• Turn over a new leaf, and a few heaps, with regular compost mixing sessions. Get out that pitchfork and toss your compost to increase aeration and decomposition.

• Water regularly. This is one of those immensely satisfying moments in a gardener’s life when you can get even with Mother Nature and help your garden. Shovel some of that melting snow into a shallow bin in the sunshine and watch it melt! You can then use the melted snow to water your compost pile. (Symbolically satisfying, right?)

• Add to the mix. Adding fresh compost materials is a must, especially if you’ve gotten out of the habit of feeding the compost bin. Kitchen food waste, those dried up Valentine’s flowers, and even your morning coffee grounds and filter can all go into the mix.

• Consider upgrading. Spring is great time to upgrade or replace those old composting bins. Bins are available with aerations tools, tumbling devices to toss the compost with ease, and other nifty features that might perk up your winter gardening woes. Even if you just mend your chicken wire fence or replace a rotting landscape timber frame, now is the time to spruce up your composting bins.

• Troubleshoot your compost bin. One common problem after neglecting your compost bin is that only the center of the compost heats up. This indicated a lack of fuel for decomposition. The solution is to add more compost materials. Pile it on and the condition of your pile should improve in a week or two.

• Another common problem after a long, cold winter is too much moisture. After the snow begins to melt, your compost can become saturated and moldy. To avoid this problem, shovel excess snow accumulation off the compost bin area before the spring thaw begins.

• Find a balance. If your family produces tons of banana peels every week, but very few leaf lettuce scraps, your compost pile may suffer. Too much of a good thing can throw off the delicate balance of the compost bin and result in funky smells, moldy foods, and poor decomposition. If this is the case in your compost bin, try sharing some of those banana peels with a gardening neighbor or start a second compost bin to handle the excess load. Be sure to balance those peels with other kitchen and yard waste to keep the pile cooking.

Those long neglected compost bins are calling your name. Get out there and embrace the coming spring planting season by staring old man winter in the face as he says his last goodbyes.

How Many Worm Bins Do I Need?
Most greenhouse gardeners agree, the more worm bins, the better! Since most red worms can consume half their weight in food each day, you will need to figure out how many worm bins you can support. Estimate how much food waste you create each day in pounds, multiply by two, and that will determine how many pounds of red worms you can support. You should place about one half pound of red worms in each worm bin. Just keep in mind that your worm will multiply as time goes on so once your worm population gets established in one bin, you can take worms from that bin to start another.

What to Feed Your Worm Bins
While worms are not particularly picky eaters, there are some food items that they abhor. Do not place milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, meat drippings, trimmed fat, grease, or meat into your worm bins.

Worms are mostly vegetarians, and love all breads, grains, cereals (minus the milk), banana peels, eggshells, vegetables, fruits, and even teabags, and coffee grounds (including the paper filter). They love to feast on moist cardboard, paper, and newspaper, but avoid anything with plastic coatings or chemical treatments.

Tips for Keeping Your Worm Bins Healthy
Maintaining your worm bins is not likely to rival the upkeep on a four-star hotel, but there are some basic worm bin tips that will help keep your worms happy and healthy.

• Keep plenty of fresh, moist bedding in the worm bins (like moistened, shredded newspaper)

• Make sure your ventilation holes are free from obstruction and adequate to keep your bin smelling fresh

• Harvest your worm castings regularly

• Bury your worm’s food in the bedding to avoid attracting insects

Worm bins make a natural and easy to care for gardening companion. They don’t require extensive care, attention, or nurturing like farm animals, and still produce plentiful fertilizers that will make your crops thrive.

Read more about vermicomposting

How to Make Your Own Upside Down Tomato Planters
Materials you will need:
1. Container, such as plastic pots, empty (and clean and sterilized) milk jugs or 2 liter soda bottles
2. Hanging apparatus, such as an eye bolt or heavy hook
3. Paint, duct tape, or sleeve covering made from heavy paper or fabric if you are using an opaque or clear container
4. Netting (like landscape weed control netting) if you are using a plastic pot
5. Moisture retaining potting soil mixture of your choice (like 2 parts CocoLite Bricks, 1 part perlite, and 1 part Groden granulates)
6. Seedlings

Constructing Your Tomato Planters
1. Be sure to wash and sterilize all your gardening tools containers, and soil (if you are reusing potting soil) before you begin to keep your tomato plants healthy

2. Prepare your container by drilling or cutting a 2 to 3 inch hole in the side (for soda and milk containers) or bottom (for plastic pots) for the placement of your plant.

3. Next, drill a small hole for the eye hook to attach in the bottom of the soda container. For milk jugs, you can craft a hanging harness out of twine to hang your container in addition to using an eye hook as the jug will be heavier and the plastic is less sturdy than the bottom of a 2 liter bottle, and selecting a plastic pot with a built in hanger is best.

4. If you are using an opaque or clear soda or milk container, you will need to cover the outside with paint, duct tape, or a paper or fabric sleeve to protect the plant’s roots from sunlight.

5. If you are using a plastic pot, cover the hole with netting to keep the soil from washing out during waterings. The weight of the soil should be enough to keep it secure if you cut a circle that fills the bottom of the pot instead of just large enough to cover the opening. Cut an “X” into the netting to allow you to feed the roots of the tomato plant through the opening and into the soil.

6. Fill your container with moisture retaining potting soil.

7. Place your seedling through the spout of the soda or milk container, or through the center of the netting in the bottom of the plastic pot. Make sure you bury the root ball, and even up to ¾ of the tomato plant into the dirt, leaving just the last quarter of the plant exposed through the opening.

8. If you are using a plastic pot, you can plant herbs, flowers, or other plants with shallow root systems in the top to make your tomato planter even more attractive.

9. Hang, and water well.

Be sure to water, water, water those tomato planters often, and monitor your plants for problems. While these planters eliminate some common problems like frost danger, soil drainage issues, and some insect problems, they are prone to over heating, overexposure to sunlight, and dehydration.

Not Just for Tomatoes

Upside down tomato planters can be modified for other heat-loving plants, like banana peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, and peppers. Just be sure to monitor your plants closely, especially for dehydration. Some plants will require extra waterings to keep them healthy and happy.

Don’t’ be afraid to experiment with your tomato planters and keep us informed of your successes and not-so-successful endeavors!

Greenhouse Seedling Starters

Seedling starters can be done inside your home or in the greenhouse with a few adaptations. One of the easiest methods of starting your seeds is to purchase a plastic starter kit from your garden supply store. This type of kit often contains peat pellets or cups, a base tray, and a clear cover for keeping in heat and moisture. You add water and your own seeds and place the tray in a sunny window or under a grow light.

If you decide to start your seeds in the greenhouse, you can use the same system, or you can adapt your greenhouse trays for seedlings by placing plastic wrap over the top of the trays until the seedlings emerge. Be sure to disinfect all your supplies before planting, especially if you have left them unused all winter.

Greenhouse Grow Lights and Shade Cloths

If you don’t already have them, you will likely need a few grow lights and shade cloths as the daylight hours begin to lengthen in the spring and summer months. Your grow lights can be used to supplement the light for your seedlings until they are ready to harden for outdoor planting. As summer approaches, you will need to protect your delicate saplings from the most intense rays of the day with a shade cloth to prevent burning and dehydration.

Your Gardening Gear

Spring is also a great time to inspect and replace your gardening shoes. You’ll be trekking through some mud in the next few weeks, and wet muddy feet in the chilly weather can be a joy killer. Your gardening gloves and boots are key gardening tools during this time of year and help protect you from the elements while you care for your plants.

Gathering the essential needed supplies and accessories for your greenhouse and garden will help you greet the coming spring and summer months with preparation and a smile.

10 Must-Have Greenhouse Gardening Products for the New Greenhouse Gardener

1. Pots, potting soil, seeds, seedling trays, watering can, and a hose are the basic starter essentials.

2. Greenhouse benches. Gardening benches for in your greenhouse make it easier to reach your budding plants. Benches also keep your plants up off the ground where they can freeze, starve for sunlight, or draw too much moisture.

3. Greenhouse heater. Having a greenhouse heater will help you regulate your greenhouse’s temperature more effectively. While most plants can withstand a nighttime temperature of as low as 40 degrees, regulating the temperature with a heater is more comfortable for you and your plants during colder winter months.

4. Insect spray. You’ll want to make sure you have a bottle of organic pesticide spray on hand for when those pesky critters pop up. Even your used, soapy dishwater can help deter these pests.

5. Shade cloth. Using a shade cloth to cool your greenhouse during the hottest times of day can help spare your plants from sun burn if you have a glass or polycarbonate greenhouse and it will help to cool your greenhouse too. Having one on hand will save you the panic of searching when the first cloudless day arrives.

6. Fans. Fans are very useful tools in the greenhouse. They promote circulation, cool the temperature, circulate heated air, and help prevent excessive condensation. Too much moisture can lead to mold and other fungi taking root in your new greenhouse.

7. Fertilizer. Feeding your fledgling plants will help produce bigger and brighter crops. Many fertilizers are available, and your greenhouse gardening supply representative can help you select the right fertilizer for your needs.

8. Pruners, trough, and gloves. These three items sure do lend a helping hand in the greenhouse. Choose only quality gardening tools and comfortable gardening gloves to get the most out of your greenhouse supplies investment.

9. Camera. Once your greenhouse plants begin to bloom, you’ll want to capture them on film to show off to your friends and family. A digital camera is the best choice if you can afford one, otherwise, a disposable “cheapy” will do in a pinch. Sharing your accomplishments will ass greatly to the rewards of greenhouse gardening. Try the Brino Camera to capture a time elapsed film of your plants. See a demonstation.

10. Greenhouse gardening reference book. From time to time in your new hobby, you’ll find it necessary to look up information about a plant or to seek advice about a greenhouse problem that arises. Having a quality greenhouse gardening reference book or books on hand will prepare you for those times. We recommend The Greenhouse Gardeners Companion to get started.

These ten greenhouse gardening products will from the basis for years of enjoyable greenhouse gardening.

1. Live flowers. Any greenhouse gardener will be delighted to receive live flowers to add to their greenhouse plant collection.

2. Quality pitch fork for turning compost. Many gardeners prefer a wooden handle, but any quality material will do.

3. Ergonomic Garden Tools. If your favorite greenhouse gardener has had the same old hand tools for years, they will appreciate the comfort of Radius garden tools.

4. Birdfeeders. Many greenhouse gardeners enjoy having birds visit their gardening area. Bird watching adds to the enjoyment of greenhouse gardening and many birds will eat pesky insects that may migrate into the greenhouse otherwise. Consider including a hummingbird feeder to your gift list as well!

5. Relaxation kit. For the more adventurous shopper, you can assemble your own ultimate greenhouse gardening gift basket. Include items such as soft socks, cozy gardening gloves, a relaxation CD, seed packets, and even a gift certificate for a massage at the local spa! (Gardening is hard work after all!)

6. Gift certificate. If all else fails, you can always purchase a gift certificate for your gardener’s favorite greenhouse gardening supply store and present it in a flowerpot filled with candy bar flowers. Simply select a few favorite candy bars, and glue skewers to the backs of the packages. Arrange the candy in a pleasing pattern with some floral foam for anchorage in the pot.

7. Knowledge. Greenhouse gardeners always like to seek out new ways to garden. Gardening books filled with tips, tricks, and advice for making greenhouse plants flourish are always hot commodities for the avid gardener.

8. Artistic expression. Many greenhouse gardeners enjoy the simple beauty of nature. In keeping with this thought, purchasing a book filled with beautiful photographs from nature is sure to be a hit. Or a magazine subscription to some excellent publications such as Organic Gardening, Mother Earth News, Horticulture or Fine Gardening.

9. Gardeners First Aid Kit. Gardening can be rough on the gardener at times, so a thoughtful gift might be a first aid kit designed especially for greenhouse gardening. Items to include would be: Advil for sore backs and knees, antibiotic ointment and adhesive bandages for cuts and scrapes, a nail cleaning kit for good hygiene after gardening, hand lotion, a hot/cold pack for those days when everything lands on your foot!

10. Fertilizer. Yes, it is acceptable to give a bag of manure as a holiday gift, but only if the recipient is a die-hard gardener! Better yet, give them a worm bin so they can make their own!

These ten holiday gift ideas for the greenhouse gardener on your shopping list are only the start! You can spend a few minutes browsing a selection of greenhouse goodies online and create your own must-have gardening list.

Winter Greenhouse Heating Tips
• Keep a log of all maintenance on the heating system, including dates of the first use for the season and all repairs
• Place greenhouse fans so they help circulate heat from the greenhouse ceiling to the floor during winter months.
• Install an alarm system to alert you of smoke, fire, and carbon monoxide build up in the greenhouse. Greenhouse heaters can give off toxic fumes or catch fire if they malfunction
• Most plants will continue to thrive at a minimal temperature of 44 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Clean all greenhouse glass (if you have glass covering) to allow for maximum sunlight penetration during winter months
• Always keep a back up heating plan in place incase of heater failure. This can be extremely useful should your heater go bad on a weekend or over the holidays when calling a repairman will be costly or impossible.
•Purchase a weather station with an ice alert to notify you if the temperature falls below freezing. It also is a convenient way to monitor the temperature of your greenhouse from the comfort of your home.
• Seal off any unused portions of the greenhouse during winter months to reduce heating costs.
• Using a thermostat to control your greenhouse heating will save you time and money by maintaining a constant minimal temperature in the greenhouse and avoid accidental freezing periods.
• Setting your greenhouse heater’s thermostat to the lowest temperature possible to avoid freezing will help you cut heating costs. You may have to bundle up to work in the greenhouse with this method, but you can always bring a long a space heater if you become too uncomfortable.
• Placing all your plants on greenhouse shelves will help you keep plants warm and away from the frozen earth.
• It may seem logical to seal your greenhouse tight in the winter, but without ventilation, your plants will suffer and condensation will be a huge problem in the greenhouse.
• Heat rises, so unless your ventilation system adequately moves air from the roof to the floor, you may experience cold spots and warmer areas. Spot checking temperatures can help you determine if you have a problem before your plants suffer.

Heating your greenhouse during winter months requires more effort than opening a few vents to allow summer heat to escape, but the beauty that winter gardening yields makes that effort worthwhile.

Indoor Gardening
Indoor gardening can take place in a traditional outdoor greenhouse, a window greenhouse, or in your basement. Greenhouses come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials…making greenhouses a good fit for nearly any space.

Indoor gardening calls for a special set of indoor gardening supplies.

Winter Nursery Supplies Checklist
Winter nursery supplies differ from summer nursery supplies in many ways. Winter sunlight hours are reduced, and temperatures plummet, making sunlight and warmth two of the most difficult variables to control when growing plants during the winter.  Winter gardening supplies you may need are:

• Grow lights
• Heating system
• Winter work gloves
• Plastic sheeting for protection against strong winds and cooler temperatures
• Timers for grow lights
• Benches and shelving to keep plants up and away from the frigid ground
• Gentle ventilation to inhibit heat loss but encourage air movement
• Cold frames
• Portable or pop-up greenhouses
• Extra thermometers to spot check temperatures near planting areas
• Irrigation supplies to make up reduced water consumption in cooler temperatures
• Guide books for growing winter plants

Specific gardening supplies vary from gardener to gardener, but this list will provide a framework for creating your own winter nursery supplies checklist.

Winter Gardening Tips
Even if you don’t have access to a greenhouse, you can extend your gardening hobby well into the winter months with the use of cold frames and pop-up or portable greenhouses.  These items can be placed directly over plants in your backyard garden, extending your growing season beyond the first frost and even into the weeks of early snowfall.

Experimenting with winter gardening is nearly risk free since your plants would ordinarily die with the coming of the first frost. Trial and error tests that result in the death of a plant are only knowledge gleaning experiences since even a few extra days of extended growing are better than nothing.

Most plants will continue to grow as long as air temperatures remain above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the soil remains unfrozen. Frequent temperature checks of your cold frames and portable greenhouses will help you better monitor the growing conditions of your winter nursery. A little common sense troubleshooting and imagination will help you become a successful winter gardener.

Winter nursery supplies and gardening supplies can easily be adapted to help you enjoy your love of gardening all year long.

Pumpkins have a two-fold purpose for gardeners. They are great for fall decorations and quite tasty as well.

Directions for Storing Pumpkins
Pumpkins can be pressure canned like most other low-acid vegetables and stored for the winter months. Canned pumpkin is good for 3-6 months. To prepare the pumpkin:
1. Cut open pumpkin and de-seed the shell, including removing any stringy portions of the pulp.
2. Cut pumpkin up into strips or chunks.
3. Place strips on a cookie tray, rind side up.
4. Add 1 cup of water to the tray and bake at 200 degrees for an hour. (The rind should peel off easily by hand or with a spoon or dull knife, but the pumpkin should not be mushy)
5. You can also cook the pumpkin in a covered dish in the microwave for 20 minutes, if you prefer. (Don’t’ forget to add the water.)
6. Remove from oven/microwave and allow to cool.
7. Remove rinds and cut the flesh into 1-2 inch cubes. (discard the rind)
8. Clean and heat canning jars and rings.
9. Place cubes into hot jars
10. Fill jar with hot water, leaving 1 inch of headspace
11. Clean and dry jar rims
12. Screw warm lids and rings on jars
13. Place jars in pressure canner and bring to 10 lbs. pressure
14. Time jars for 65 minutes for pints, and 75 minutes for quart jars.
15. Allow to cool and seal before moving jars

Freezing Pumpkin
Alternately, you can also freeze your pumpkin for up to 4-6 months. Follow steps 1 through 7 above, then place cubes into a food processor and puree the pumpkin. Pour the puree into freezer jars, seal and store.

Please note: It is not considered safe to can pumpkin puree at home, nor can you freeze pumpkin chunks. http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/pumpkinprecautions.php
Pumpkin Recipes
Putting all that pumpkin-y goodness to use if the best part of growing your own pumpkins! Here are a few tasty pumpkin recipes to try out. (My favorite is the pumpkin roll!)
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/pumpkincreamcheese.htm
Libby’s Pumpkin Pie (just substitute your fresh pumpkin puree for the canned): http://www.verybestbaking.com/products/libbys/
Pumpkin Chip Muffins: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe34.htm
Honey Pumpkin Pie: http://www.pumpkinrecipes.us/honey-pumpkin-pie.html
Old Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=32364
Pumpkin Stew: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe35.htm
Pumpkin Roll: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=32372
Quick Pumpkin Pudding: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=28454
Pumpkin Tomato Basil Soup: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe30.htm
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, in various flavors: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe03.htm
Pumpkin Chili: http://www.pumpkinrecipes.us/pumpkin-chili.html
Pumpkin Chili #2: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe11.htm
Pumpkin Pancakes: http://www.pumpkinrecipes.us/pumpkin-pancakes.html
Iced Pumpkin Cookies: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=5243
Stuffed Pumpkin (cooks in the pumpkin!): http://www.pumpkinrecipes.us/stuffed-pumpkin.html
Pumpkin Roll Out Cookies: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe24.htm

How to make a milk gallon portable greenhouse:

1. Take an empty milk gallon or 2 liter bottle of soda and rinse it well with clean water and soap or a small amount of bleach.
2. Cut the container on the long axis from the lip to the other end so that it folds open like a brief case (make sure you cut above center as we will put soil in the bottom portion and want to make sure the soil doesn’t spill). Poke some small holes in the bottom part of the container for drainage.
3. Fill the larger bottom portion of the container with soil and moisten.
4. Plant the seeds at recommended intervals
5. Close the top part of the bottle and tape or rubber band shut. (Make sure air can still get in for ventilation)

Once you have done this, you have created your very own portable greenhouse. This portable greenhouse can be left outside without fear of heavy rains washing away the freshly planted seeds. Since the seeds are in an enclosed container, animals will not be able to get to them to eat or to dig up.

Take a look around your house and find other items that can be used; the only requirements are that it must conform to the basic principles of how a greenhouse works. Do you have a Tupperware container that you no longer use? This would be another great innovative portable greenhouse, not to mention it has a lid that can easily be removed to plant seeds and to water the sprouting plants.

An opaque storage container could also be used, providing more space than a milk gallon. There are so many household items that can be adapted to become a portable greenhouse. Use your imagination, have fun and get dirty, after all, that is what gardening is all about.

NOTE: While this does work if conditions are right, don’t expect to grow prized plants in these containers. For one, your plants will need fresh air. So make sure your container is not air tight. Secondly, clear plastic is not the ideal greenhouse covering. If you have a lot of sun your plants will get overheated and stressed. This is really best suited to just protect your seedlings during their early development. So if you are growing seedlings that are hard to transplant, plant those into seeling inserts or a biodegradable pot instead.