Posts about:
Build the best greenhouse for you, forever. Listen to this greenhouse podcast and learn more about BC greenhouse Builders and their 70 Years of building high-quality greenhouses.
Worm castings naturally fertilize plants and support beneficial bugs like fungus gnat predators, but excess moisture and nutrients can also lead to algae growth—use well-draining soil, sticky traps, and fans to balance greenhouse conditions and protect seedlings.
Before we get to greenhouse gardening algae, let's talk about a shopper on Amazon that complained about bugs in her worm castings. If you don’t speak garden lingo yet, worm castings are simply worm poop. They are mixed with soil in garden beds or in pots to make tomatoes grow faster, stronger and healthier. And just in case you missed the memo, worm poop comes with bugs of its own. The good ones.
What are the tips for ordering seeds and supplies for hobby greenhouse growing? To succeed in hobby greenhouse gardening, it’s crucial to read seed catalog fine print carefully—choosing parthenocarpic varieties for cucumbers and zucchinis that don’t require pollination, selecting heat-tolerant and slow-bolting plant varieties, and using foliar fertilizers for cold soils. Understanding pollination needs, temperature tolerance, and plant growth habits ensures better yields and healthier crops year-round. Starting seeds indoors, like onions in January, and adapting to your greenhouse environment helps optimize growth and harvest success.
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.
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.
When offering heating and cooling suggestions for optimum climate control for your greenhouse, we ask our customers three things:
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.
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.
What are the best tactics to keep your plants alive in a winter greenhouse? Protecting plants in winter requires matching their cold tolerance to the right strategies, such as using row covers, fabric shelters, thermostatic heaters, and airflow management to create microclimates within your greenhouse. Tropical plants should be moved indoors before the first frost, while semi-tropical species like citrus and bananas can thrive under floating row covers and supplemental heat. Temperate and hardy plants—like kale, arugula, and geraniums—often survive with less protection, but benefit from insulation, moisture, and bottom heat for propagation; overall success depends on segmenting your space, monitoring temperatures, and applying targeted heating only where needed.
All these items will help your winter greenhouse.
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.
In late September, I asked Facebook followers to share their biggest gardening challenges this summer.
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.
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.
How can I solve watering problems in my greenhouse garden? Using irrigation solutions such as shrubblers, soaker hoses, and self-watering pots helps maintain consistent soil moisture, reducing plant stress caused by irregular watering. These systems allow you to keep your plants healthy and hydrated even when you’re away, preventing common issues like wilting or nutrient deficiencies. By implementing these methods, you can improve plant growth, avoid over- or under-watering, and achieve higher yields in your greenhouse garden.
Hand watering is fun for gardeners. If you are around to get the job done. But a wilted plant is a stressed plant and stressed plants get buggy. I would love to stay home all summer watering my
greenhouse at exactly the right minute but that’s just wishful thinking. The truth is, life gets in the way and instead of tending my tomatoes and pacifying my pak choi with hand watering I seem to travel just when my babies need me.
