Let me ask you… How does gardening feel for you these days? Be honest. Do you head out to the garden excited to see what’s happening? Or does part of you feel a little overwhelmed by a to-do list that never seems to end? You might relate to what Marilyn said when I asked her […]
Marion Owen shares her experience gardening in Alaska’s “Zone Zero” on The Beet Podcast by Epic Gardening. A fun, real-life look at growing in a challenging climate.
Want more from the same garden space? Learn what to plant between garlic rows to get a second harvest—easy, practical, and perfect for small gardens.
Working harder in your garden can leave you exhausted and stuck. Here’s the simple, natural approach that changed everything for me.
Lagniappe has grown. I’ve created a new online home — The UpBeet Gardener — where you’ll find composting, seed-starting, organic gardening, Alaska life, and the deeper reflections you’ve always enjoyed.
A quiet Christmas message from my winter garden in Kodiak, Alaska—snow, a passing ferry, and a simple blessing for gardeners everywhere.
There’s no single right way to compost—the best method is the one that fits you. Learn simple composting methods and take the quiz to find your style.
Get the most from your garlic patch! Learn when to harvest hardneck garlic and garlic scapes, plus easy tips for curing and using scapes in the kitchen.
“My garden is my greatest joy,” Helen Keller shared in a 1930 interview with Hazel Kinscella for Better Homes and Gardens. “I feel that I am in the seventh heaven when among my plants. I feel the little heads pop up to look at me
Some say it’s one of the holy grails of the botanical world. But in our world, in Kodiak, Alaska, Himalayan blue poppies simply love to make a scene, especially for
Every major holiday has its classic color scheme. For example, Halloween decorations are generally orange and black. As for Christmas,
One day, during the Christmas season, I was pondering the act of gift-giving. I reached out to a friend. “Do you and Jim exchange Christmas gifts?”
Sunday morning, the day after Christmas, I poured a cup of coffee and glanced over at the weather station unit sitting on the kitchen counter by the fruit bowl. “Check this out, Marty,” I said,
I first hit the ski slopes when I was five years old. Well, sort of. It was common back then to spend a year or two on the Bunny Slopes. More like hanging onto the rope for dear life in order to
If plants could talk, the Peace Rose could tell a tale as gripping as a World War II spy novel.
YAY! It’s summertime in Alaska! We can joyfully open our windows and doors. Uh oh. A bumblebee flew through the open window and is now trapped inside the house. Here’s a simple trick I use to free a trapped bumblebee from
Today is a gloriously sunny day in Kodiak, Alaska. We endure snappy winters for days like this. And as much as I don’t like to…