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Georgeson Botanical Notes

No. 41 Revised 2010

 

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Recommended Outdoor Vegetable Cultivars for Interior Alaska

by Grant E.M. Matheke

The following vegetables have grown well at the Georgeson Botanical Garden over many years and are recommended for home gardens and small market gardens. This list is not exhaustive, and many other cultivars grow well depending on the site, soil type and use. Experimenting with new and heirloom cultivars is interesting and rewarding, but the vegetables listed have stood the test of time. They will grow well in most parts of the Tanana Valley with the right growing conditions. Potential seed sources are listed on the printable pdf.
Vegetable Cultivar Season Comments
Artichoke - Start from transplants in greenhouse. Grow in warm, sunny locations through clear or IRT polyethylene mulch or in containers
  Green Globe Mid-late Medium sized chokes, tender
  Imperial Star Mid- late Medium sized chokes in late season
Asparagus - Start from seed or roots. Grow in well drained, sandy loam soils in warmest locations. Mulch in low snow areas.
  Super Male Jersey Knight Early  
Beans, Snap
Romano Type Bountiful Early Good quality, flat
  Gina Early Best of early Romano beans
  Roma II Early-Mid Italian type, flat
  Romano Gold Early Bush Romano wax, yellow
 
Yellow Wax Goldito Early Smooth straight pods
  Rocdor Early  
  Carson Early Good quality, good freezer
 
Green Contender Early Good quality, good freezer
  Provider Earliest Good quality, good freezer
  Royalty Purple Pod Early  
  Tendercrop Early Round stringless pods, freezer
Beets
  Burpee Golden Midseason Fair yields, Yellow, round, high quality
  Chioggia Early Heirloom,sweet flavor, unique red white stripes when cut
  Cylindra Midseason Resists bolting, tender sweet, long
  Early Blood Turnip Early-Mid Heirloom, tendency to bolt but still has high yields
  Red Ace Early High yields, Round, smooth, good greens
Broccoli
  Marathon Late Large heads, tolerant to cold, good Shogun substitute
  Early Dividend Early Large, large lateral production
  Green Valiant Midseason Reliable, high quality, med-large heads
  Premium Crop Midseason Large lateral production
Brussels Sprouts
  Jade Cross Early Very good, dependable
  Oliver Early Large, flavorful, easy to grow
Cabbage
Green Deadon Late Hybrid, pinkish purple, slightly savoyed, January King type
  Dynamo Early-Mid Small head, dense
  Glory of Enkhuizen Midseason Heirloom, nice mid season cabbage
  January King Late Heirloom, pinkish purple, slightly savoyed.
  O-S Cross (giant) Late The giant cabbage
  Tobia Midseason Hybrid, midseason
  Earliana Hybrid Early Small heads, good quality
  Golden Acre Early Heirloom, Solid heads, stores well
  Stonehead Late Heirloom, Small compact heads
 
Red Red Express Early-Mid Good early red
  Ruby Ball Midseason Red, small head
  Ruby Perfection Late Red, stores well
 
Savoy Savoy Ace Midseason Best Savoy type
  Savoy Express Early Excellent early Savoy
Carrots
  Artist Midseason Smooth, 7-8" root
  Little Finger Midseason 3.5" root, smooth skin, small core
  Minicor Early Baby carrots, pull at 2-3"
  Nelson Early High quality, smooth, 6-7" root
  Purple Haze Midseason Fair yield, All America Selection, unique purple color with orange core
  Royal Chantenay Late Storage type
  Scarlet Nantes Early Stores well, good quality
  Sweet Treat Midseason Very sweet and crunchy, Hybrid
  Thumbelina Early Small, round, gourmet type
Cauliflower
  Andes Midseason Good quality, self-blanching
  Amazing Midseason Holds up in garden
  Fremont Early 7" across, self-wrapping
  Minuteman Early Nice wrapper leaves, self blanching
  Snow Crown Early Good quality, dependable
  White Sails Mid-Late Excellent tight heads
Celery
  Florida 683 Midseason Very high yield
  Utah 52-70 Midseason  
  Ventura Midseason Very high yield
Cucumber: grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch
Slicing Early Pride Early White spine
  Fanfare Early Bush, white spine
  Sweet Success Early White spine
  Sweeter Yet Very early 10-12 inch crisp fruit
  Salad Bush Early 8 inch long, smooth skin
 
Pickling Bush Pickle Early Compact, bush habit
  Little Leaf Early Also good fresh eating
  Northern Pickling Early Black spine
Eggplant: grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch, but all varieties are marginal in the Interior in outdoor gardens
  Dusky Early Poor yield, glossy black fruit
  Ichiban Early Poor Yield, slender 12 inch fruit
  Orient Express Early Good yield esp. in cool weather
  Snowy
 
 Good yield, slender, white
Greens, (Chard, Collards, Mustard)
  Green Wave Midseason Showy, hot
  Tendergreen Midseason Good mustard
  Rhubarb chard Midseason Very attractive, smaller than white
  Bright Lights chard Midseason All America Selections, multi-colored
  Neon Lights Chard Midseason Blend of 5 cultivars, multi-colored
  Silverado Chard Midseason Compact, slow to bolt
  Chioggia Red Radicchio Midseason Large white ribs, dark leaves
  Komatsuna Summerfest Early Large, heavy heads, red
  Vates Collards Early Mild oriental greens
Kale
  Red Russian Early Heirloom, 25 days-baby
  Toscano Midseason Mild flavor, 30 days-baby
  Winterbor Early Sweet after frosts
Kohlrabi      
  Eder Very Early White, tender
  Grand Duke Early  
  Kolibri Early Purple
  Early Purple Vienna
 
 Heirloom
  Early White Vienna Early Heirloom
Leeks
  Baby Lincoln Mid-late Harvest finger size for baby leeks or allow to mature to full size
  Giant Musselburgh Late Heirloom, high yield
  Poncho Late  
  King Richard Late Nice long neck
Lettuce
Head Ithaca Midseason  
  Minigreen Early Short core
  Crispino Early Medium sized, firm heads
 
Butterhead Buttercrunch Midseason All America Selections
  Ermosa Midseason Tolerant to tip burn & bolting
  Sangria Midseason Red-tipped, good quality, tolerant to bolting
 
Romaine Parris Island Cos Midseason Heirloom
  Cimmaron Red Midseason Rarely bolts, good flavor, crisp
  Eruption Midseason Dark red bibb romaine cross. Resistant to tipburn, bolting
  Romulus Midseason 9-12" heads, crisp
 
Loose Leaf Salad Bowl Early bolt resistant
  Red Salad Bowl Early bolt resistant
  Oak Leaf Early bolt resistant
  Royal Oak Leaf Early  
  Grand Rapids Midseason Good tolerance to tip burn
  Merlot Midseason Outstanding burgundy color
  Ruby Midseason  
  Red Sails Early All America selections, compact
Onion
Bunching He-shi-ko Midseason  
  Hardy White Midseason  
Onion, sets nearly all kinds do well    
Parsnip
  Hollow Crown Improved Late  
Peas
Green Freezonian Late Indeterminate
  Green Arrow Late Long pods, outstanding quality
  Lincoln Midseason  
  Maestro Early First early green arrow type
  Mr. Big Midseason All America Selection
  Survivor Midseason Semi-leafless, replacement for Novella
 
Edible Pod Dwarf Grey Sugar

Early

  
  Oregon Giant Early  
  Oregon Sugarpod II Early  
  Snow Green Midseason Crisp & flavorful pods
 
Sugar Snap Sugar Ann Early does not require support
  Sugar Snap Midseason  
  Sugar Sprint Snap Early sweet, almost stringless
  Super Sugar Snap Early short vined version of Sugar Snap
Peppers - outdoors grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch, iin containers, raised beds or greenhouses
  Park's Early Thickset Midseason thick green bell
  Blushing Beauty Midseason All America Selection, sweet bell
  Carmen Midseason All America Selection, sweet Italian bul's horn type
  Giant Marconi Midseason All America Selection, sweet
  Ace or New Ace Early sweet bell, reliable
  Gypsy Early-Mid Italian sweet type
  Italian Sweet Early-Mid Italian sweet type
  Hungarian Yellow Wax Midseason Hot yellow
  Thai Hot Midseason Excellent spicy hot
  Senorita Midseason Mild jalapeno
  Super Chili Midseason Very hot
  Super Cayenne Midseason Very hot
  Mohawk Midseason Green to Yellow bell for growing in containers
  Redskin Midseason Green to Red bell for growing in containers
Potatoes
  Rote Erstling Early Red, thick skin, yellow flesh
  Alaska Red Early Red, thin skin, white flesh
  Kennebec Early White skin, white flesh baker
  Green Mountain Late White skin, white flesh baker
  Swedish Late White skin, yellow flesh
  Bakeking Midseason White skin, white flesh, baker
  AK 114 Late White skin, white flesh, baker
  Norgold Russet Late Russet, baker
Pumpkin - grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch
  New England Pie (Small Sugar) Midseason Heirloom
  Connecticut Field Mid-Late Heirloom, good size
  Racer Mid-late Vigorous, short vine
  Rockstar Late Vigorous, blocky, upright shape
  Sorcerer Late Excellent production, compact vine
  Wee-B-Little Late Very small, ornamental
  Lumina Mid-late Medium size, white skin
Radish
  Cherry Belle Early Very good keeping quality
  Cherriette Early Good shape and color
  Scarlet Globe Early Holds better than Cherry Belle
  Burpee White Early-Mid Holds longest without bolting
  Easter Egg Early Mix of red, purple, and white
  White Icicle Early-Mid Long, 5" icicle-shaped
  Discovery Mid-Late Daikon, long white root
  Miyashige Mid-late Daikon, long white root
Rutabaga
  American Purple Top Midseason Heirloom, good storage, sweet
  Joan Midseason Heirloom, purple top, sweet flavor
  Laurentian Midseason Heirloom, purple top, sweet, mild
Spinach
  Melody Early Plant early, excellent quality, most bolt resistant
  Tyee Early Good variety for Fairbanks
Squash
Summer Greyzini Early Striped
  Super Zuke Hybrid Midseason Bushy, nutty flavor
  Milano Black Early Very dark skin
  Radiant Early Dark skinned, high yield
  Raven Early Dark skinned, high yield
  Goldrush Early Yellow
  Eight Ball Early Ball shape, dark green, harvest at golf ball size
  One Ball Early Ball shape, yellow, harvest at golf ball size
  Magda Early Excellent flavor, consistent high yields
  Papaya Pear Midseason Papaya shape, sweet flavor
  Peter Pan Early Green scallop
  Sunburst Early Bright yellow scallop
  Sundance Midseason Yellow crookneck
  Early Prolific Early Yellow, straight neck
  Seneca Prolific Midseason Yellow, straight neck, botrytis resistant
 
Winter Gold Nugget Early Good quality, dependable, bush type, small size
  Spaghetti Squash Midseason Yellow, spaghetti-like flesh
  Tivoli Midseason Bush spaghetti squash, dependable
  Ambercup Midseason Bright orange buttercup
  Bon Bon Late All America Selection, buttercup, sweet
  Buttecup Midseason Dark green, excellent quality
  Sweet Mama Early Green buttercup, good quality
  Pink Banana Late Large, elongate
  Golden Hubbard Late  
  Sunshine Late Bright orange color, sweet, earthy flavor
Sweet Corn- grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch
  Earlivee Midseason Best quality, nice ears
  Yukon Chief Early Dependable for cool soils, open pollinated, bred at UAF
Tomatillo- grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch
  Toma Verde   Great for salsa, 2 inch fruit
Tomato- grow through clear or IRT plastic mulch
  Early Tanana Early Ripens well when picked green
  Sub-Arctic 25 Early Small fruit, dependable
  Prairie Fire Early Best large outdoor tomato for Interior
  Stupice Early Small, very early, high yield
Turnip
  Tokyo Cross Early Use for small turnips, high quality
  Hakurei Midseason Fruity-sweet taste, holds well
  Purple Top White Globe Late  

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