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.

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the garden crops tend to get ahead of us. There are only so many hours in the day, and when other responsibilities encroach on your treasured gardening time, you can find yourself stuck with a boatload of work. Here are few ideas to help you make the most of those busy gardening moments.

Overripe Cucumbers
Ah, the lovely cucumber! One vine can produce tons of cukes, long into the growing season. The leafy vines often hide growing cucumbers from your sight, resulting in overgrown, or overripe cucumbers. Overgrown cukes are long, large, and often yellow. The flesh is porous, less crisp than young cucumbers, and the seeds are large and plentiful. Many cooks will tell you these cucumbers are not suitable for pickling or relish making. So, what are you to do with these garden giants? Well, you can make them into a sweet treat. Pickled Cinnamon Cucumbers taste a lot like candied apples and the rich cinnamon flavoring makes them immensely appealing as an after-dinner treat.

They take about 3 days to process and the finished product is jar filled with richly colored red rings of sweetness with a cinnamon stick in the center. These jars are nice enough to give away as gifts or enter into the county fair. You can find the original recipe here: http://www.scrapbookflair.com/oklahomadawn/Cinnamon_Cucumber_Rings/Page1 .

CINNAMON CUCUMBER RINGS
2-3 gallons cucumber rings
8 1/2 qts. cold water
Red food coloring
1 tsp. alum
2 c. water
8 cinnamon sticks
2 c. pickling lime
1 c. vinegar
2 c. vinegar
10 c. sugar
1 pkg. red hot candy
Mix 2 cups pickling lime and 8 1/2 quarts cold water. Pour over cucumber rings. Let stand 24 hours. Drain. Wash and put in cold water. Let stand 3 hours. Drain. Mix 1 cup vinegar, red food coloring, alum, and add enough water to cover. Simmer 2 hours. Drain.
Mix 2 cups vinegar, 10 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 1 package red hot cinnamon candy, 8 cinnamon sticks. Bring to boil. Pour over cucumber rings. Let set overnight. Drain off; heat and pour back over cucumbers. Do this for 3 days. On 3rd day, pack rings in jars; seal.

Another option is to go ahead and make them into pickles with a special recipe that calls for overripe cucumbers. This recipe includes brown sugar and vinegar, making an unusual, yet palatable pickle. The original recipe for these pickles is here: http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1636,149170-226205,00.html .

 MOTHER’S RIPE CUCUMBER PICKLE
Large ripe (yellow) cucumbers
2 lb. brown sugar
1 pt. cider vinegar
2 tbsp. whole cloves
2 tbsp. stick cinnamon
Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise. If very large you may need to cut crosswise also. Cover with alum water (2 teaspoons alum to each quart of water). Heat gradually to boiling, then let stand until clear. Remove cucumber from water and chill in ice water.
Make a syrup by boiling 5 minutes the sugar, vinegar and spices (tied in muslin). Add cucumbers; cook 10 minutes. Put cucumbers in jars and pour syrup over them.

Books on Canning:
Preserving the Harvest
The Beginners Guide to Preserving Food at Home
Keeping the Harvest: Home storage of fruits and vegetables

Green House Compost: the Ultimate Green Fertilizer
Compost: it looks great on your soil and smells better than your trash can. Composting is the ultimate recycling project. With a simple compost heap, you can transform your kitchen scraps, yard waste, and even those discarded newspapers into nutrient-rich fertilizer.
Purchase a prefabricated Compost Bin or to make a compost heap, cordon off a small area, and alternate layers of green leafy waste with brown waste (such as manure, dried leaves, or coffee grounds). Water it well and turn it over once a week with a pitchfork to allow air to penetrate the deeper layers and aid in decomposition. Worms, manure, and even old coffee can help make your fertilizer nutrient rich and healthy.
For quick and easy composting directions, visit http://compostinstructions.com/in-a-hurry-heres-the-ultimate-one-page-guide-to-composting/ to read an easy guide to composting. You can also view a few videos on composting on YouTube as well as this one, http://www.5min.com/Video/Learning-How-To-Compost-11225, from GrowingWisdom.com.

Banning Pesticides
Instead of using harsh chemical pesticides, Green House growers opt for a gentler solution. Introducing beneficial insects and nematodes into the greenhouse can help control most infestation problems. You can also try making your own insecticidal soap with a recipe of one gallon water, 2 t baking soda, 2 t dish detergent, and 2 t white vinegar. Spray the pest treatment under the leaves of your plants where the white fly eggs, scale and adults reside. This can be time consuming as the bugs will die only when they come in direct contact with the spray. Each leaf needs to be sprayed. You must be diligent and apply the spray every 3 to 5 days to maintain control over the white files. Use soaps when plants are not drought-stressed and when temperatures are under 80°F to prevent possible damage to plants. Test the insecticidal soap first on your plants to make sure it will not burn the leaves. Spray the soap on a few leaves and wait two days to see if there is any burning. If burning occurs, try diluting the spray with more water and test again. Insecticidal soap is very effective on controlling white flies and many other greenhouse pests. The drawbacks are it can also kill the good bugs and it is generally a big time commitment.

Shade Cloths
Using shade cloths in the Green House is an eco-friendly solution to heating and cooling your greenhouse. Installing a basic temperature thermometer in the greenhouse will help you determine when to block strong sunlight or let the sunshine in to help heat your greenhouse.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Green House growers are natural experts at reducing consumption, reusing materials, and recycling waste. Potting oil can be baked in the oven to sterilize it and reused again the next year. Clay pots and plastic growing trays can be cleaned with bleach and water, reducing waste. Broken pots, old newspapers, and kitchen waste are recycled for use in other areas of the greenhouse.

Going green in the Green House is a great way to help the environment and reap the benefits of lush, healthy fruit sand vegetables in the process. With a few easy changes, your greenhouse can truly become a Greener House, too.

 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?

It is now September – last chance to harvest – and while you may have the proper tools to harvest your prized crops, there are some other gardening supplies and accessories that you may not have considered to help keep and store your hard work for later use.

Canning
Canning is a great way to store fruits and veggies from your garden for later use. Canning works because it heats foods to kill bacteria while sealing them in a glass or metal container, preventing them from spoiling. All air that would allow bacteria to grow is forced out of the jars during the canning process.

Having canning supplies handy during harvest time means that you can keep more of your food fresh for use during the off-season. Here is a list of supplies that you will need to install an outdoor canning kitchen in your greenhouse – if you don’t have a greenhouse, you can use these same items indoors on your stove, as well.
• Boiling-water canner – Basically just a big pot with a tight fitting lid, mainly used for canning fruits or high-acid vegetables.
• Pressure canner – Similar to a pressure cooker, the lid locks down to keep steam in. This canner is great for vegetables and low-acid foods.
• Canning jars – Commonly called Mason Jars, these are the glass jars that come with metal screw on lids. They create very tight seals and are perfect for canning just about anything. You can choose from pints, or quart-sizes, and regular or wide-mouthed varieties.
• Lids and bands – Lids, sometimes known as “flats,” should be new and never reused because they may not seal properly the second time. Bands thread onto the jars to hold the lids in place during the canning process. These can be removed after a pressure seal has formed and the jars cool for 12-24 hours.

Dehydrator
A Dehydrator is another useful gardening accessory. The ability to dry herbs and fruits can come in handy for use during the winter season. Dried herbs go much further than fresh herbs and can last for many months without going bad. Dried fruits make for great snacks by themselves or can be used in cooking, cereal, oatmeal, or even smoothies. Once dried, you always have the option of partially dehydrating your fruit by putting them in a bath of warm water for a few minutes. A good dehydrator will have several large racks and a temperature dial that ranges from about 80F to around 150F.

Canning supplies and a good dehydrator are essential elements to your gardening tool kit. They will help you preserve and store your hard work for later use and not to mention, the use of both gardening accessories will fill your house with the wonderful smell of your garden. Bon Appetite.

Why Exotic Plants Grow Best in a Greenhouse
Exotic plants are usually native to a tropical or rainforest environment. These hot, moist environments are what exotic plants crave, and reproducing these growing conditions is essential for the well being of these beautiful plants. A Solexx greenhouse is especially well suited due to the soft diffused light in the greenhouse. The greenhouse allows for careful control of both temperature and moisture levels. Greenhouse gardeners who choose automated environmental systems will experience nearly effortless exotic plant growth. If you adjust your greenhouse environment manually, you will need to carefully monitor the temperature, humidity, moisture delivery, and sunlight exposure to allow your exotic plants to thrive.

Tips for Growing Exotic Plants in the Greenhouse

If your budget does not allow for the purchase of expensive exotic plants, consider growing your own from seed. Seeds are often much less expensive than started plants and you gain the satisfaction of watching your exotic plants sprout from scratch.
While exotic plants may seem fragile, you can stimulate them to grow stronger by running your fingers across them lightly or setting up a circulation fan to simulate wind.

Selecting Exotic Plants in the Greenhouse

One of the most popular exotic plants for the greenhouse is the orchid. This beautiful delicate flower thrives in greenhouse conditions and is a natural addition to any gardening enthusiast’s collection. Other exotic plants for the greenhouse include bamboo, the Venus flytrap, passion flowers, agave, and various forms of cacti.
Cacti are often an easy starter plant for those wanting to venture into the world of exotic plants in the greenhouse. Orchids and passion flowers require more delicate handling, but even a diligent novice can successfully grow these exotics with a little guidance.

No matter which exotic plants you select for your greenhouse, be sure to follow growing recommendations carefully and monitor your plants closely to make your crop successful. Growing exotic plants in the greenhouse is best because you control the environment.

Drip System – A drip watering system usually sets down in the pot or soil and has a slow, steady drip that keeps plants moist without over watering the soil. Drip systems are usually made from hoses or bottles with tiny holes. The holes in hoses cause a high surface ratio and only allow small amounts of water through. If you don’t have the means to buy a drip system, you can always make one out of a gallon jug or a 2-liter bottle. By cutting a few holes in the cap of the bottle and a few around the sides of the bottom, you can make your own drip system that will keep your plants well watered even if you forget about them from time to time.

Misting System – These systems are good to use for plants that only need a small amount of water, such as cacti because their root systems make the most of any water applied. In addition, these can help to cool your greenhouse and add humidity in dry climates.

Running Water – Running water systems are probably the easiest to fabricate and can be made using PVC pipe, just like any other irrigation system. A great idea for the running water systems is to use barrels to collect rainwater. This is a great way to water your plants by conserving water and cutting down on the costs of upkeep. When designing your running water system with rain barrels, be sure to put in a good working valve so that you can retain all of the water you catch from the rain.

Greenhouse watering systems can be as unique as the gardener who is using them. There are many different types and uses and can either be pre-made or designed yourself. It is best to keep the plants together which have the same basic watering needs, just to make it easier to adequately water each plant. If all else fails, consult your local gardening expert to help determine which type of watering system is right for you and you might be surprised to find they could already have a system drawn out that fits your eco-friendly watering system needs.

• Don’t transplant seedlings until they have 4-5 full leaves. This ensures that your delicate seedlings are big enough to survive outside of the greenhouse.

• Some crops need to be transplanted while the weather is still cooler. You should wait until the risk of frost has passed, but these crops prefer cooler temps and may wilt if transplanted during warmer temperatures. Some cool weather crops are lettuce, spinach, carrots, and beets.

• Leave the root ball intact when transplanting seedlings. Dig a tapered hole similar in size to the plant’s previous container and water the cavity well prior to planting.

• Tomato plants can be burried deeply in the soil during transplantation. Up to 2/3 of the current plant height can be buried beneath the soil to ensure a strong root base and a healthy plant.

• Use the bottom portion of the soil from the old container as fill in the new transplant area (without disturbing the root ball). Water this soil well before placing the seedling in the earth to provide an immediate water source for the delicate plant.

• Give your seedling a taste of the outdoors for an hour or two in the early morning or late evening for several days prior to transplantation. If the plants respond to this outside exposure by wilting, bring them back inside the greenhouse and try again another day. You should also slightly reduce the amount of water and fertilizer the seedlings receive to help them adjust to their new outdoor living environment more easily.

• Set up a fan in the greenhouse for a week or two prior to transplantation to help simulate wind. This will help stimulate your plants to grow stronger stems that will be better equipped to withstand the elements.

Transplanting your starts from the greenhouse involves preparation and additional work for about two weeks prior to the transplantation date, but the added effort results in vigorous crops and better yields. These transplanting tips can help you get the most from your greenhouse efforts.

Getting flowers going in the garden greenhouse is always a fun addition to your usual greenhouse gardening activities. There’s just something special about watching those delicate green shoots emerge, knowing that they will produce beautiful, vibrant flower blossoms.

Flowers in the greenhouse add fragrance and color to your green workspace. The cheer and peacefulness they bring more than make up for the added effort of starting end nurturing a few extra seeds. Here are a few tips for getting flowers going in the garden greenhouse.

Tips for Getting Flowers Going in the Garden Greenhouse
• Start your seeds early. You can start your flower seeds in the greenhouse weeks before the last frost. This will still make transplanting them outdoors possible, but will provide you with hearty seedlings that are more likely to survive transplantation.

• Always read the planting guidelines on the flower seed packet. Different varieties of flowers call for different planting instructions. Even though one packet may look like the next, always flip over the package and double check the directions before planting.

• Always start your seeds in a sterile container and use sterilized soil to prevent the growth of bad bacteria and insects.

• Keep the greenhouse temperature around 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the germination process, or a seedling heat mat to warm the seeds from the bottom.

• When filling seed containers with soil, do not pack the dirt. Filling the container loosely will allow for better drainage and allow added room for the seed to spread forth its delicate roots. Firm the soil lightly with a soil tamper.

• Newly planted seeds need extra moisture and sunlight. If you are using a grow light, set your timer for up to 18 hours of exposure per day during the germination period. Covering your pots with plastic will help them retain adequate moisture levels by preventing evaporation.

• Wait to fertilize seedlings until they have grown 3-4 leaves to prevent burning the plants.

• Grow flowers that are your favorites, but try out a couple new flowers each season. This provides interest and variety to your greenhouse and you might just find a new favorite among your experimental flowers.

Getting flowers going in the greenhouse is a great way to provide a pick me up for those last lingering days of winter and spring. Flowers exude happiness for the greenhouse gardener and can jump start your growing season next spring.

“This very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow’s happiness grow.”~ Margaret Lindsey

1) When ordering a greenhouse kit, make “ease of assembly” a priority. Sure, you’ll want to ensure the kit has everything you can afford and desire. But, be sure to get one which is known to be simple to construct. There are many out there, so look around before purchasing. Most easy-to-assemble models will say “requires no need to hire a contractor” or something similar. Unless your technical knowledge of construction is advanced, this is important for you to remember.

2) Don’t get overwhelmed when you first open the greenhouse kit boxes. You’ll see oddly shaped bundles, aluminum bars, nuts, bolts, wire clips and glass holders. You may also see plastic pieces and manuals of instruction. Most manuals look overwhelmingly large, upon first glance. However, if you look closer you’ll likely see they are thick due to the various languages the instructions are offered in.

3) Be sure to follow the manual! While it may be tempting to try to figure out where everything goes without reading the instructions, it’s vital for proper construction to read the manual. Most manuals show drawings and written step-by-step instructions, which can make the task much easier than guessing where things go.

4) Most greenhouse kits require a proper foundation before construction. Many kits can include the base frame for an additional cost. So, be sure you have this in place before starting. Some greenhouse designs require concrete to be poured into the pipes and then leveled.

5) Don’t expect to need many tools. Most greenhouse kits require only the parts included, the base, and basic tools like a screwdriver, electric drill, level, ladder, rubber mallet, tapemeasure and knife.

Remember, if you can follow the instructions within the greenhouse kit manual you’ll be able to properly construct the kit. Be sure to work in the area in which you want to sit the greenhouse because you may not be able to move the building in pieces to the site after you’ve constructed them fully. In addition, asking someone for assistance in the project will make your job much easier and quicker. Set aside a day for the construction, just in case it takes longer than expected. As an extra tip, make sure you the kits has arrived and you have taken inventory before you plan your construction day and invite your ‘help’ over.