Quick Answer:

What are the first steps when buying a greenhouse? Start by choosing between a freestanding or building-attached structure—each offers unique benefits for space, light, and utility access. Next, consider greenhouse design and DIY kit styles that suit your lifestyle, garden goals, and available space. Selecting the right glazing—glass or polycarbonate—is essential for durability, insulation, and appearance. Finally, site placement is key: aim for a location with at least 6 hours of winter sunlight, easy access for construction, and convenient daily use. These simplified steps will guide you toward the perfect greenhouse to extend your growing season and enhance your outdoor living space.

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Thinking about upgrading your garden space?

Wanting to expand your living area into the bright outdoors? Would you like to protect your plants throughout the colder weather that will soon be here?

Quick Answer: 

What are the best tips for a successful late summer greenhouse harvest? As the season transitions, focus on four essential strategies: switch to a low-nitrogen fertilizer (like a 2-8-4 mix with kelp and micronutrients) to build plant strength without promoting excessive growth; maintain strong air circulation with fans to prevent fungal issues as nights cool; start fresh crops like lettuce and arugula to extend your harvest into fall; and apply targeted shading using aluminet or shade cloth to protect plants from intense late-summer sun. These greenhouse gardening tips will help you maximize yields and enjoy a longer, more productive harvest season.

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Late Summer Gardening Tips

It is late August and I am chatting with my daughter who lives in Northern Alberta, Canada. Her outside garden has never looked so good because of the heat and regular rains. But she is wishing she could get another month on either end of the growing season.

Quick Answer:

What should you know before building a new greenhouse? Start by identifying your space, climate, and goals—whether it’s year-round food production, a plant haven, or a cozy garden retreat. Choose between freestanding or home-attached structures, and consider features like polycarbonate for insulation, drop doors for height, and automatic vents for heat control. From concrete foundations to seating areas and self-watering beds, thoughtful planning ensures your greenhouse meets your specific needs. Whether you're downsizing or adapting to a colder climate, the right design and features will transform your growing space into a functional and relaxing extension of your home.

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Building a New Greenhouse: Best Features and Design Ideas

What is the best feature of your existing greenhouse? And what would you change if you could do it all over again and build a new greenhouse from scratch?

Quick Answer:

To stagger your harvest and maximize your greenhouse space, start cold-tolerant crops like cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, arugula, and green onions in mid to late summer, filling gaps as summer plants finish. This double-cropping method ensures a steady supply of fresh produce through fall and winter without needing supplemental heat. By seeding early, transplanting strategically, and using light frost protection like row covers, you can extend your growing season and enjoy bug-resistant, off-season harvests.

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The peak of summer brings the best of all worlds for the greenhouse gardener. Early tomatoes, the first zucchini and loads of strawberries. But there is another thing summer brings. The chance to start winter vegetables in your greenhouse.

BC Greenhouse Builders featured in House and Home Magazine

We are beyond proud that BC Greenhouse Builders, North America's leading manufacturer of hobby greenhouses, is featured in May 2022's issue of House and Home! Author Wendy Jacob scribed "This Dreamy Greenhouse Is Also A Chicken Coop And Party Room", about our client, Lisa Moody's, dream of having a combination greenhouse and chicken coop in her garden.

Quick Answer:

Why grow your own lettuce this season? Growing full-size head lettuce in your greenhouse garden brings unmatched freshness, variety, and taste compared to store-bought bagged greens. Head lettuces like romaine, butter, crisphead, and leaf types offer richer textures, better crunch, and longer shelf life. They’re ideal for salads, wraps, and sandwiches—and thrive in small spaces between larger greenhouse crops. With easy care, seed-saving potential, and improved nutrition from organic soil, homegrown lettuce is a flavorful, sustainable upgrade to your garden. Rediscover the joy of harvesting crisp, nutrient-packed greens right outside your door.

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If you watch old re-runs on Netflix you have seen how fashions and styles have changed dramatically since Seinfeld was filmed in the 1990s. The same is true for food – especially lettuce.

I first wrote about “novel” mesclun greens (mixed lettuce) in 1995. Since then, they have become so popular, that bagged lettuce is the only lettuce most people know. And this is too bad because lettuce greens or bagged greens are really just immature greens like kale and lettuce leaves. So, for something completely novel, why not go back to the future? Grow full-size head lettuce in your Greenhouse Garden this year.

Most people don’t remember life before the small bags of lettuce leaves so commonly sold now at big box stores and local farm markets. But if you want the crunch of lettuce in a BLT sandwich or if you want to replace Pita bread with a Keto-friendly lettuce leaf wrap for lunch, then start growing your own heads of lettuce this season.

Quick Answer:

How do you grow cauliflower in a greenhouse for perfect results year-round? Growing cauliflower in a greenhouse ensures consistent conditions—steady temperature, even moisture, and protection from extreme heat—leading to larger, sweeter, and more reliable harvests than outdoor crops. Start seeds indoors, stagger plantings to avoid a glut, and choose self-wrapping or colorful varieties like Veronica or Susanna for visual appeal and flavor. With drip irrigation, airflow, and soil amendments, your greenhouse can produce A+ cauliflower from spring through winter.

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Another Reason to Love the Greenhouse: Perfect Cauliflower Growth

Lennie tracked me down at a party. “It’s my cauliflowers,” she sighed. “They are small and button-like instead of big like at the store.”

 

Do you have a greenhouse roof vent that is no longer opening or not opening enough?

Growing Soil with Hügelkultur

When I moved homes and built a new greenhouse, I was in for quite a surprise. The natural soil on my new lot is sand. Pure, yellow sand. This means it drains really well. It also means it does not hold nutrients to feed my plants.