How to Grow Food in Yellowknife

Here are a few tips. 

Generally we can plant during the last week of May (although the city doesn't turn the garden water on until early June). Some key things about planting: weed your garden first, frequently and thoroughly. If you get after the weeds early, it is much less work later. 

Plant appropriate items, see the list "What to Grow" for ideas. Some things, such as tomatoes, squash, pumpkin, cucumbers, peppers and corn, may grow and may actually produce fruit. However, they are more likely to fail. Don't make these your garden keystone produce items. You won't be satisfied that the amount of work produced enough results. Plant peas, carrots, beans, potatoes, beets, kale and lettuce. The beans might not perform well if it is a cool summer but the others are all sure winners.  

Plant much more densely than the seed package calls for. We get 250 degrees of sun, few things require as much room as the package suggests. Make a path down the centre of your plot. Add the occasional side path, plant the things you need frequent access to around the edge and fill the rest with seed. If it turns out to be too dense you can always thin. We have a dry climate here, water thoroughly about every other day. 

Use a floating row cover. this will preserve the water in the soil, keep the cold winds off your plants and maybe even reduce the weed seeds from reaching your plot.

See Cindy's presentation on improving productivity in the list of links below. 

We need to add some notes on what to start inside and when to start it.

Productivity Suggestions