Garden with AARP Alaska

As the days get longer and the sunshine warmer, AARP Alaska is turning our attention to the 2022 growing season!

Join our office and the University of Alaska’s Cooperative Extension Service for a five-part series on gardening, from starting seeds to cooking with home-grown herbs (and more).  Each event will feature a different speaker and new topic, so you can join one or all.

The presentations will be given over Zoom.  Register to receive the meeting link or watch live at the scheduled time on our Facebook page. To register, click on the links below and complete the process until you see this box:

Past events

Wednesday, March 30, 11 AM to 12 noon: Gardening: How to Successfully Start Seeds at Home 

Join Glenna Gannon from the Cooperative Extension Service In this workshop and demonstration to learn the basics of starting seeds at home in Alaska. You will learn which start up supplies are necessary and the simple techniques to successfully start your own seeds. The benefit of starting your own seeds is that you can choose which varieties that work well for your specific growing conditions, choose from a much wider selection of varieties that are often not found at your local nursery, and save money on plant starts year after year once you've made the initial investment in seed starting supplies. Watch it here.

Wednesday, April 6, 11 AM to 12 noon: Gardening: Container Gardening 

Join Gina Dionne from the Cooperative Extension Service in this workshop to learn about container gardening, which has become very popular, and for good reason! In this class, you will learn how to make creative use of container gardens to allow you to grow your own food on a sunny deck, windowsill and other non-traditional spaces. Watch it here.

Wednesday, April 13, 11 AM to 12 noon: Gardening: Growing and Cooking with Herbs 

Join Heide Rader from the Cooperative Extension Service in this workshop to learn what herbs grow well in Alaska. Which ones come back (perennials) and which ones should you plant year after year? Which ones are easy to start from seed and which ones are easiest to grow from transplants or cuttings? Once you’ve started your herb garden, how do you use them in your everyday cooking? Learn about classic flavor combinations. Watch it here.

Wednesday, April 20, 11 AM to 12 noon: Gardening: Growing Vegetables in Alaska 

Join Steve Brown from the Cooperative Extension Service in this workshop to learn how growing bountiful veggies is very easy if you know the tips of the far North. This presentation will show you the secrets behind planning, planting, season extension, fertilization and pest control. Watch it here.

Wednesday, April 27, 11 AM to 12 noon: Gardening: Love to Garden but Aches and Pains Getting in the Way? 

Join Art Nash from the Cooperative Extension Service to talk about accessible gardening ideas. Barriers to growing can come from injuries when we are young or normal pains as we grow older. Yet there are adaptations in how we plan out growing areas, modify the growing area or use altered tools.  This session will look at various build outs and alterations that can hopefully help as you age in place- in the garden! Watch it here.