drops to a depth of about 15 ft. or so and is feed by a spring. I don't know at this time if there are any surface streems to or from the lake. I would like to leave the lake natural, but I want to take care of it as well. I will have lots to learn!

BTW, this photo was taken from inside the cabin/house, living room window view.

MARY,
Here is a photo of the house facing the lake. It has 3 bedrooms and 1 - 12 bath. It has a wrap around deck on three sides, and yes that is a sunken hot tub!! There is a 3 car, carport on one side, and a 400 sqft unfinished guest cabin on the road side. The property is 2 acres and is rectangle in shape with the road on the east side and the lake on the west side. There is also a 2 acre wooded lot on the north side that is a buffer between us & the house on that side.

Our USDA zone is about 6a, I'm new to Alsaka so I'm not real sure about the actual growing season. I know summer is hot, short & fast. VERY long days (this is the home of the midnight sun!) Winter is very cold with VERY short days!

We were VERY lucky to find this place! It IS the place of our dreams!! And yes I am sure the moose, bear and even caribou would be more than happy to give me a hand in the gardening!!!

Oh boy!! Home sweet home! You're gonna have fun. Just remember that if you fertilize your flowers or garden with fish fertilizer (even the "odorless" kind) or bury fish heads and innards, you could have a bear rototilling your garden. The pond looks like all it needs is a moose standing there up to his belly in water.

great pictures. how did you end up in alaska??

How exciting Polarice! Welcome to DG. Your place looks terrific
and I sure do look forward to seeing your postings as you get
moved, settled in and gardening there in your dream spot!
Tam

Hello Polarice, we just got back from Soldotna. Our middle son moved to Kenai last year and we went up there to visit in late June. Most beautiful place I have ever been. I know this is an old post, but typed in Soldotna and this came up. Take care, Mike

Welcome. I grew up in Fairbanks and am living outside of Seattle now. I do miss the beauty of Alaska sometimes. Yes, send pictures when you're able.

I mean, "send pictures AS you're able." :-) I'd love to see the house and grounds with the snow. You have a beautiful setting and the house is so Alaskan.

I get into ANC periodically. Was there last month. What a beautiful landscape you have there. Welcome to Dave's Garden. I enjoy seeing the photos of that rustic home, beautiful. A lot of the pilots I fly with in my company live in the ANC area.
Ken
blueskyes in NJ