How Hothouse Gardening Works
Hothouse gardening works by the scientific principle commonly referred to as the greenhouse effect. The glass or plastic covering of the greenhouse allows sunlight rays to penetrate the covering, but only certain rays of sunlight are allowed to escape back through the glass or plastic. Long wavelength infrared rays of sunlight are trapped within the hothouse, creating a warmer environment within the hothouse structure.

The temperature in the hothouse is controlled either by a climate control system or, as is more common, a ventilation system. Louvered windows and vents in the ceiling or sides of the hothouse allow heat to escape when the temperature rises. In addition, some hothouse gardeners choose to place shade cloths over the greenhouse during the hottest parts of the day to inhibit sunlight and the resulting warm temperatures. Ventilation also allows fresh air to circulate into the hothouse, which further lowers the temperature.

Timed watering devices, such as sprinklers or misters, administer water to the hothouse plants, creating a moist environment. This humidity is trapped in the hothouse unless ventilation is provided. In this manner, even hand watering creates a relative humidity inside the hothouse.

The Benefits of Hothouse Gardening
Hothouse gardening allows people who live in an otherwise barren region to enjoy the fruits produced in a hothouse environment. Hothouses also allow dedicated gardeners to extend the growing season, with some plants producing fruit well into the winter months.

Hothouse gardening also provides the opportunity to grow exotic or fragile plants in any region. Because the hothouse gardener can strictly control the growing conditions, such as temperature, heat, humidity, water levels, and amount of sunlight, it is possible to grow nearly any crop imaginable with the right knowledge, equipment, and dedication.

Hothouse gardening, also called greenhouse gardening, is becoming an increasingly popular hobby. Gardening lovers around the world sing the praises of hothouse gardening for the many benefits and advantages, the wide range of choices available to the greenhouse gardener, and the spectacular results of hothouse gardening. Even professional commercial growers love hothouses and invest time and money into constructing hothouses for business use. Hothouse gardening benefits gardeners from various backgrounds and is useful in a wide variety of applications.

Fall Canning Tips for Greenhouse Gardeners
One of the inevitable side effects of a love for gardening is hours spent in the kitchen preparing all those fruits and veggies for storage. Until a few years ago, I simply froze all of my garden veggies, but then I decided to give canning a try. Boy, am I glad I did! If you are new to canning, these time saving tips might prove to be very valuable. Give a few a try and see what a difference the extra effort can make!

1. Invest in a food processor. This is the first year I have used a food processor and I was simply amazed at how much time it saved. Veggies are ready for canning in seconds and the entire machine cleans up with a rinse in hot soapy water. My fingertips are very thankful that I won’t be scoring them repeatedly while slicing up cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and beets this year.

2. Buy a pressure cooker. I know, most pressure cooker manuals do not include any instructions for pressure canning quarts and pints, but the FDA encourages home gardeners to use pressure canning for all low-acid foods, like beans and carrots. You can find pressure canning time tables and instructions online if your pressure cooker doesn’t come with canning instructions.

3. Compost your food scraps. Those snap bean ends, tomato cores, and corncobs make great fertilizer for next year’s crops.  Mix your layers of food scraps with coffee grounds, grass clippings, and leaves to create the richest compost. Be sure to water it well and turn it over often to increase airflow for better decomposition.

4. Enlist help. Recruit your kids, spouse, or friends to help you pick, clean, prepare and can your crops. The work will go twice as fast and you can reward them a few jars of the finished products.

5. Always label your jars. You may think it’s a no-brainer that jar contains this year’s beans, but in 12 months, your memory may not be so clear. Sometimes jars get missed from year to year and labeling them with the date canned helps keep you from wasting food and getting spoiled jars.

6. Stock up. Always buy an extra set of jars and several boxes of fresh lids to keep on hand. It can be frustrating to have a hot jar of produce ready for processing and realize you are out of lids or bands.

Canning your fruits and veggies from the greenhouse can be an immensely rewarding experience. Canning takes a lot time, and the lengthy process is often daunting for many gardeners who are new to canning, but taking a few time saving tips can help make your first canning season a pleasant one.

 Working with shade cloths, earthboxes, cold frames, and greenhouses can greatly improve your chances for gardening success. Gardening can be challenging, especially for the timid novice gardener.Why are you afraid to take that next step to growing a green thumb? Is it because there is just too much sunlight or wind in your area? Perhaps you have poor soil conditions or even worse, no soil conditions. Maybe you are hesitant because you won’t be able to enjoy the fresh produce year round. Whatever your reason, there are simple answers to help you garden better and faster. Here are some solutions to the above dilemmas.

Too Much Sun or Wind

Trying to garden where there is too much sun or wind can be devastating. As soon as you see the sprout start to poke its head above the surface, it is a constant battle to keep it from drying out or being removed from the ground like a fence post in a tornado. An easy answer to this problem is the shade cloth. There are numerous different types of shade cloths, depending on how much sun and wind blockage you are looking for. Some shade cloths are made out of nylon or plastic while others are made out of a textile material such as polyester.

Choosing the right shade cloth for your application is simple, the bigger the holes, the less sunlight and wind it will block. The smaller the holes, the more sunlight and wind will be blocked. Shade cloths allow balanced UV light transmission to your plants while keeping them out of the harsher environments.

Poor Soil Conditions

If your soil is less than perfect, or if you don’t have the privilege of having your own soil in an apartment or condo, you can still garden and have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The Earthboxis a pre-designed system that is almost 300 times better than container gardening. The Earthbox is a self-contained garden, which comes with its own water reservoir so that the plants get the perfect amount of water at all times, a special gradient system to allow proper nutrients to plant root systems and also is usually made of plastic to prevent the invasion of plant-eating pests.

Year Round Gardening

If you are worried about year-round gardening, worry no more. Building a cold frame and even adding a hot bed can provide year round fruits and vegetables at your table. A cold frame is like a mini greenhouse. The box is enclosed with a glass roof that faces the South for optimum light penetration, even in the coldest of temperatures. The cold frame can help keep plants out of the external temperatures while still providing moies soil and plenty of sunlight.

Greenhouses

Of course a greenhouse will solve all of these dilemmas. A four season greenhouse lets you grow all year in most climates. Your plants are protected from snow, wind and other harsh weather conditions. It also solves the dilemma of poor soil of not having any room in your yard for a garden – a greenhouse can sit on your patio or a cement slab. You use only the perfect sterile soil from your local garden center. So no more worries about tough or nutrient depleted soil in your yard!

No matter what your reason is for not gardening, shade cloth, Earthboxes, cold frames, and greenhouses could, very well, provide a solution to your problem. You no longer have any excuses to not begin gardening, so get out there, protect your plants from the sun and light, and give them the best chance to survive and grow them year round. What are you waiting for?

Raising Their Heads Towards the Sun
I planted dwarf ‘Junior’ in the Solexx panel covered greenhouse in a plastic container on May 27, 2009. I am happy to report we have 2-3” of seedling growth 21 days into their growing cycle.

Feedback
Have you had any experience with growing sunflowers in your garden or greenhouse?
I would love to hear your experience and comments!

Garden photo taken by Dawn Hummel.
Sunflower photo provided by Renee’s Garden.

Soil tampers can be used before or after sowing seeds. They evenly push tiny seeds into soil easier than a fist or fingers. I tried sourcing pre-fabricated tampers locally and on the internet. Available from the UK, tampers range about $10 – $25 online not including shipping. I wasn’t ready to shell out funds allocated for plants and seeds, so I created yet another carpentry project for my husband.

Materials and Time Required
Total project cost averaged $5.00 using scrap wood and materials on hand.
It took one person and two hours to build four soil tampers.

Tools Used
• Black sharpie marker
• Broom and dust pan
• Dust mask
• Ear muffs (hearing protection)
• Extension cord
• Eye goggles (eye protection)
• Jigsaw
• Metal angle
• Power drill
• Quick grip clamps
• Ruler
• Screwdriver
• Straight edge
• Tape measure
• Wood glue
• Workmate table

Materials Needed
• Container templates
• Wood screws
• Scrap 1/8” – ½” plywood

Prep Work
Step 1. Clear and clean working area.
Step 2. Prior to beginning project, charge all cordless tools.
Step 3. Pick a clear, cool and dry day to work.

Cutting Corners
Anything that can save a tremendous amount of time on repetitive tasks always catches my attention. Since I plan on using the same size containers for seed propagation repeatedly, I selected four template containers.

Square and Round Container Templates
• Copy outline of container onto plywood in pencil.
• Secure wood snuggly with quick grip clamps to stabilize template on workmate table.
• Screw blade into the jigsaw tool facing out.
• Cut ‘inside’ the template line so the tamper will fit inside the pot snuggly.
• Create a long handle out of scrap wood.
• Dab a spot of wood glue, center the long handle on wood base.
• Using a wood screw or nail, turn base upside down and attach handle.

Seed Tray Template
The seed tray template took the longest to construct, but provides the most time savings when starting large flats.
• Copy outline of tray pack cell onto plywood in pencil.
• Measure the center of each of the cells. Using a black sharpie marker and straight edge or metal angle, create crosshairs on the underside of tamper template.
• Secure wood snuggly with quick grip clamps to stabilize template on workmate table.
• Create nine small block tampers and one long handle out of scrap wood.
• Center each individual tamper onto base. Attach using a spot of wood glue for added strength.
• Using a power drill and wood screws, turn base upside down and attach each block tamper to the cross hair lines.
• Invert and attach long handle to middle of tamper.

Saving Time and Money
Martha actually had a project that was as simple and easy to create as shown on the video. Save time sowing seed flats in the greenhouse and money by using materials around the garage. Have fun and get growing!

Photos taken by Dawn Hummel.

Winter Cleanup: Chances are, when spring arrives your lawn will no longer be drenched with winter water, allowing you to better see what the cold winter weather left behind. It’s a great time to get out the rake and run it over the lawn to get rid of any dead growth, leftover leaves, and other winter debris. As an added bonus, when you allow more light and air to penetrate the soil, your grass will be encouraged to grow as the weather warms, making your lawn lush and green.

Re-seed Your Lawn: Spring is the ideal time to re-seed your lawn, preventing the spread of any bare or damaged areas of the grass harsh winter weather may have left. Be sure to run your rake over the re-seeding area before beginning. This ensures the seed will take to the area well. For best results, mix a small amount of soil with the grass seed before spreading it on the bare spots. Keep the area well-watered until the seeds germinate and new grass begins to show through.

Remove All Winter Protection: If you put any tree guards and other burlap winter protection items on young trees and shrubs before winter, it’s time to remove them. Be sure never to leave tree guards on throughout the summer months, as trees don’t need them during the warm weather. Sure, they can keep small rodents and rabbits from eating your trees but they won’t allow enough air to move around the base of the trunk for growth promotion.

Cut Back Dead Plants: If you have old perennial foliage you need to get rid of in the garden, be sure to use the warm weather as an opportunity to cut it back during your routine Spring gardening tasks. Ornamental grasses and other perennials will need to be prunned in this manner before they can fruitfully grow back. (Be sure to use the dead trimmings in your compost!)

Don’t Dig Too Early: While you may be tempted to start digging in your flower beds, don’t do it too early. If you damage the soil’s structure you may find it difficult to work with. A few weeks into Spring you can start digging and preparing your beds for compost or manure to prepare for planting.

These few early preparaions can make a world of difference in your yard and garden.

Brand new trends always bring new questions to ask, along with the answers to understand. Here are a few commonly asked questions to help you understand why community food co-ops are hot.

Must you be a member to shop?

No. Most co-ops offer two kinds of membership. One type is a shareholder or co-owner membership. This type of membership is usually fully refundable and requires very little monthly investment to keep it alive and active. Most co-ops also have some sort of additional senior or discounted membership available so be sure to ask what’s available in your area.

Is their financial aid available?

Yes. Most co-ops have programs to facilitate the transition of excess dues to helpful donations that can assist those who can’t afford a membership.

How about co-op membership cards from an outside community?

As community food co-ops are hot right now, there has been an increased effort to integrate different programs. In many community food co-ops, a membership card for another existing co-op is enough to receive the full member price at the co-op at which you are shopping.

Is the food sold 100% organic?

Most co-ops do not have 100% organic inventory. They do, however, often stock organic products on the majority of their shelf space.

Do Co-ops accept food stamps?

Yes. Almost all community food co-ops accept food stamps. There may be a few outliers, but they would be the exception to the rule.

Most co-ops are committed to maintaining their model so that they can encourage their members to make informed choices on issues regarding food, healthy lifestyles and care of the environment.

Community food co-ops are hot for a reason. Most offer a wide variety of excellent quality healthy products, presented in a friendly community atmosphere. There is a genuine sense of familial energy and similar thought surrounding a community co-op, as it is made up of members and owners alike.

Community food co-ops are hot- join one today and find a new experience to fit your needs.
www.localharvest.org

It also means that you can stockpile your home-grown fruits and veggies for those long winter months and unforeseen emergencies!

Think about it.

Most of the food on our table has traveled hundreds (if not thousands) of miles before it ever hits our dinner plates. The impact on the environment as our food rambles down the road emitting carbon emissions is significant. Creating a greenhouse or outdoor garden is a terrific way to reduce our own carbon fingerprint. Besides, there’s nothing quite like the taste of truly fresh, pesticide-free food for the palette.

Get Started

Growing your food all year long means starting with a spot in your garden that will attract a fair amount of sunshine. Fruits and vegetables generally like six hours of sun per day, so you should situate your greenhouse garden in a patch of land that is consistently sunny all year round (greenhouses are perfect for growing your food all year long).

No garden is hungrier than a garden filled with budding produce. For best results, gardens should be fed with plenty of organic matter. These materials would include home grown compost or worm castings, chicken or cow manure, and mushroom compost. You should leave the compost in the garden to settle for several weeks before planting to keep from harming your new plants.

Planting

Remember when purchasing your seeds, diversity is fundamental to a healthy garden. Try choosing different fruits and vegetable, intermingling your selections with assorted herbs and beautiful flowering plants.

You can plant the seeds directly into your garden. Once planted, water the seeds well and allow time to germinate.

If you plant a lot of seeds, you will soon see how quickly they germinate. This can quickly overcrowd the flowerbeds. Catch it early and transplanting your baby plants is actually quite simple.

Maintenance

Growing your food all year long requires looking after your garden with care and regularly checking for clear signs of disease or insect infestation. When trouble is found, respond to it immediately. Remember, prevention is often the best medicine.

You can control pests by attracting birds and spiders to your garden. Natural methods in maintaining a healthy garden are best. Using pesticides can actually keep away the creatures that would otherwise kill the insects, thereby allowing them to prosper.

Growing your food all year long is both fun and rewarding. Garden or greenhouse, you can make this next year your most delicious yet.

The rise in popularity is due to several factors. First, Americans have become more health-conscious. As their awareness has grown, there has also been an increase in demand for fresh, high quality produce. And since proximity is the number one metric used to determine the freshness of a product, the increasing popularity of locally grown foods continues to escalate.

Farmers Markets

The demand for locally grown foods has brought with it a growing popularity of local farmer’s markets. Regular visitors to farmers’ markets are able to enjoy fresh, wholesome produce throughout a slightly extended growing season. This also helps the small farms stay alive amidst stiff competition from outside conglomerates.

Farmers often harvest during the early dawn hours, just prior to heading to the market to sell. This means just a couple of hours lie in-between their dirt, and your purchase. The fresher the produce, the fuller the flavor.

Why Choose Farmer’s Markets?

Buying from the farmers’ markets cuts down on the distance from point A to point B on the produce delivery route. This leads to a reduction of pollution as less fossil fuels are being burned to place the fresh produce in the hands of waiting customers. It also cuts down on the excess packaging that routinely rots our landfills.

The increasing popularity of locally grown foods, along with the markets that support them, has led to the happy side effect of stronger local communities benefitting from local economic development.

Many downtowns have been revitalized by the help of a new farmers’ market rolling into town. People head to the farmers’ market to shop, but also end up patronizing some of the local business that might otherwise be hurting for business.

The Best Reason to Buy Local

Sure, the food tastes fresher and it’s fun to support your community, but another excellent reason to support farmers’ markets is the social aspect. Farmers’ markets have been around in one form or another for thousands of years. It’s somehow fitting to minimize the distance between farmer and consumer and reestablish the historic ties that have bound them together. You may even pick up a few gardening tips or make some new friends along the way.

Also, there is so much more conversation and exchange taking place on even the slowest day at a farmers’ market than there ever would be in the produce section of a busy grocery store.

The increasing popularity of local grown foods doesn’t appear as though it will to slow any time soon. So why not wake up early next weekend, and give local grown foods a try?

Gardening isn’t just for summer

Once the freesias say farewell, and the roses are in retreat, it’s time to take your green thumb inside and start digging through the indoor dirt. Any avid gardener can relate to the sad feeling of withdrawal that winter brings instead of the sun filled days of summer. Those of us who love to spend long days under the sun sending our trowels beneath the topsoil, know what it is like to miss the treasures of the garden. One of the many benefits of having your own greenhouse is that although our plants may be different, the joy you pull from them certainly doesn’t have to be.

A Place of your own

One of the joys of gardening is having a place to call your own. Gardeners of all ages know that they can go outside and lose themselves among the petals. Whether you have a full house of active children, or an empty nest that’s already lived through a lifetime of work, your garden is your private Shangri-la where you can bask in the comforts of nature’s everlasting beauty. Greenhouse gardening during the winter months will allow the diligent gardener to move a gardening habit from outside joy to indoor solitude.

Nurturing something

There is no denying the pleasure in nurturing something to its full possibility. Being a good gardener means bringing things to live, and nursing them toward their best potential. You smile at the bright colors and revel in the brilliant blooms and blossoms. Just because the weather grows a little colder, doesn’t mean you must cease your growing. Birds fly south for the winter, and you can migrate your garden by moving some of your favorite potted plants into the warm comfort of your greenhouse.

Losing summer to fall, and then fall to winter, is inevitable. Losing your garden doesn’t have to be. You too can enjoy greenhouse gardening during the winter months. With just a little bit of planning and preparation, next winter, your thumb can stay green all season long.