When to Start Planting a Garden in Alaska
- In the central part of the state, the last freeze can occur as late as the end of May. Further north, the last freeze sometimes occurs in late June. One way to get a head start on the growing season is to start seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before the temperature allows you to transplant your seedlings outdoors.
- Cool-season crops grow well in soil that has not fully warmed. You can plant peas, lettuce and spinach seeds before the last frost has occurred. The seeds will germinate in soils as cool as 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Squash, beans, corn, melons and cucumbers must be planted after the soil warms up to a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The soil usually warms up to this temperature about two weeks after the last frost.
