inside gardening way north in alaska, barrow

[tthferry]

I am going to order seeds thanks to Rooster - he gave me a gift certificate - to bring on volunteer trips. usually I go to third world countries doing volunteer work and have brought a variety of seeds along plus a little knowledge for a vegi garden. Up north where I will be going they eat way too much sweets etc and I was hoping to bring some things that they can plant indoors and harvest. In Antarctica we had an amazing hydroponic garden, I wonät want to bring all the lights etc, maybe one or two. Any suggestions for what would do well indoors, with simple grow lights etc?

[thibodeaux41]

Using spiral florescent compact bulbs (100 or 150 watt equivalent) has done wonders for us. All our greens do well; so do our tomato starts, although we've never grown the tomatoes till it bears fruit. I'd imagine potatoes would do well in a garbage can, also.

[FritzDaKat]

Have you considered building a Hothouse using multiple layers of roof (Like making a greenhouse from old sliding patio doors, but using 3 layers of double pane glass?) to add to the insulation rating so as to allow natural light but help keep out the cold?

You'll have to tell me more about the voulenteer work abroad, digging wells and making terra preta in deserts abroad sounds interesting :D . Is there an organization you work through that covers transportation and such or are you just digging out of your own pocket on the expenses?

And welcome to iDig ;)

[bunkie]

welcome tthferry!

you might find some good ideas on this site about growing veggies under lights...

http://upnorthbynorthwest.com/

a tad over halfway down the page is a post about 'forcing french beans' under lights. really interesting. i'm going to give it a try next winter!

when we lived in Alaska, just outside of Anchorage, in the late 40's, mom grew huge cabbages and flowers and all during the summer months.

here's also a great seed source in Anchorage, for the cold...

http://www.denaliseed.com/main.html

[TastyofHasty]

Purslane?

I've never grown things entirely indoors; I'm thinking about growing cardoon through the winter, though, in a half-underground greenhouse, because I grew artichokes the first year I put up my (plastic dome) greenhouse, and they grew huge, though they didn't produce chokes till Spring. But since you grow cardoon for the stalks, I thought maybe I'd try it for the greenhouse, this coming winter.

oh yeah, and sprouts are green, can be grown indoors ...

Or, are you trying to find things that can be grown all the way through producing seed, so as to be self-sustaining?

[tweed]

Welcome to idig tthferry! :)
That would be cool.........an indoor setup in Barrow!
I watched a tv show a few months ago on Barrow. There was some guy who goes around in a t-shirt, even when it is 40 degrees below zero! Yikes.

Steve

[RozieDozie]

Welcome, tthferry! I would think that greens would grow well with simple grow lights and they can be harvested when very young and keep on growing if you just snip the leaves and don't pull up the whole plant. Spinace, lettuce, and chard, for instance.

When we were in Fairbanks a couple of years ago, they had a huge farmers market and we bought Big Boy tomatoes grown in a greenhouse. Here's their site. Someone may be able to assist you.

http://www.tvfmarket.com/

Sprouts are another good choice for winter greens. Sunflowers, alfafa, mung bean; even wheat will sprout. Best of luck to you!

Rozie

[AcidRain23]

Welcome to IDIG tthferry! :D Tell us more about living in Antarctica and your hydro set up! Are you a scientist? Just curious.

[Pepper]

I worked in Barrow alaska in 2004 over the winter good luck stay warm WATCH out for the POLOR bears THEY ARE THERE I lived at the airport hotel Dan (he was from Tx ) ran the hotel , WATCH ALL THE dates on grocerys The artic store is neat, but expensive on fresh veggies have somebody send you care packages , it was an adventure I will never forget , Oh join the library its the best small libary I have ever seen (35.00) but worth it they have great movies you can check out , if you get a chance fly to Kotzebue worked there over the winter in 2006 its a great place to visit in the summer walk on the beach and pick up small pcs of ivory rent a 4x4 atv and go hunt fossils they are there for the picken but watch for the BIG fuzzy bears (Grizzlies) take pictures . coldest in got in barrow when I was there was -46 ... oh I never saw any live plants in barrow not even in the stores .

[bunkie]

pepper, did they have those totem poles up there? they were so unique, like the little houses the eskimos built for what we call cemeteries.

[Pepper]

no totems that I saw, a lot whale bones they bury them in the cold hard ground (I donot know if they wait till spring )it was a experince I will never forget i have been all over this world and that was the most unique .....:)

[Train]

Ya!
There was someone in here promoting
led fixtures.
Can't recall his exact id, "I grow with leds" or something.
Perhaps you can run him down.
Others in here are knowledgeable in those as well.
I cannot help you in that I have no experience growing with LEDs.
Welcome aboard and
Luck to you
Train

[tthferry]

So much good advise, thanks!
I do not think any kind of green house would work because there would be no dark for several months. That is why I am thinking indoors would be better... they need their dark, don't they?
Sprouts, you bet, the lights are a great help, thanks, also. Potatos in a trash can, what an idea! What about hydroponics vs dirt?
Keep those great tidbits about living way north coming, they are very much appreciated. This is my first year way north...