Greenhouse Gardening Tips

An overview of winter greenhouse growing has been covered in our December 2023 blog post, but it seems worthwhile to expand the conversation of winter growing in a home or hobby greenhouse this month as well. For one thing, a greenhouse is not the end of the story. A few other accessories and ideas will make you a more successful grower this winter. 

Uncover insightful tips and strategies that turn the labor of winter food cultivation into a rewarding journey. Your next adventure in gardening awaits.

BC Greenhouse Builders' General Manager, Kyle Exner, sat down with Kevin at Epic Gardening to chat about the first considerations when looking for a greenhouse.  Everything from Greenhouse location, to foundation information, and growing styles, this duo has you covered.  Listen to the postcast below for more!

Why I Chose the Pacific Greenhouse

When it comes to my gardening journey, there's one thing I can't imagine living without: my Pacific greenhouse. Now in my third year with this model, I am so happy with my choice. The curved roof adds a touch of attractiveness to my front garden, and also has the added bonus of shedding snow and debris with ease. I can't recall ever needing to sweep anything off the roof, which is a huge time-saver.

Signs of Plant Stress: Wilted Leaves, Dry Tips, and Pale Appearances

This summer I started a long-distance move and after an extended period away my greenhouse plants are crying - yes crying - for help. Wilted plants, dry leaf tips, pale leaves and poor appearance. The trouble, it turns out, is that my house sitters were overly cautious about watering and using the fertilizer I left out for them. Now that I am home, I am growing my plants back to perfection.

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.

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.

Five ways to raise your flowers and food

Seed:

Nature hates a gap. That’s why weeds fill in every nook and cranny available to them outdoors. Sprinkling desirable seeds outside as the snow thaws on the south side of your home or Greenhouse Garden this spring lets you copy nature’s best efforts. Inside your greenhouse, scatter seeds on top of pots or flats. A light dusting of soil and a sheet of glass laid flat over trays keeps the humidity high until the seeds grow.

Before You Order Seeds for Your Hobby Greenhouse, Read the Fine Print

When I started growing in my Greenhouse Garden a few of my favourite plants stopped working for me. That's what I learned to read the catalog fine print and adapt my shopping for a better hobby greenhouse growing. 

We get asked regularly "how much food can I grow in one of your smaller greenhouses?"