Growing Sweet Corn in Yukon: Will It Ripen?
Sweet corn can ripen in Yukon, but only at the earliest end of the maturity scale, and only if the soil cooperates.
Gardening in Yukon
Everything we have worked out for Yukon: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Whitehorse, the last spring freeze falls around June 5 and the first fall freeze falls around August 25, 600 growing degree days in the year.
That is little accumulated warmth: tomatoes need a tunnel or a greenhouse here, whatever the frost dates suggest. Garlic does well: 39.1 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Yukon: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from Environment and Climate Change Canada. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Growing Asparagus in Yukon: Fifteen Years in One Spot
A fifteen-year commitment starts with a shovel test, not a seed packet. Yukon’s dominant soil, an imperfectly drained loam-silt Brunisol, needs help…
When to Sow Pumpkins in Yukon
Pumpkin seed goes into Yukon soil once that soil, not the air, reaches 65°F. That threshold lands well after the average last spring frost here, so…
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in Yukon?
In an average year, yes, but only if flowers open by the first half of July. Yukon’s frost-free window runs roughly from June 5 to August 25, both…
Growing Parsnips in Yukon: Will They Sweeten?
Yes, and by a wide margin. A garden in the Yukon sits inside one of the coldest growing regions covered in this series, and that cold is exactly what…
Growing Spinach in Yukon: When Will It Bolt?
Spinach in Yukon typically bolts within three to five weeks of a strong start, not because the region runs hot but because its summer days stretch past…
Growing Pumpkins in Yukon: Will They Ripen in Time?
Yukon’s average first fall frost lands around August 25, and pumpkins need 45 to 55 days after their flowers open to ripen.
When to Plant Potatoes in Yukon: Counting Back From Your Last Frost
In Yukon, the reliable window for planting potatoes runs 14 to 21 days before the average last spring frost of June 5, once soil warms to 50 F, according…
Harvesting and Storing Potatoes in Yukon
Dig Yukon potatoes before the ground truly closes down for the season, and don’t count on an unheated shed to carry them through winter.
Potato Varieties That Suit Yukon
For Yukon gardeners, the answer sits less in a brand name than in a season class.