Quick Answer

To prepare your greenhouse for fall storms, focus on securing the structure, protecting the interior environment, and caring for your plants. Here are the essentials:

• Secure the structure: Tighten bolts, seal glazing panels, and tie down vents and doors.
• Protect the interior: Keep circulation fans running, add insulation with clear plastic or bubble wrap, and use heaters or thermal mass for stable temperatures.
• Safeguard plants: Elevate pots to avoid flooding, cover crops with row cloth, and remove fading plants to limit pests and disease.
• Maintain regularly: Clear gutters, clean glazing, and disinfect tools and staging before winter.
• Consider upgrades: Reinforced glazing, automated venting and upgraded doors add extra peace of mind.
• After storms: Inspect carefully, document damage, and dry interior before resuming use. 

Quick Answer:

You can grow in the shoulder season with a greenhouse by overlapping warm- and cool-season crops, managing ventilation to handle temperature swings, and refreshing soil for new planting. The greenhouse protects against early frosts and extends harvests, making it possible to keep fresh produce coming as summer turns to fall.

Quick Answer:

How does nature in a greenhouse benefit health and well-being? Greenhouse gardening fosters year-round growth, creativity, and mental wellness. The greenhouse serves as both sanctuary and studio, where finger limes, tomatoes, and microgreens thrive—and where the act of nurturing plants inspires everyone from camera crew to casual observers. As supported by experts like psychiatrist Susan Stuart-Smith, engaging with natural complexity in gardens has proven restorative effects. Whether it’s growing exotic citrus or saving tomato seeds, greenhouse gardening extends the seasons and deepens our connection to nature—reminding us that the seeds we sow today hold the promise of tomorrow’s blooms.

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Late Fall Harvests

It's late September and I taste my first-ever finger lime, grown right in my greenhouse, and I am amazed by the crisp texture and luscious lime taste of the juicy vesicles. (See my first impressions here) And just then an unrelated email arrives. A Los Angeles-based marketing firm asks, "Will you showcase the benefits of nature on behalf of a client for an online event?"

Quick Answer:

Clearing greenhouse waste on a small scale involves chopping bulky plants into smaller pieces to speed composting, using tools like a chipper and rodent-proof compost bins such as the Speedibin for faster, pest-free decomposition. When animal assistance isn’t available, this method efficiently manages large volumes of plant debris, turning waste into valuable compost in about six months. Proper waste management not only keeps your greenhouse tidy but also supports sustainable gardening by recycling nutrients back into your soil.

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Arnold is always hungry. And some of his favorite foods are the fruits and vegetables I grow in my greenhouse.  He also eats the plants of the tomatoes and squash I grow. He gently pokes around, licking up the small green fruits first and then chomps down on the whole tangled twisted plant.

Quick Answer:

Preparing your greenhouse for fall involves maintaining appropriate night temperatures for different plants, thorough cleaning to prevent pests and diseases, and proactive pest management using safe insecticidal soaps, sterilized soils, and yellow sticky traps to ensure a healthy growing environment.

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There are many plant varieties and they all require different night temperatures to sustain their growth.

Greenhouse night temperatures

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:

What are the 5 easy steps to start my greenhouse garden today? To kickstart your greenhouse garden, begin by buying ready-to-plant vegetables, adding quality soil or potting mix, and growing in nursery pots if beds aren’t built yet. How do I quickly set up a productive greenhouse space with minimal effort? Install shelves for vertical growing, personalize your space for comfort (yes, even a chandelier!), and remember: starting small today means thriving plants tomorrow.

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Setting Up Your Greenhouse: The box has finally arrived - the greenhouse is assembled. Now what?

I called Rodney a year after his greenhouse was installed. I expected him to brag about the size of his tomatoes or the hours he spends sitting and enjoying the beautiful space he created.

• Place portable heaters near the floor closer to the entry of your Greenhouse Garden so that they will replace lost heat quickly.
• Line the inside of your greenhouse with...

Quick Answer:

How Do You Keep Your Greenhouse Healthy and Pest-Free Year-Round?
A thorough fall cleanup—including disinfecting surfaces, protecting polycarbonate panels, and cleaning benches and pots—is essential to maintain a healthy greenhouse. Maintaining appropriate night temperatures based on plant needs and controlling pests with soapy water, sterilized soil, insecticidal soaps, and yellow sticky traps prevents diseases and infestations. These best practices ensure a productive, disease-free greenhouse environment ready for every growing season.

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There are many plant varieties and they all require different night temperatures to sustain their growth.