Now that it’s spring in New England, it’s time for planting in the garden the vegetables and flowers that I started weeks ago in the greenhouse. But to do this, I have a special concern. Compared with inland temperatures, my garden in spring is significantly cooler due to winds that blow directly across the still […]
In the last nor’easter gale here in Rhode Island, wind gusts reached 60 to 70 mph. Usually, the greenhouse, which is in the lee of my studio, is not affected by northerly winds. But one sunny day this spring I opened the greenhouse windows to lower the interior temperature, which had reached 90°F (32° C). […]
Here in coastal Rhode Island, I live in the US Department of Agriculture’s Plant Hardiness Zone 7a. This zone has a medium-length growing season and winter temperatures that, at their coldest, can drop to between 0° and 5°F. This makes growing artichokes outdoors difficult. These plants prefer a more temperate climate because most set buds […]
When you go to a garden center, the plants look wonderfully healthy and vigorous, so you buy lots of them. But upon taking them home and planting them in your greenhouse or garden, they may gradually begin to fade. First their growth may slow; then they may stop flowering; and finally they may start to […]
About twenty-five years ago I bought some asparagus roots, planted them and waited to enjoy the stalks. The bed has provided fresh asparagus since that time. Every year, I add more seaweed and well-rotted horse manure or compost to the bed and have been rewarded every spring with fresh asparagus. But now I find that […]
Although most plants convert light energy to chemical energy by photosynthesis, not all obtain the nutrients they need through their roots. Many of those that don’t live in bogs where their roots are permanently in low-nutrient, poorly-drained soil. One adaptation in this environment is obtaining nutrients, especially nitrogen, by digesting insects that visit the plants. […]
How much do you enjoy biting into a luscious, rich red strawberry? If the answer is greatly, you may want to grow your own strawberries in your greenhouse. Doing so isn’t difficult, and the results can be delectable. To get started, you need to decide what type of strawberry you want to grow. There are […]
It’s late August, and it’s hot, but my unheated greenhouse needs to be readied for winter vegetables. I’ve developed a method for getting this job done, one that not only adds nutrients to the soil but that also adds a natural heat source. Here’s what that method entails. I start by digging out the greenhouse’s […]
In summertime, it’s hot and dry in much of America for extended periods of time, but plants still need water – typically lots of it. What’s more, keeping greenhouse plants watered in these extreme conditions is made even harder when local communities impose lawn and garden watering bans to conserve their rapidly depleting water resources […]
In the dog days of summer, entering the greenhouse is like entering a sauna. Working there, even with the door and windows open, is a form of masochism that even I balk at. But work in it I must. Although my 200+ plants have been moved outdoors, there are still summertime maintenance tasks to do […]
Dahlias have become a very popular flower to grow in home gardens, but in New England the season for them is normally quite short. It’s best to plant dahlia tubers outdoors when the ground temperature is above 55oF (12oC), which for me in Rhode Island means not until late May or early June. So if […]
In the summer, and often in spring and fall too, I leave my greenhouse door open to keep the interior from overheating. If I were to keep the door closed on a sunny, mid-summer day, the temperature could easily soar to well over 100o F (38oC), wilting virtually everything inside. But leaving the door open […]
