What's the Best Soil for Greenhouse Gardening? A Comprehensive Guide
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BC Greenhouse Builders' Greenhouse Gardening School is an exclusive resource for BC Greenhouse customers, designed to help you get more from your greenhouse from day one. Hosted by Jordan Mara of Mind & Soil and horticulturalist Donna Balzer, the school covers everything from layout and design to soil, propagation, and plant care, with real customer gardens featured along the way.
Jordan Mara, Canadian gardener, mental health advocate, and founder of Mind & Soil, has spent five years building one of Canada's most trusted gardening channels. This season, a lifelong dream came true: his very own BC Greenhouse is installed and growing. He's documented every honest moment across three YouTube episodes, from a snowy install day to the first tomatoes in the ground in March.
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.
Want to kickstart your greenhouse garden this season? The best time to begin is now. Cool-weather crops like arugula, bok choi, spinach, and radishes thrive in early spring greenhouse conditions—even in unheated spaces. Warm the soil with heating cables or IRT mulch to speed up germination and enjoy a head start on the growing season. Greenhouse gardening in late winter or early spring also means fewer pests, like flea beetles. While heat-loving plants like peppers need more warmth to sprout, starting them indoors on a damp paper towel can ensure strong, healthy transplants later. With the right timing and a simple crop schedule, your greenhouse can produce fresh greens and veggies year-round.
Showing off my arugula (also known as rocket) on Instagram leads to a lot of questions about my greenhouse and what I currently have growing.
Where do I place my lean-to greenhouse for best results? The ideal placement for a lean-to greenhouse is along a south-facing wall to maximize sunlight exposure—especially during spring and fall—while also integrating seamlessly with your home and garden layout. Before building, it’s essential to consider local bylaws, available space, and potential shading from trees or nearby structures. Whether attached to your home, built into a south-facing slope, or framed as a garden focal point or sitting area, a thoughtfully positioned lean-to greenhouse not only supports healthy plant growth but can also enhance your outdoor living space year-round.
When planning a lean to greenhouse, its placement is critical to its functionality and aesthetic appeal. A well-positioned attached greenhouse can enhance both your gardening experience and your home’s appearance. According to Angela Drake, Marketing Director with BC Greenhouse Builders, 1 out of 4 inquiries about new greenhouses involve home-attached designs. So, is this an option for you?
It's essential to consider several factors before committing to planning a lean-to greenhouse.
Kyle began his storied career with BCG in 1997. “I actually worked with Rick’s brother in law Roger at Ryder Truck Rentals and he knew that Rick was looking for someone as an office guy. In true Roger fashion, he really oversold it and called it a ‘worldwide conglomerate’ as Roger would do and I thought “Wow, this sounds amazing”. Worldwide actually meant that the company had shipped a greenhouse to Australia once.” Flash forward to 2021 with Rick and Kyle at the helm and we truly are worldwide!