Herb Gardening in the North
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Lorena Chamorro

I would like to know some information about northern gardening, like as north as the Yukon, some information about good books for growing herbs in greenhouse and some outdoors but with northern perspective of growing, this information will be very valuable to me I have already some kind of experience on growing herbs up here but I am thirsty for more and I have ask where to get this information and everyone I ask tell me to ask you guys so please help.

With your long dark winters, I think a light set-up is a must for herbs to survive the winters indoor. A minimum would be a double tube fixture with 4 foot 40 watt lights. They can be purchased for reasonable cost. For more ambitious herb growing, you need a metal halide high intensity lighting system which costs more.

Many herbs originate from the Mediterranean area and therefore like a lot a light and fairly hot summers and cool but not cold winters. Outside you would have to limit yourself to annuals that you started indoors. I can’t think of any well-known culinary herb, that is hardy enough to survive Yukon winters outside. They will love the long days in summer and make up for a lot of lost time.

I suggest you ask for our (free) catalogue if you don’t already have it and have fun choosing plants to grow under your light set-up. You might want to purchase the book (#B4280 in our catalogue) "Growing Herbs from Seed, Cutting & Root," by Tom DeBaggio. It is very helpful even if it is not written for the northern gardeners in mind. Another book worth looking at is "The Prairie Herb Garden" which deals with gardening in low zones (3 and lower) similar to those in the north.



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