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.

 

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?

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.

Quick Answer:

What are the 6 essential tips for cleaning a greenhouse before winter sets in? The best time to clean your greenhouse is in late fall when plant growth slows, focusing on removing dead plants, reducing watering, clearing cobwebs, washing overwintering plants, and cleaning row covers to prevent pests and diseases. A thorough fall cleaning deters common greenhouse problems like mold, fungus gnats, and spider mites, ensuring a healthier growing environment for the upcoming season. Starting early and cleaning on a sunny day optimizes results and prepares your greenhouse for a productive spring restart.

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Its never too early to get a head start

My husband and I planned a mid-week ski trip but on departure day I was still in my off finishing a time-sensitive project. We were staying overnight at the hill, it was still a workday, and the car was loaded up. There was no rush to get moving.

Quick Answer:

Strategically rotate crops by seeding quick growers like radishes and greens alongside longer-season vegetables, using every opening in your greenhouse to maintain continuous harvests from early spring through late fall—without needing a rigid chart, just readiness and smart succession planting.

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My crazy dogs

Corle ran ahead of me on the beach and stuck her head right into a dead seal. And then she took a big bite. 

Quick Answer: 

How Does a Greenhouse Save Your Garden from Climate Challenges?
A greenhouse protects your garden from unpredictable weather, extends the growing season by one to two months, and shields crops from pests like slugs and marmots through controlled heat, water, and shelter. Unlike outdoor gardens affected by heavy rains, cold snaps, or short seasons, a greenhouse offers consistent conditions that support reliable growth and higher yields. Whether you're overwintering perennials, growing year-round vegetables, or simply avoiding climate chaos, a greenhouse provides a practical, long-term solution.

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In late September, I asked Facebook followers to share their biggest gardening challenges this summer.

Quick Answer:

What Are the Tips to Maximize a Bumper Harvest?
To maximize your fall greenhouse harvest, start fast-growing crops like radishes, spinach, and mustard in late summer, and experiment with resilient plants like sesame for high yield with minimal water. A greenhouse extends the growing season beyond outdoor limits, especially in northern climates, allowing gardeners to produce fresh food well into fall. By donating excess produce, greenhouse growers can also support food security and uphold the human right to access fresh, healthy food.

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What would Donna do?

New Crops and Bumper Harvests

I’m flying home through Calgary into Comox on my way back from a speaking gig. It’s late August and the pilot warns us: it is snowing close to Calgary. In August.

Quick Answer:

Growing prize-winning tomatoes requires a greenhouse for earlier ripening and protection, careful late-summer pruning and low-nitrogen fertilization with calcium, consistent watering, and good air circulation to produce healthy, blemish-free fruit ready for competition.

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My tomatoes are sitting beside me in the front seat of my shiny black station wagon. We are on our way to the fair! 

It's less complicated than you might think

Many of our customers wonder how difficult it is to build one of our greenhouses.  While it's not IKEA, it's also not hard.  The best tip we can give you is to make sure that your greenhouse foundation is level and square.