Quick Answer:

Sterilizing your soil, pots, and trays is essential when starting seeds in a greenhouse to prevent disease, improve seedling survival, and create optimal growing conditions—use commercial seed starter mixes, sterilize reused containers with bleach, and consider homemade sterile blends or soil baking for best results. 

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Sterility in the greenhouse sounds somber but in a few instances, it truly matters and saves gardeners from hassle and disappointment. Here is where I heed caution.

Quick Answer:

Elevate the beauty and biodiversity of your vegetable garden by planting fragrant Sweet Pea ‘Matucana’, vibrant Clary Sage, and long-blooming Hummingbird Mint—three easy-to-grow annuals that attract pollinators, complement edibles, and flower from summer through fall.

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Last Summer I realized My little food garden was looking dull- prolific - but dull. To remedy the tedious rows, I decided to try three uncommon annuals to improve the appearance. To my surprise, they all flowered for five months. These plentiful flowers did so much to spiff up the vegetable Greenhouse Garden that this summer, they've made their debut in the flowerbed.

Forcing Bulbs

For the friends with the winter blues, or being impressive on Valentine's Day, consider forcing bulbs. "Forcing" sounds ruthless, but it's the process of condensing the bulb's winter and spring, so the flowers bloom in early winter instead of mid-Spring. A greenhouse makes this easy, and foolproof.

Quick Answer:

Think fertilizing is optional? Think again. Even the laziest greenhouse gardeners will see bigger blooms, healthier seedlings, and more resilient plants with the right fertilizer routine. Whether you’re starting cuttings or transplanting seedlings, container-grown plants need consistent nutrients due to frequent watering and limited soil volume. A simple system—like color-coded watering cans and diluted fertilizer solutions—makes regular feeding easy and effective. By using a light but frequent approach, even busy or forgetful gardeners can ensure robust root growth, reduced transplant shock, and thriving greenhouse plants from season to season.

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Truth be told, I can easily ignore a bit of soil spilled on the benches or an occasional unsterilized pot for seedlings. I don't always wear gloves, or fastidiously wash labels. I like the results in my greenhouse. My Sweet Peas bloom early, my tomatoes grow fat on the vine. A little mess, a few germs - my plants and I are no worse for the wear.