Growing A Greener Kenai

Weeds, Bugs, & Garden Thugs

By Larry Opperman

Published July 18, 2026 at 12:48 PM AKDT

With gardens growing strong, we need to be sure outside forces like weeds & bugs don't destroy our gardens and affect harvests. There's a way to fight this war and gardeners must be diligent in their efforts.

The battle begins. Weeds, Bugs, & Garden Thugs. Living in a world where Mother Nature is trying to keep gardeners from making their job easier. We have to fight a litany of weeds and bugs to have a successful garden harvest, be it fresh produce, or flowers. And don't forget about the bigger pests, like moose and rabbits. The battles continue!!

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Larry Opperman

Larry started gardening in first grade when he took a bag of navy beans from the kitchen and threw them all over his backyard. They grew and his dad mowed around all the plants and he got a great bean harvest that year. From then on, he was hooked. Larry has gardened for over 60 years and the last 30 years in Alaska. He is on the Central Peninsula Garden Club board of directors and also the board of the Kenai Soil & Water Conservation District. His goal for Growing a Greener Kenai is to disseminate the most accurate information possible in order to help Kenai Peninsula gardeners achieve the best results for their gardening endeavors and efforts.

See stories by Larry Opperman