Orchids: The World’s Most Diverse Flower, in Your Greenhouse

Offering visually stunning, long lasting blooms, orchids are a wonderful addition for the beautification of your home and greenhouse. In general, orchids also have a hardy disposition, making them a good entry point for expanding into the field of flowering houseplants. There are literally thousands of species of orchids (over 100,000 if you count all the manmade hybrid varieties), so there’s a lot of options from which… full article

Winter Harvest

Few things are more satisfying than harvesting fresh, home-grown vegetables in the heart of a cold and snowy winter. Growing throughout the winter takes foresight, as well as some dedication and flexibility. It all starts with the early preparation of the seeds and seedlings to ensure they have the proper warm environment to flourish before the cold weather begins. Choosing the right varieties for the… full article

Growing Mushrooms Indoors

The winter months are the perfect time to think about new ways to use your hobby greenhouse in the coming year. This time around, we’d like to examine the idea of adding mushrooms to your repertoire. Growing mushrooms is generally very easy. Plus, the fruits are delicious and have huge health benefits. There are many great varieties that are readily available and several different growing options. Also, an… full article

Greenhouse Cleaning and Winterizing

If you’re not using your greenhouse year-round, and even if you are, you’ll want to take time for some thorough greenhouse cleaning and winterizing to keep everything properly maintained and prepared for the following year.   Start With Cleaning The maintenance process starts with a thorough greenhouse cleaning, which will help you avoid infestations of weeds, pests, mold, moss, fungi, algae, and other contaminants that… full article

The Tiny Greenhouse

If you’re pressed for space, the thought of having a greenhouse might seem like a consideration for the future. We’re here to say that this need not be the case! If you want to be growing fresh flowers or herbs, a few vegetables, or even something more exotic like citrus plants, you can do so without a garden or traditional greenhouse. The philosophy we’d like… full article

The winter greenhouse: tips and options for producing year-round

There are a few key fundamentals when it comes to maintaining an effective year-round greenhouse in a northern climate: a deep structural foundation, an ideal location with maximum sun visibility and orientation, and a glazing material with strong insulating and light transmitting qualities. Beyond these considerations though, there are a few simple yet comprehensive methods for fostering an acceptable climate for your plants when the outside temperatures are very low. … full article

Canning and Seed Collecting

With the growing season winding down, we’d like to continue to look at how to preserve the year’s harvest. Canning is a great option for keeping a wide range produce; you can make jellies and jams, pickles, sauces, salsas, chutneys, even condiments, and they’ll store for years. We’ll also briefly discuss seed collecting, so you can get a head-start on preparing for next spring.   A basic canning… full article

Food Preservation I: Fermentation

If you’re using your greenhouse primarily for your household, then you might find that you’re simply producing too much to eat everything fresh. This month we’ll look at how we can utilize all that excess vegetable matter. Fermentation is a process we humans have been using for thousands of years and is an easy, delicious and healthy solution that doesn’t require any specialized equipment.   Basic brining: Brine is… full article

DIY Composting Options For Your Greenhouse or Garden

Composting is a great practice for all gardeners, regardless of scale, and it’s wonderful for the environment as well. Composting safely breaks down and recycles food and other biological waste that would otherwise go to landfills and provides an abundance of rich, organic soil. With a strong cycle of compost, you’ll be able to curb your need for commercial fertilizers and other soil additives and… full article

Greenhouse management and maintenance

This month we’ll be looking at some basic management and maintenance techniques to utilize in your greenhouse throughout the year. Also, we’ll briefly expand upon the concepts from last month’s entry. The first management tip to consider is record keeping. This is an important and simple habit that will have far-reaching benefits regardless of the scale of your growing operation. If you’re hoping to keep… full article

Weighing Your Greenhouse Options

Getting stuck choosing the best greenhouse? There are many factors to consider, and a variety of options available when it comes to greenhouse setup and design. In this post, I’ll break down and explain some key elements to keep in mind when browsing for your first greenhouse. One of the first considerations is size. Before taking the plunge on a particular model, you’ll want to have your greenhouse site… full article

Starting Plants from Seed indoors

Spring has arrived! I’m writing this at the first week of May, and even though the weather is still a bit erratic, each warm and sunny day is a reminder that growing things are starting to wake up. Of course to get a jumpstart on the season, and to save yourself from the uncertainty of potential late frost, you’ll want to start your plants indoors- or better yet… full article

Guide to Choosing The Best Greenhouse

Different Types: Cold Frame - Mini greenhouses designed to be set directly on a garden bed for direct seed germination. (click here to see our selection) or print pictures of shed Started Greenhouses – Small, medium size greenhouses for propagating seeds and started plants which will be transported outdoors to garden beds. (click here to see our selection) Grower Greenhouses – Larger, often with adjustable… full article