Quick Answer:

Why Should I Start My Fall Crops Now?
Starting fall crops in August maximizes your greenhouse space by replacing summer plants like zucchini or lettuce with fast-growing cool-season crops such as radish, kale, peas, and spinach. This strategic transition extends your harvest into fall and winter while allowing you to propagate strawberries, collect seeds, and prepare transplants. By planning now, you create a continuous cycle of fresh food, making your greenhouse more productive year-round.

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August Plants

August crops are growing so fast that I should have a time-lapse camera to record the speedy growth. It’s a good thing I’m home all month to watch the changes and get the next crops planted and growing.  Check out my tips to grow your own food too!

Quick Answer:

What are the tips for managing and double cropping in a greenhouse to prepare for winter? Effective greenhouse management in summer involves double cropping fast-growing plants like radishes between slower growers such as peppers, using trap crops like beans to monitor pests, and starting winter-hardy crops early to maximize space and season length. Planning ahead by maintaining seedlings in flats and supplementing nutrients ensures continuous, healthy growth, allowing gardeners to transition smoothly from summer to fall and winter crops. This strategic approach optimizes greenhouse productivity year-round and helps prevent common pest issues.

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Surprisingly, Summer is the perfect time to prep for winterization

Managing your winter greenhouse with crops coming and going is a bit of an art form, so please bear with me. It involves starting seeds directly in greenhouse soil and also starting seeds in flats on shelves or potting benches.

Quick Answer:

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.

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Watering Problems?

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.

Quick Answer:

Installing a UV-stabilized shade cloth over your greenhouse in late spring reduces heat buildup, lowers pest pressure, saves water, and protects plants—especially in polycarbonate or glass structures—while offering seasonal flexibility to match changing light and temperature needs.

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Benefits of Shade Cloth

I’m sitting in my greenhouse sipping a cool drink as I look outside. With the current heatwave this is positively the coolest spot in the garden right now. But it didn’t use to be that way. Scorched leaves, dry soil and wilted, bolting lettuce used to be the norm.

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Quick Answer:

How Do I Grow Pesticide-Free Strawberries in My Greenhouse?
You can grow clean, delicious strawberries year-round in your greenhouse by planting day-neutral varieties in rain gutters filled with soilless mix, spaced for airflow and watered consistently. Start with bare-root plants, trim roots before planting, and fertilize with natural options like alfalfa pellets. Growing in a controlled greenhouse environment lets you avoid pesticides entirely, beat the commercial “Dirty Dozen,” and harvest berries earlier and longer than outdoor growers.

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I was just reading about how over-sprayed commercial strawberries area. I was reading this on the same day I was planting up my own greenhouse strawberries!

Quick Answer:

Should I Buy Shade Cloth This Summer?
Yes—installing shade cloth is a game-changing upgrade that instantly lowers greenhouse temperatures, prevents plant stress, and transforms your space into a productive and enjoyable retreat during hot weather. Shade cloth improves plant health, reduces cooling system strain, and can make your greenhouse a cool midday escape—even at 30°C. Choose 47–70% shade depending on your glazing and exposure, and install before summer heat peaks for optimal results.

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Hot Summer Gardening

I had to take a break in the shade. It was over 30 C, the sun was beating down and I was thinking I might be getting heat stroke. So I stepped into my greenhouse to cool down.