Quick Answer:

What do I need to know when preparing a greenhouse foundation? Every greenhouse needs a solid, level foundation—typically wood or concrete—built to exact dimensions for proper fit, stability, drainage, and long-term success. Why is foundation planning essential for greenhouse performance and longevity? A well-prepared foundation supports structural integrity, ensures easy access to utilities, accommodates local conditions like slope or shade, and sets the stage for efficient growing and maintenance.

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Do all greenhouses require foundation?

The simple answer is YES

Over the years we have had hundreds of greenhouse-related questions and many of them are related to foundations.

Quick Answer:

How Can Warming Soil Help You Rush the Growing Season and Speed Up Crop Growth? Warming soil with electric heating cables prevents freezing, creates a heat reservoir that radiates warmth to plants, and accelerates seed germination and crop growth, enabling gardeners to start hardy and heat-loving crops earlier in the season for faster, more productive harvests.

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Is patience a virtue?

Some gardeners wait for the sun to gently warm the soil before they start their garden. Others are impatient.

Quick Answer:

What Are the Secrets to Testing Old Seeds and Growing Golden Sesame Seeds?
To test if old seeds are viable, place ten seeds on a moist paper towel in a ziplock bag and check for sprouting within a few days—this simple germination test helps gardeners save money and plan better. Golden sesame thrives in heat and drought, making it an ideal crop to start in a greenhouse and transplant outdoors for a high-yield harvest. Open-pollinated sesame allows for seed saving, extending your harvests year after year while maximizing greenhouse potential in any season.

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A new crop, discovered in a seed catalogue last year, piqued my growing interest. I grow lots of vegetables but growing Sesame seeds didn’t occur to me until I saw them listed. I'm excited to try something new I ordered it right away.

 

Quick Answer:

How Do I Grow Arugula in My Greenhouse From Seed to Salad?
Arugula is an easy, hardy winter green that thrives in cool greenhouse conditions, reseeds itself naturally, and requires minimal pest control with simple mesh covers in spring. Growing your own arugula lets you enjoy fresh, flavorful leaves and edible flowers all winter long, perfect for salads or toppings. Understanding its growth cycle helps you maximize harvests and incorporate this nutritious green into your seasonal meals confidently.

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My go-to recipe

My potluck arugula salad is sprinkled with jewel-toned tropical pomegranate seeds. My neighbour Barbara is excited and quickly tells me how much she loves the bitter taste of arugula. So I tell her I grow arugula as a winter crop and now she is all ears.

What is the Best Soil for Greenhouse Growing?

Quick Answer:

What is the best soil for greenhouse gardening? The ideal soil for greenhouse growing balances drainage, nutrient retention, and microbial activity—making custom blends like loam, triple mix, or super soil more effective than natural or bagged top soils. Should you use bagged soil or soil-less mixes in a greenhouse? While convenient, most bagged top soils and soil-less mixes lack essential nutrients and structure for long-term crops, so combining them with compost or organic amendments is key. How can you create high-performance soil for greenhouse plants? Blending your own triple mix (one-third soil, compost, and peat) or upgrading to a nutrient-rich super soil with worm castings, biochar, and trace minerals provides a strong foundation for healthier plants, richer flavors, and vibrant blooms.

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If you are new to gardening and think growing is just a matter of adding water, you're in for a surprise. With terms like super soil, triple mix, natural soil, and even soil with no soil—it's no wonder new gardeners feel overwhelemed. So how do you choose the right soil for strong, healthy growth? And how do you get the most flavorful food and the brightest blooms?

The Power of BCG 

Quick Answer:

To optimize greenhouse climate control year-round, tailor your heating and cooling system to your location, crop types, and usage seasons—then enhance efficiency with proper glazing, insulation like bubble wrap, thermal mass (black barrels), energy curtains, and strategic air circulation.

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When offering heating and cooling suggestions for optimum climate control for your greenhouse, we ask our customers three things:

Quick Answer:

To keep your plants safe in winter, use your greenhouse as a controlled environment by insulating with materials like bubble wrap, using energy-efficient methods such as partitioned zones or under-bench heating, and bringing more delicate plants indoors. Cold-hardy crops can thrive with minimal heating, and creative techniques like milk jug gardening or covered trays can extend your growing season. Personalize your setup to balance energy use, plant needs, and available space, turning setbacks—like a fallen Christmas cactus—into opportunities for propagation and resilience

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Saturday Morning Startle

It’s 7 AM and I’m having coffee in my cozy rocking chair waiting for the sun to come up so I can walk the dogs.

Quick Answer:

To grow healthy plants in greenhouse pots, select the right pot size and material—using breathable options like terra cotta or fabric pots for moisture-sensitive plants—choose nutrient-rich soil suited to your crop, and refresh or repot plants seasonally to prevent root crowding and nutrient depletion, ensuring optimal growth and flexibility.

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How do you grow?

Essentially there are two ways to grow in soil in your greenhouse. You can grow in pots or you can grow in planting beds. We look now at growing in posts, and we will consider the positives and negatives growing directly in the ground.

Quick Answer:

What Are the 5 Tips for Keeping My Greenhouse Toasty This Winter?
To keep your greenhouse warm and your plants thriving in winter, start by growing cold-tolerant crops and installing an electric plug with a thermostat to control supplemental heat from soil cables or space heaters. Add frost protection by layering Agribon fabric, build mini-insulated zones for tender plants, and use old-school lights or warming tools for targeted heat. Finally, keep air circulating year-round with fans to prevent cold pockets and strengthen plant growth.

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Keeping Your Plants Cozy This Holiday Season

Imagine my surprise when a small hole we drilled through our greenhouse foundation became a runway for mice. We pulled an extension cord into my greenhouse through that hole and the tiny gap became a neon sign for rodents.