Recommended Variety List for Interior Alaska
HGA-00030 View this publication in PDF form to print or download.
Growing vegetables in Alaska can be easy and rewarding. In this land of the midnight sun, there are few pests and plants grow quickly. Plants photosynthesize almost continuously during Alaska's long days, which when combined with cooler temperatures, can contribute to a higher percentage of nutrients and sweetness in northern grown produce.
Because of the Interior's latitude and unique climatic conditions, variety selection is important for growing success. The many hours of sunlight can be a challenge for northern gardens. Long day lengths can signal some crops like beet, spinach and radish to flower or "bolt," meaning they go to seed prematurely. The cold soil can slow down root growth and may require special soil-warming techniques for warm-season crops such as tomatoes and sweet corn. Soil warming techniques are described in Extension publication HGA-00132, "Raised Bed Gardening in Alaska."
Varieties can be selected to reduce bolting and withstand cool soil temperatures. Varieties can also be selected for other uses. For example, individuals entering vegetables in the state fair can select varieties for their large size, which is ultimately determined by the genetic makeup of the variety. Varieties such as O-S Cross cabbage have the potential to grow to champion sizes. If winter storage is desired, it is best to select a late-maturing variety and harvest as late as possible. Refer to the comment sections in the following tables to find the varieties suited for your needs.
Although Alaska gardens have few pests, some pests can cause a lot of damage. Two common pests are the root maggot, which is the larval form of a small fly that attacks cole crops and onions, and slugs, the populations of which are shifting northward. Slugs can damage many crop types. Understanding pest species' life cycles and management strategies can help avoid crop damage and loss. Visit the Extension Integrated Pest Management (IPM) website for updates on pest and invasive species in Alaska and help identifying and strategies for managing pest populations at www.uaf.edu/ces/invasives/ipm/.
Many of the varieties listed in this publication were field tested by research horticulturists at the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and by vegetable farmers in the Fairbanks area. Additional testing has been conducted by Extension agents, Master Gardeners and local producers. For recent variety trial results reports visit www.bit.ly/vegtrials.
These varieties have been selected after years of successful trials and evaluation. There are a few, however, that have been included because they have shown exceptional promise after only one or two years of testing.
Garden Vegetables
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yield | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Artichoke |
Green Globe |
Midseason to late |
Good |
Will produce when grown as an annual |
Imperial Star
|
Midseason to late
|
Good
|
Will produce when grown as an annual; frost sensitive
|
|
Tavor |
Midseason to late |
High |
Will produce when grown as an annual; frost sensitive |
|
Asparagus | Jersey Series | Early | Good | Jersey Knight, Prince, Giant and Supreme; winter mulching improves survival; takes 3 to 4 years to establish plants prior to harvest. |
Snap Beans | Contender | Earliest | High | Good quality; good for canning and freezing |
Provider | Earliest | High | Reliable high yield | |
Royal Burgundy | Early | High | Good quality; good freezer; color makes harvest easy | |
Royalty Purple Pod | Early | High | Does well in cool soils | |
(pole) | Kentucky Wonder | Midseason | Good | Heirloom; great taste |
Northeaster | Early | Good | Excellent eating quality; good freezer | |
Scarlet Runner | Midseason | Good | Sweet; good for seed saving | |
(Romano) | Bountiful | Early | High | Heirloom; good quality |
Gina | Early | High | Best of early Romano beans | |
Roma II | Intermediate | High | Italian type, flat | |
Romano Gold | Early | Good | Bush Romano wax, yellow | |
(yellow wax) | Carson | Early | High | Good quality, good freezer |
Goldrush | Early | Good | Yellow straight pods; excellent for canning and freezing | |
Rocdor | Early | Good | Reliable; early | |
Beets | Chioggia | Early | Good | Heirloom; sweet flavor |
Cylindra | Midseason | Good | Heirloom; resists bolting, tender; sweet; good for canning | |
Detroit Dark Red | Midseason | Good | Globe shaped | |
Merlin | Early | Good | Round; smooth; high sugar content; F1 | |
Red Ace | Early | High | Round; smooth; good greens; F1 | |
Robin | Midseason | High | Round; can grow extralarge and maintains good flavor; F1 | |
Subeto | Early | High | Consistently round and uniform; tasty greens; F1 | |
Touchstone Gold | Midseason | Good | Smooth; golden roots; yellow flesh; sweet flavor | |
Zeppo | Early | High | Consistently round and uniform; F1 | |
Broccoli | Amadeus | Early | Good | Vigorous medium-large plants; cold tolerant; F1 |
Belstar | Midseason | Good | Widely adapted; handles stress; F1 | |
Green Magic | Early | Good | Head uniform; smaller than Gypsy; F1 | |
Gypsy | Midseason | Good | Strong roots; handles lower fertility soils; F1 | |
Marathon | Late | High | Large heads; cold tolerant; F1; good Shogun substitute | |
Premium Crop | Midseason | High | Large lateral production | |
Solstice | Midseason | High | Medium-large crowns; good lateral production | |
Waltham 29 | Midseason | Good | Cold-hardy; large lateral production | |
(Romanesco) | Veronica | Midseason | Good | Great flavor; short shelf life; heirloom |
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yields | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brussels Sprouts | Churchill | Early | Good | Earliest variety; vigorous; F1 |
Jade Cross | Early | High | Very good; dependable; F1 | |
Nautic | Midseason | High | Large; flavorful; easy to grow; cold tolerant; F1 | |
Hestia | Midseason | High | Large; flavorful; easy to grow; cold tolerant; F1 | |
Dagan | Midseason | High | Large; flavorful; easy to grow; cold tolerant; F1 | |
Cabbage | Caraflex | Early | Good | Pointed mini cabbage; inner leaves tender; F1 |
Deadon | Late | High | Hybrid, pinkish purple; slightly savoyed January King type; F1 | |
Dynamo | Midseason | Good | Small head; seed hard to find | |
Farao | Early | Good | Small heads; peppery sweet | |
Golden Acre | Early | Good | Solid heads; stores well | |
Gonzales | Early | Good | Mini cabbage for close spacing; F1 | |
January King | Late | High | Heirloom; pinkish purple; slightly savoyed; cold hardy | |
O-S Cross | Late | High | Giant cabbage capability | |
Perfection Savoy | Late | High | Large; reliable; savoyed cabbage | |
Red Acre | Late | High | Compact; reliable; dense red cabbage | |
Red Express | Early to midseason | Good | Reliable; dense red cabbage | |
Ruby Ball Improved | Midseason | Fair | Red; small heads; holds well in field | |
Kaitlin | Midseason to late | Good | OK storage; good for sauerkraut; F1 | |
Storage #4 | Midseason to late | Good | Excellent storage; blue green heads; disease resistant; F1 | |
Stonehead | Late | Good | Small compact heads; good for sauerkraut | |
Tobia | Midseason | High | Hybrid, moose favorite | |
Carrots | Bolero | Early | High | Bright orange, 6 to 7-inch root; excellent storage |
Napoli | Very early | High | High quality, cylindrical, 6 to 7-inch root; good alternative Nelson; F1 | |
Nectar | Midseason | High | High quality; Nantes types; smooth cylindrical 7 to 8-inch root; excellent storage | |
Purple Haze | Midseason | Fair | All-America selection, purple with orange core | |
Purple Sun | Midseason | Good | Purple throughout, lots of anthocyanin | |
Scarlet Nantes | Early | High | Stores well, good quality, great taste | |
Thumbelina | Early | Good | Small, round, gourmet type; good for shallow soils | |
Yaya | Very early | Good | Very sweet, 6-inch root, good for bunching | |
Yellowstone | Midseason | Good | Vigorous growth; 6 to 8-inch root; deep yellow color | |
Cauliflower | Amazing | Midseason | High | Holds up in garden |
Bishop | Midseason | High | Good vigor, self-wrapping, F1 hybrid | |
Cheddar | Early | High | Bright orange, F1 hybrid | |
Denali | Midseason | High | Large heads, good root system, F1 hybrid | |
Graffiti | Midseason to late | Good | Brilliant purple, F1 hybrid | |
Snow Crown | Early | Good | Good quality, dependable | |
Vitaverde | Midseason | High | Green heads, F1 hybrid | |
Veronica, Romanesco | Midseason to late | Good | Spiraled green heads, F1 hybrid, does not store well |
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yield | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Celery | Conquistador | Midseason | High | Tall dark stalks, hardy |
Nero | Mid to late | Very high | Dependable, stringless, high quality; F1 | |
Merengo | Mid to late | Very high | Dependable, stringless; excellent flavor; large ribs; F1 | |
Tango | Midseason | Very high | Less fibrous, hardy, good flavor | |
Corn, Sweet* | Grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch | |||
Earlivee | Midseason | High | Good quality; dependable for cooler conditions; nice ears | |
Early Sunglow | Early | Good | Compact (4 feet); dependable for cooler conditions; 6- to 7-inch ear | |
Peaches and Cream | Late | Good | Large ears | |
Sugar Buns | Mid to late | High | Yellow gourmet SE type; excellent eating quality; very sweet | |
Sugar Pearl | Mid to late | High | White gourmet SE type; excellent eating quality; very sweet | |
Temptress | Early to mid | High | Bi-color gourmet synergistic type; excellent eating quality; F1 | |
Cucumber* | Grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch | |||
(slicing) | Corinto | Early | Good | Uniform, 7 to 8 inches long; tolerates cool weather and stress; F1 |
Diva | Early | Good | Seedless; thin skin; 5 to 7 inches | |
Fanfare | Early | High | Bush; white spine | |
Marketmore 76 | Early | High | Dark green; 8 to 9 inches; a standard | |
Sweeter Yet | Very early | High | 10 to 12 inches; crisp fruit | |
Salad Bush | Early | Good | 8 inches long; smooth skin | |
Socrates | Early | Good | Sweet, seedless; 8 inches long; F1; smooth skin; tolerates cooler conditions | |
(pickling) | Alibi | Early | Very high | Good disease resistance; light green |
Bush Pickle | Early | High | Nice compact bushy plant | |
Calypso F1 | Early | Good | Uniform, blocky, dark green fruit | |
Northern Pickling | Early | High | Black spine | |
(European) | Carmen | Early | High | Good quality |
Eggplant* | Grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch, but all varieties marginal in the Interior | |||
Aretussa | Midseason | Good | All white, cylindrical fruit | |
Diamond | Midseason | Good | 4 to 8 inch fruit; good flavor | |
Patio Baby | Early | Fair | Compact; well suited for containers | |
Galine | Midseason | Good | Glossy; 6 to 7 inches long and 3 to 4 inches in diameter | |
Orient Express | Early | Good | Sets fruit in cool weather | |
Fennel | Orazio | Midseason | High | Large, white to light green bulbs; gets tougher if left too long in field; F1 |
Orion | Midseason | Good | Uniform bulbs; crisp and juicy; F1 | |
Preludio | Midseason | High | Large, uniform, white bulbs; sweet; F1 | |
Solaris | Early to mid | Good | Uniformly round white bulbs; sweet flavor, excellent texture; F1 |
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yields | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Garlic | Plant in late fall and mulch under 3 to 4 inches of straw or leaves in order to harvest cloves in summer. See the Extension publication "Growing Garlic in Alaska" for more information: www.uaf.edu/ces/garden/garlic/ | |||
Chesnok Red | Early fall | High | Hardneck; good producer | |
German Extra Hardy | Early fall | Good | Also called German White; withstands cold soils; pungent flavor; excellent storage | |
Inchellium Red | Early fall | Fair | Softneck type; smaller cloves; national taste test winner | |
Music | Early fall | High | Hardneck; good producer; pungent flavor; excellent storage | |
Russian Red | Early fall | Good | Hardneck; good producer; flavorful | |
Greens | Green Wave | Midseason | Good | Showy and hot mustard |
Tendergreen | Midseason | Good | Good mustard | |
Chioggia Red Preco # 1 | Early | High | Large, heavy heads; red radicchio | |
Perseo Radicchio | Early | Good | Smaller sized head; earliest | |
Carlton | Early | Good | Mild, dark green komatsuna; good stress tolerance; F1 | |
Champion Collards | Midseason | Good | Slow to bolt; compact wavy leaves | |
Flash Collards | Midseason | Good | Slow to bolt; dark-green smooth leaves | |
Vates Collards | Late | Good | Good quality | |
Red Orach | Early to mid | Good | Deep purple leaves; spinach-like flavor; can be perennial in some locations | |
Herbs | ||||
(Basil)* | Genovese | Early | Bred especially for pesto; disease resistant | |
Italian large leaf | Midseason | Good | Sweet scent and taste; fusarium resistant | |
Mrs. Burns' lemon | Early | Good | Lemon basil; lemon flavor; bright green | |
Nufar | Midseason | Good | Fusarium resistant | |
Purple Ruffles | Midseason | Good | Burgundy-leaved basil | |
Prospera DMR PS5 | Midseason | Good | Genovese type; high disease resistance | |
(Chives) | Nearly all varieties do well | |||
(Dill) | Bouquet | Midseason | High | Fast-growing; good for pickling |
Fernleaf | Midseason | Fair | Slowest to bolt; compact habit; good for containers | |
Teddy | Midseason | Good | Slow to bolt; compact dense plant; good for containers | |
(Oregano) | Greek | Mideason | High | Very productive; strong flavor; good culinary qualities |
(Parsley) | Green River | Midseason | High | Prolific bushy plant; curly leaves |
Giant of Italy | Midseason | High | Preferred culinary variety | |
Forest Green | Midseason to late | High | Tolerates light frost; needs summer shade | |
Italian Flat Leaf | Midseason | High | Large mounds; very productive | |
Moss Curled | Midseason | High | Grown in Alaska since early 1900s | |
(Sage) | Common Sage | Midseason | High | Dusty green leaves; good for drying and cooking |
Purple Sage | Midseason | High | Attractive leaves with good flavor and aroma for cooking | |
Tricolor | Midseason | High | Attractive leaves with good flavor and aroma | |
(Savory) | Summer Savory | Midseason | High | Productive; strong peppery flavor |
Midget | Midseason | High | Compact growth habit; strong flavor |
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yields | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
(Thyme) | German Winter | Midseason | Good | Good flavor; sometimes winter hardy |
Magic Carpet | Midseason | Good | Lemon thyme; compact growing habit | |
Lemon variegated | Midseason | Good | Fragrant lemon thyme; creeping; low | |
Summer | Midseason | Good | Spicier; more pungent; smaller plant | |
Kale | Nearly all kinds do well | |||
Redbor | Very early | High | Frilly, deep purple leaves | |
Red Russian | Early | High | Stems purple; leaves flat and toothed; 25 days; baby | |
Toscano | Early to mid | Good | Mild flavor; 30 days; Lacinato type | |
Winterbor | Early | High | Sweet after frosts; F1 | |
Kohlrabi | Kossack | Late | Good | Large; good for storage; interior sweet |
Beas | Early | High | White; tender; uniform; F1 | |
Early White Vienna | Early | High | Heirloom variety | |
Grand Duke | Early | High | Very nice; earliest | |
Kolibri | Early | High | Excellent; purple skinned | |
Superschmelz | Midseason | Good | Very large; good for storage; sweet and tender | |
Leeks | Baby Lincoln | Midseason to late | High | Harvest finger size for baby leeks |
Chinook | Midseason | High | High quality; good cold and stress tolerance | |
Giant Musselburgh | Late | High | Heirloom variety; high yield; Heirloom Seeds | |
King Richard | Late | High | Nice long neck | |
Lancelot | Midseason | Good | Virus tolerant; bolt resistant | |
Poncho | Late | Good | Good quality; cold tolerant | |
Lettuce (head) | Crispino | Early | High | Medium-size firm heads |
Great Lakes | Early | Good | Dependable | |
Ithaca | Midseason | Good | Good quality and flavor; reliable | |
(butterhead) | Adreiana | Early | High | Good disease resistance; dark green |
Buttercrunch | Midseason | Good | All-America selection | |
Ermosa | Midseason | Good | Tolerant to tip burn and bolting | |
Green Butter | Early | Good | Good quality and flavor; Salanova type | |
Sangria | Midseason | Good | Red-tipped; good quality; tolerant to bolting | |
Skyphos | Early | Good | Very reliable; large dark-red leaves | |
Sylvestra | Midseason | High | Big green; exceptional disease resistance | |
(Romaine) | Green Forest | Midseason | Good | Rarely bolts; good flavor; crisp; easy to handle |
Parris Island Cos | Midseason | High | Heirloom; high quality; dependable | |
Red Rosie | Early | Good | Top half red fading to green; upright habit | |
Romulus | Midseason | Good | 9 to 12-inch heads; crisp | |
(looseleaf) | Italienischer | Midseason | Excellent | Huge bright green plant; 18 inches; sweet; crisp |
Black-Seeded Simpson | Midseason | Good | Standard light green for baby leaf | |
Dark Lollo Rossa | Early | Good | Standard red for baby leaf | |
Grand Rapids | Midseason | Good | Fair quality |
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yields | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Merlot | Midseason | Good | Intense deep burgundy | |
New Red Fire | Early | Good | Ruby-red head; bolt resistant | |
Red Sails | Early | Good | All-America selection | |
Red Salad Bowl | Early | Good | Good quality; bolt resistant | |
Ruby | Midseason | Good | Red; good quality | |
Salad Bowl | Early | High | Excellent; bolt resistant | |
Two Star | Midseason | Good | Thick, crisp chartreuse leaves | |
Vulcan | Early to midseason | Good | Brilliant red leaves; crisp; mild | |
Onion | Caution — onion sets may introduce diseases and insects to gardens; start onions from seed if possible | |||
(storage) | Alisa Craig | Late | High | English heirloom; sweet; stores well |
Patterson | Late | High | Good for cool climate; stores well | |
Red Bull | Late | High | Excellent storage; dark red | |
Red Mountain | Late | High | Good storage; dark red; improved from Red Wing; matures slightly earlier | |
Red Wing | Late | Good | Hard and good storage | |
Walla Walla sweet | Late | Good | Very sweet; not for long-term storage | |
(bunching) | Deep Purple | Midseason | Good | Highly colored |
Guardsman | Early | Good | Tasty white bulb; green foliage | |
(shallots) | Conservor | Late | Good | Reddish brown; good storage; single bulb |
Parsnip | Hollow Crown, Improved | Late | Good | Good quality; most dependable; start early, harvest late; excellent storage |
Javelin | Late | Good | Uniform, slender wedge-shaped roots | |
Warrior | Midseason-late | Good | Uniform; large cylindrical roots | |
Peas (snow) | Avalanche | Early-midseason | Good | Large, crisp and flavorful pods |
Oregon Sugarpod II | Early | Good | Edible podded; excellent snow pea | |
Oregon Giant | Early | Good | Edible podded | |
(snap) | Dwarf Grey Sugar | Early | Good | Edible podded; dependable; poorer fresh-eating quality |
Freezonian | Late | High | Indeterminate type; good quality; fusarium resistant | |
Sugar Ann | Early | Good | Edible podded; like snap bean | |
Sugar Daddy | Early | High | Stringless; double pods | |
Sugar Snap | Midseason | Good | Edible podded; like snap bean | |
Sugar Sprint Snap | Early | Good | Sweet; almost stringless | |
Super Sugar Snap | Early | Good | Shorter-vined version of Sugar Snap | |
(shelling) | Green Arrow | Late | Highest | Outstanding quality; long pods |
Laxton's Progress #9 | Early | High | Long pods with nine peas per pod | |
Lincoln | Midseason | High | Heirloom; good quality; small; sweet | |
Maestro | Early | High | First early Green Arrow type | |
Mr. Big | Midseason | Good | All-America selection |
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yields | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Peppers* | Grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch | |||
(sweet) | Blushing Beauty | Midseason | Good | All-America selection; sweet bell |
Carmen | Midseason | Good | All-America selection; sweet Italian; bull’s horn type | |
Giant Marconi | Midseason | Good | All-America selection; extra sweet | |
Italian Sweet | Early to midseason | High | Italian sweet type | |
King Arthur | Midseason | High | Large green or red fruit (F1), widely adapted | |
Mohawk | Midseason | Good | Green to yellow bell for containers | |
Oranos | Midseason | High | Highly prolific outdoors; long fruit matures from green to orange; F1 | |
Park’s Early Thickset | Midseason | High | Good quality | |
Red Knight X3R | Midseason | Good | Big blocky fruit; good disease resistance | |
Redskin | Midseason | Good | Green to red bell for containers | |
Revolution | Midseason | Good | Very large fruit; medium green to red | |
(hot) | Anaheim College 64 | Midseason | Good | Medium sizzle; six to 10 fruit per plant |
Big Boss Man | Midseason | Good | Large blocky fruit; does well in cooler weather | |
Black Magic | Midseason | God | Mild jalapeno | |
Czech Black | Early-midseason | Good | Small, jalapeno-like fruit; increasing in heat as matures from green to purple | |
Highlander | Midseason | Good | Does well in cooler weather; semi-flattened | |
Hungarian Yellow Wax | Midseason | Good | Hot yellow | |
Poblano | Midseason | Good | Uniform large fruit; great for roasting | |
Red Rocket | Early | High | Tapered; thin walled; widely adapted | |
Thai Hot | Early | High | Excellent quality | |
Senorita | Midseason | Good | Mild jalapeno | |
Red Ember | Early-midseason | High | Excellent quality cayenne | |
Potato | Always use certified disease-free seed purchased locally in Alaska to keep out diseases that exist elsewhere. Refer to Extension publication "Growing Potatoes in the Alaska Garden" for additional varieties and information. | |||
Alaska Red | Early | High | Red; tender skin; stores well; determinate | |
Alaska Frostless | Midseason | High | White; tender skin; not good for storage | |
All Blue | Midseason | Good | Good quality; deep purple-blue color | |
Calwhite | Late | Very high | Good baking; big-sized tubers; stores well; indeterminate | |
Chieftain | Late | Very high | Good quality; red skin, white flesh; determinate | |
German Butterball | Late | High | Yellow flesh; excellent taste; indeterminate | |
Green Mountain | Late | High | Good quality; indeterminate | |
French Fingerling | Midseason | High | Excellent roasting quality; nutty flavor; indeterminate | |
Kennebec | Early | High | Tender skin; determinate | |
Goldrush Russet | Late | High | Good quality for baking and storage. | |
Rote Erstling | Early | Good | Red; tough skin; yellow flesh; good quality | |
Sangre | Midseason | Good | Red skinned; excellent baked or boiled | |
Swedish Peanut | Late | Good | Excellent flavor and roasting quality; indeterminate | |
Yukon Gold | Early | High | Yellow flesh; good tasting; stores well; determinate |
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yields | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pumpkin* | Grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch (use transplants 4-5 weeks old) | |||
Connecticut Field | Midseason to late | High | Heirloom; large | |
Dill's Atlantic Giant | Late | High | For giant vegetable growers; produces 200+ pound fruit; not good for eating | |
Howden | Late | Good | Traditional Halloween pumpkin; 10 to 15 pounds | |
Neon | Mid to early | Good | 7 to 8 pounds; uniform | |
New England Pie | Midseason | Good | Heirloom; small; good baking quality | |
Racer | Midseason to late | High | Vigorous; short vine | |
Sorcerer | Late | High | All-America selection; compact vine | |
Wee-B-Little | Late | High | Very small; ornamental | |
Windsor | Midseason | Good | Bright orange; good storage; compact, productive plant | |
Lumina | Midseason to late | Good | Medium size; white skin | |
Radish | Burpee White | Midseason | High | Holds longest without bolting |
Bacchus | Very early | High | Deep purple color; uniformly round | |
Cherry Belle | Early | Good | Very good keeping quality | |
Cherriette | Early | Good | Good shape and color; F1 | |
Crunchy Royale | Early | Good | Smooth; red wine, mild flavor; F1 | |
D'Avingnon | Very early | Good | 3 to 4 inches long; harvest promptly | |
Alpine | Midseason to late | High | Daikon; long white root | |
Easter Egg | Early | High | Mix of red, purple and white | |
French Breakfast | Early | High | Carmine color; 3 to 4 inches; mild; crispy | |
Mino Spring | Midseason | Good | Slow bolting; Daikon cross | |
Miyashige | Midseason | Good | Daikon; long white root | |
Scarlet Globe | Early | Good | Holds better than Cherry Belle | |
Summer Cross #3 | Midseason | Good | Japanese style; 16 inches; uniform white; F1 | |
White Icicle | Late | Fair | Long 5-inch, icicle-shaped root | |
Rhubarb | Perennial plant; rhubarb generally does well in Alaska. | |||
Canada Red | Early | High | High quality | |
McDonald | Early | High | High quality | |
Rutabaga | Helenor | Midseason to late | High | Round bulb; light orange flesh; stores well |
Laurentian | Midseason | High | Heirloom; purple top; sweet, mild | |
Joan | Midseason | High | Heirloom; sweet flavor | |
Spinach | Corvair | Early | Good | Smooth leaf; dark green; F1 |
Bloomsdale Longstanding | Midseason | High | Good variety for Fairbanks; bolt resistant; longer days to maturity | |
Escalade | Early to midseason | High | Smooth meaty leaf; one of the most bolt resistant varieties tested in Fairbanks | |
Lizard | Early | High | Bolt resistant; sow early and late season due to shorter days to maturity | |
Renegade | Early to midseason | High | Excellent quality; one of the most bolt-resistant varieties tested in Fairbanks | |
Space | Early to midseason | High | Slower to bolt; smooth leaf; F1 |
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yields | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Squash* | Improve growth by growing through IRT (solar) plastic mulch | |||
(summer) | Bush Baby | Early | Good | Ready at 4 to 6 inches; striped; glossy |
Costata Romanesco | Midseason | Low | Italian heirloom; nutty delicious flavor | |
Desert | Midseason | High | Compact plant; long straight zucchini; good fruit set | |
Early Prolific | Early | High | Yellow; straight neck | |
Eight Ball | Midseason | High | Harvest at golf ball size | |
Goldmine | Midseason | Good | Shiny yellow with stripes; F1 | |
Goldrush | Early | High | Striking yellow zucchini | |
Magda | Early | High | Cousa type; sweet, nutty flavor | |
One Ball | Early | High | Yellow ball shape; harvest at golf ball size | |
Raven | Early | High | Dark-skinned zucchini | |
Seneca Prolific | Midseason | Fair | Yellow; straight neck; Botrytis resistant | |
Slick Pick | Early | Good | Attractive fruit; easy harvest; F1 | |
Spineless Perfection | Early | High | Medium green; disease resistant; F1 | |
Sunburst (pattypan) | Midseason | High | Bright yellow scallop; F1 | |
Tigress | Midseason | Good | Flecked; medium green; disease resistant; F1 | |
Yellow Crookneck | Midseason | High | Buttery flavor, firm texture; 5-6 inch fruit | |
(winter) | Autumn Delight | Midseason | Good | Semi-bush acorn type; dark green; F1 |
Bon Bon | Late | High | Buttercup type; All-America selection; sweet; good storage variety | |
Blue Hubbard | Late | Good | Large; blue-green; extra hard shell; yellow-orange flesh; excellent for storage | |
Burgess Buttercup | Midseason - late | High | Dark green; excellent quality | |
Bush Delicata | Midseason - late | OK | Small habit; excellent eating quality; C. pepo yields likely improved from dark periods | |
Gete-Okosomin | Midseason - late | High | Excellent melon flavor and eating quality; very large fruit; Native American heirloom variety | |
Gold Nugget | Midseason - late | High | Good quality; dependable; small | |
Red Kuri | Midseason - late | High | Mini red hubbard type; excellent eating quality for pies and purees | |
Spaghetti Squash | Midseason | High | Spaghetti-like flesh; avoid overwatering when fruit is set to avoid cracking; also consider Hasta la Pasta variety for attractive orange-color shell | |
Sunshine | Late | High | Bright orange Kabocha type; sweet, smooth flesh; excellent eating and pie quality. | |
Sweet Meat | Late | High | Heirloom; 10 to 15 pounds; good for pie | |
Sweet Mama | Early | High | Green Kabocha type; good eating quality | |
Tiptop PMR | Midseason - late | Good | Great storage; large size; black green acorn type; F1 | |
Wintersweet | Midseason - late | High | Attractive sage green shell; orange meat; Kabocha type; excellent storage life; F1 | |
Swiss Chard | Bright Lights Chard | Midseason | Good | All-America selection; multicolored |
Vegetable | Variety | Maturity | Yields | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fordhook Giant | Midseason | Good | Standard green Swiss chard; white veins | |
Neon Lights Chard | Midseason | High | Blend of five varieties; multicolored | |
Rhubarb Chard | Midseason | Good | Very attractive; smaller than white | |
Silverado Chard | Midseason | High | Compact plant; slow to bolt | |
Tomatillo | Toma Verde | Midseason - late | High | Great for salsa; 2-inch fruits |
Tomato* | Best results when grown through IRT plastic mulch or using season extension techniques | |||
(determinate) | Black Cherry | Early | High | Moderately salt tolerant; vigorous growth |
Bush Early Girl | Early | Excellent | Early; medium sized | |
Cosmonaut Volkov | Midseason | Good | Heirloom; super tasty; 2 to 3 inches; sweet and tangy | |
Red Robin | Early | High | Small ½-inch fruit; prolific | |
Sweet n' Neat | Early to mid | Good | Ultra compact; ideal for containers; F1 | |
Taxi | Early | Good | Large yellow fruit | |
Tumbler cherry | Early | Good | Excellent for hanging baskets and containers; F1 | |
(indeterminate) | Big Beef | Midseason | High | Tasty slicer; good disease resistance; F1 |
Black Plum | Early | Good | Small prolific purple fruit | |
Buffalo | Midseason | Good | Heirloom; great sandwich tomato; pale rosy pink | |
Caruso-Re | Early | High | Good quality; excellent for greenhouse | |
Early Tanana¹ | Early | Good | Ripens well when picked green | |
Juliet | Early | Good | Sweet red cherry; crack resistant; All-America selection | |
Lemon Boy | Early | Good | Large yellow fruit | |
Stupice | Early | High | Very early; small, productive plants | |
Sub Arctic 25 | Early | Good | Productive; small fruits | |
Sub Arctic Maxi | Very early | Good | Largest fruit for subarctic type | |
Sungold | Early | Good | Apricot-orange-cherry; excellent fruity flavor; F1 | |
Sweet 100 | Early | High | Good quality | |
Turnip | Best results when grown under low tunnels to avoid root maggot predation | |||
Golden Ball | Late | Good | 3 to 4-inch roots; sweet and mellow flavor | |
Hakurei | Midseason | High | Excellent eating quality, sweet-fruity taste; holds well | |
Purple Top White Globe | Late | Heavy | Good for storage | |
Scarlet Queen Red Stem | Midseason | Good | Everything is edible; best at 2 to 3-inch roots | |
Tokyo Cross | Early | High | Nice small white turnip; excellent eating quality |
Fruit Varieties
Some fruit crops and varieties may only survive when planted in the most favorable sites. Carefully selecting a planting site, connecting with successful fruit and berry growers, and planting several varieties on your property will increase fruit growing success. Your local nursery is a good source for recommending varieties for your area and growing conditions.
Fruit | Variety | Maturity | Yield | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Apple | Note: Apples require a "pollenizer plant" of different variety to bear fruit. | |||
Alma Sweet | Late | Good | Hardy; 2-inch fruits; very sweet, good for sauce | |
Nor series (10) | Late | Good | Marginally good hardiness | |
Parkland | Late | Good | Marginally hard (zone 2a); tart; large fruit - 2.5 to 3.5-inch diameter | |
Prairie series | Late | Good | (Prairie Sun, Sensation, Magic, etc.) developed in Saskatchewan, Canada; fast growing; good to very hardy | |
Schafer | Late | High | Small tart fruit; very hardy to zone 2a (good for Tanana Valley) | |
Trailman | Late | High | Hardiest variety for Tanana Valley; 1.75-inch fruit; stores well | |
Westland | Late | Good | Marginally hardy | |
Apple, Crab | Rescue | Late | Fair | Marginally hardy |
Adam | Late | Fair | Marginally hardy | |
Sylvia | Late | Good | Marginally hardy | |
Jacques | Late | Good | Marginally hardy | |
Columbia | Late | Fair | Marginally hardy | |
Sour Cherry | Evans | Mid - late | High | Tree-type cherry; produces slightly larger, sweeter fruit than other cultivars |
Nanking | Mid - late | OK | Fast growing; small 1/2-inch diameter tart, soft flesh fruit; bushes can get up to 15 feet tall | |
Pin Cherries | Midseason | High | Very hard; small 1/2-inch diameter tart, soft flesh fruit | |
Romance Series (5) | Mid - late | Good | Crimson Passion, Carmine Jewel, Romeo, Juliet, Valentine; fast-growing bush-type cherries; hardy to zone 2a | |
Currant | Many cultivars do well in Alaska | |||
Golden Currant | Midseason - late | High | Hardy in Tanana Valley; fruit is less tart than red and less medicinal than black cultivars | |
Holland Longbunch (red) | Midseason - late | High | Hardy in higher elevations | |
Melalathi (black) | Midseason - late | High | Vigorous growth; very aromatic leaves and strong, sweet flavored fruit | |
Red Lake | Midseason - late | Good | Hardy | |
Wilder (red) | Midseason - late | Good | Hardy; mildew resistant | |
Gooseberry | Pixwell | Late | Good | Hardiest for higher elevations |
Red Gooseberry | Late | High | Hardy to zone 2a |
Fruit | Variety | Maturity | Yield | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Haskaps (Honey Berries) | Note: Haskaps require a "pollinizer plant" of different variety to bear fruit | |||
Aurora | Midseason | High | Large, sweet berries; pollinizer for Berry Blue, Honey Bee, Tundra and Boreal Series | |
Boreal Series (3) | Midseason | Good | Boreal Beast has a long flowering period, making it a good pollinizer for other varieties | |
Berry Blue | Midseason | High | Very large, fast-growing bushes | |
Honey Bee | Midseason | Good | Good pollinizer for Aurora, Berry Blue, Borealis and Tundra | |
Kamchatka | Early - midseason | High | Very early and productive plants; large berries | |
Tundra | Midseason | High | ||
Pear | Note: Pears require a "pollinizer plant" of different variety to bear fruit | |||
Early Gold | Late | Good | Hardy to zone 2a; grows to about 20 feet tall; eating and preserving quality fruit | |
Larynskaya | Late | Good | Produces tangy-sweet medium-sized fruit with white juicy flesh; hardy to zone 2b - 3a (above 800-1000 foot elevation in Fairbanks) | |
Plum | Note: Plums require a "pollinizer plant" of different variety to bear fruit | |||
Brook - Red & Gold | Late | OK | Not heavy producers, but nice quality fruit; good pollinizer for Lee and Vic | |
Lee Red | Late | Good | Produces tangy-sweet 1-inch diameter fruit; fully hardy in hills (above 800-foot elevation) in Fairbanks | |
Vic Red | Late | Good | Vigorous growing variety produces lots of fruit; fully hardy in hills (above 800-foot elevation) in Fairbanks | |
Raspberry | Latham | Late | Good | Good quality |
Boyne | Late | Good | Good quality | |
Kiska¹ | Early | Good | Most hardy | |
Red Mammoth | Midseason to late | High | Short plant; large fruit; sweet taste | |
Saskatoon | Martin | Midseason | High | Large fruit; plant with Smoky for cross pollination |
Smoky | Midseason | High | Best flavor; plant with Martin for cross pollination | |
Strawberry | Alaska Pioneer¹ | Early | High | Hardy; yield is high when well fertilized and watered |
Albion | Midseason | Good | Day neutral; does not produce as many runners | |
Quinault | Midseason to frost | High | Grow as an annual through clear or IRT plastic mulch | |
Seascape | Midseason | High | Hardy; day neutral; does well in ground or baskets | |
Toklat¹ | Midseason | High | Hardy; larger fruit than Alaska Pioneer |
1 Developed at the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
* Warm season crops will benefit by planting them through a clear, or wavelength selective (i.e. InfraRed Transmitting - IRT) plastic mulch. The plastic hastens soil warming by allowing the sun’s rays to penetrate the soil and preventing heat from being dissipated by the wind. Caution is required, however, since most seedlings sunburn if not released from beneath the plastic as soon as they emerge from the soil. Sweet corn may remain under the plastic until 4 to 6 inches tall before being released. Transplants may be planted directly in plastic by cutting a hole large enough to plant into. Plastic mulch also helps to retain soil moisture, and IRT plastic can reduce weed pressure.
SEED & NURSERY SOURCES
Alberta Nurseries & Seeds Ltd.*
Alaska Fruit Trees*
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds*
Burgess Seed and Plant Co.
W. Atlee Burpee & Co.
Denali Seed Co.*
Ester Alaska Seed Library*
Farmer Seed & Nursery Co.*
Ferry-Morse Seed Co.
Fedco Seeds
Found Root*
Irish Eyes Garden City Seeds*
Gourmet Seeds International
Gurney's Seed & Nursery
Harris Seeds Co.*
High Mowing Organic Seeds*
Horticultural Products & Services
Johnny’s Selected Seeds*
J.L. Hudson, Seedsman Seed Bank
Jung Seed
Kitchen Garden Seeds
O'Brien Garden and Trees*
Park Seed Co.
Pinetree Garden Seeds*
Reimer Seeds
R.H. Shumway's
Richter’s Herbs*
Stokes Seeds Inc*.
Territorial Seed Co.*
Totally Tomatoes
Otis S. Twilley Seed Co., Inc.
Vermont Bean Seed Co.*
Vesey's Seeds*
Victory Seed Co.*
Wild Rose Heritage Seed Co.*
* Indicates Alaska or northern region seed company
To simplify information, trade names of products have been used. No endorsement of named products by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products that are not mentioned.
Glenna Gannon, Agriculture and Food Systems Faculty. Originally prepared by Wayne Vandre, former Extension Horticulture Specialist.
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Revised September 2022