2026 Spring Plant Sale Guide

Cucumber (Excelsior): Very prolific pickling cucumber. Parthenocarpic (fruit sets without bees); would prefer to be grown in a greenhouse, but would set fruits outside too.

Cucumber (Marketmore): High-yielding slicer that is very disease resistant. Excellent flavor, very juicy.

Tomato (Honeydrop): Orange, indeterminate cherry tomato with a fruity flavor similar to Sungold.

Tomato (Sweetie): Super-sweet red indeterminate cherry tomato that produces massive clusters of fruit.

Tomato (Polar Beauty): Determinate, medium-sized slicing fruits, specifically bred for short Alaskan seasons; bushy, low-growing variety. 

Ageratum (Timeless mix): Unusual tall variety great for cutting; soft blue and pink unique-shaped clusters. Annual

Alyssum (Wandering mix): A honey-scented groundcover that attracts pollinators. Pastel-colored mix of small flowers. Very easy to grow. A new variety for us this year! Annual

Amaranth (Hopi Red Dye): Use young leaves for salad or mature seeds for grain/dye. Annual

Aster (Tower Chamois): Peachy, light pinked color for floral design; needs support. Prefers warmer, south-facing slopes. Annual

Calendula (Dwarf Fiesta Gitana): Compact variety, mixed red, orange, and yellow in color. Very easy to grow; flowers are medicinal in nature. A new variety for us this year! Annual

Cosmos (Sensation mix): Airy foliage and large blooms; very easy to grow even in poor soil. Medium-tall plants. Annual

Columbine (McKana's Giant): Fairy-like flowers not needing a lot of support or maintenance. They will happily come back each spring even in cold, low-lying areas. Perennial

Delphinium (Magic Fountains): Big blooms of blue and purple; resilient and self-sufficient. Perennial

Lavatera (Pink & White mixed): Hibiscus-like blooms that thrive in cool summer weather, adding some tropical vibes to your garden. Annual

Lupine (Russel's Formula mix): Very tolerant of cooler temperatures, mixed pastel colors. Plants fix nitrogen in your soil and have been known to perennialize in warmer areas. (Mostly) Annual

Marigold (Lemon Star): Dainty signet-style marigold with edible citrus-flavored flowers. Great pest protection, easy to grow. Annual

Marigold (Queen Sofia): Award-winning French marigold with bronze-red petals edged in gold. Annual

Nasturtium (Alaska mix): Variegated white-and-green leaves with bright edible flowers that range from orange to reds. Annual

Phlox (Cherry Caramel): Vintage-colored blooms with a deep red center and cream edges, very unique in coloring. Annual

Rudbeckia (Sahara): Compact, small plants with flowers in the shades of copper, tawny, and rose; very long-lasting in a vase. Prefers warmer temperatures to initiate flowering. Annual

Snapdragon (Rocket mix): Very tall, sturdy stems that are perfect in cut flower bouquets. Tolerant of cooler temperatures. Annual

Snapdragon (Madame Butterfly mix): Unique double-petaled blooms that look like azaleas, a more subdued color pallet than the Rocket mix. Annual

Strawflower (Seashells): Amazing fresh or dried flowers, light pinks and yellow in coloring. Dried flowers last many years without losing color. Medium-tall plants, very prolific throughout the summer. Annual

Sweet Pea (Elegance Formula mix): Early-blooming variety with a fantastic scent for spring bouquets. Nitrogen-fixer. Needs trellising/support because of its height. Annual

Sunflower (Royal Hybrid): A classic single-stem sunflower with a dark center. Needs support for its height. Annual

Sunflower (Summer Breeze): A branching variety that provides multiple blooms per plant all season, mixed color patterns and textures. A new variety to us this year! Annual

Yarrow (Summer Pastels): Hardy perennial with flat-topped blooms in soft sunset colors. A beautiful addition to yards or perennial gardens. 

Viola (Frizzle Sizzle Mini Tapestry): Fun, ruffled petals splotched in color that add texture to pots or edible garnishes. Easy to grow, might even overwinter. (Mostly) annual

Zinnia (Queeny Lemon Peach): Incredible color transitions; keep picked to encourage more stems. Zinnias like heat! Annual

Zinnia (Aurora): Large, dahlia-like blooms in a glowing deep pink, reminding us of summertime sunsets. Zinnias like heat! Annual

Broccoli (Solstice): Head broccoli, but vigorous side-shoot production after the main head is cut. Very productive variety for Alaska

Cabbage (Golden Acre): Fast growing; ideal for early summer coleslaw or sauerkraut. Heads form dense, green heads.

Cabbage (Perfect Savoy): Beautiful crinkled leaves with a mild, sweet flavor. Quick growing, perfect for savoy summertime salad.

Chinese Cabbage (Bilko): Highly disease resistant, forms medium-sized heads mid summer. A new variety for us!

Cauliflower (Amazing): A tried and true variety for the Interior. Forms big, white heads with foliage that naturally wraps around the cauliflower.

Cauliflower (Snowball Early): An old-fashioned favorite that produces solid 6-inch white heads, great variety for Alaska. 

Cauliflower (Romanesco): The most magical of the brassicas (in my opinion). Produces lime-green fractal patterns later in the season. Requires slightly more water than the others.

Collards (Champion): Bolt-resistant; leaves get sweeter after the first light frost. Produces large reliable leaves. Slow cook in some animal fat (optional, but very yummy) for a nourishing meal.

Fennel (Perfection): Crisp, bulb-producing fennel with a delicate anise flavor. Mid-season harvest.

Green Onion (He-Shi-Ko): Very hardy northern bunching green onion. Subtle garlic flavor, very tasty in stirfrys and Asian cooking. A new variety for the plant sale this year!

Kale (Black Magic): Improved Dino kale with darker, more crinkled leaves. Excellent cooked or raw. One of the best flavored lacinatos we've found.

Kale (White Russian): Very flat, oak-leaf shaped leaves that are exceptionally tender. Similar to Red Russian, with a more muted/white color through the veins. A new variety for us! 

Kale (Winterbor): The hardiest curly kale; survives heavy frost in Fairbanks. Very prolific all through summer; struggles with prolonged high temperatures.

Kohlrabi (Terek): Light green in color; uniform and fiber-free even when large; sweet crunch. One of our favorite kohlrabi varieties, new to the plant sale this year!

Lettuce (Freckles): Heat-tolerant romaine with beautiful red spots on bright green leaves.

Lettuce (Salad Bowl): Large-bodied leaf lettuce; lime-green rosettes that won't get bitter in the sun. Long lasting lettuce variety.

Pak Choi (Shanghai Green): Baby bok choy variety with spoon-shaped light green stems. Vast growing, excellent in kimchi or lightly steamed.

Swiss Chard (Fordhook Giant): Heavy yields of crinkled green leaves with thick white stems. Very prolific!

Squash (Bennings Green Tint): A scalloped "Patty Pan" summer squash with a fine-textured flesh, light green in coloring. Tolerates cool but not cold temperatures. A very flavorful squash!

Basil (Prospera): Amazing culinary basil variety. Large, full leaves that just keep growing. Downy Mildew resistant. Keep it warm, basil does not tolerate cold temps.

Calendula (Resina): Highest resin content for medicinal salves and tinctures. Very easy to grow and the bees love it.

Chamomile (German): Dainty white and yellow flowers, very resilient and quick growing. There's nothing like fresh chamomile and lemon tea. New to the plant sale this year!

Chives (Gow Choy): Flat-leafed chives with a mild garlic flavor and white edible flowers. Perennial. New to the plant sale this year!

Cilantro: Slow-bolting variety for Alaska; essential for summer salsas and tacos!

Dill (Bouquet): The best variety for pickling and producing large seed heads. 

Feverfew: A medicinal herb with charming daisy-like flowers; great for bouquets and immune-system medicine.

Lemon Balm: Vigorous mint-family herb with a bright citrus scent. Nothing compares to homegrown lemon balm.

Marjoram (Sweet): A more delicate and floral cousin to oregano; great for Mediterranean cooking. Low growing and sprawling. Prefers to be on the dry side.

Marshmallow: A tall, beautiful herb with soft leaves and pale pink flowers. Potent medicine for Fairbanks dry. Sometimes perennializes.

Motherwort (Siberian): A striking, tall medicinal herb with tiny purple flowers along the stem. Very resilient and prolific - plant once and plan for it to come back each year.

Oregano (Greek): Potent and aromatic; the quintessential herb for pizza and pasta sauce. Prefers to be on the dry side.

Parsley (Flat Leaf): Much more flavorful than curly parsley; a kitchen workhorse. 

Sage (Common): Hardy evergreen herb with dusty gray-green leaves, good for stews and meats especially. Prefers to be on the dry side.

Stinging Nettle: Highly nutritious for tea or cooked as greens. Spiky, stinging leaves (beware!); a circulation tonic. Perennializes if planted in wetter areas. 

Tulsi Basil (Krishna): A purple-leafed variety known for its intense, spicy aroma. Low and quick growing. One of the most sacred herbs in Ayurveda. A new variety for the plant sale!

Thyme (German Winter): The most winter-hardy variety of culinary thyme. Low growing and fairly slow.