In a few weeks, many greenhouse owners will be buying and planting tomato seeds, and as always, they will be confronted with a bewildering array of varieties to choose from. They can buy hybrid or heirloom tomatoes, determinate or indeterminate ones, and these come in a vast array of sizes, colors, designated uses, and methods […]
If you’ve just acquired a new greenhouse, what plants should you choose for it? This can be a tough decision for beginning greenhouse gardeners because of the great diversity of options available. The best approach may be to actually embrace that diversity. By this I mean picking one or two varieties from major categories of […]
Getting your first greenhouse can be very exciting, but it can also make you a bit apprehensive when you realize there may be more to greenhouse gardening than you initially thought. Where will I get enough plants to fill my new greenhouse? And what kinds of plants are best suited to it? Should I worry […]
Cymbidiums are beautiful flowering plants in the orchid family, featuring many showy flowers arranged on unbranched stems. For the winter greenhouse these orchids are a favorite. They are also very popular as cut flowers during the winter months. Typically, they come into bloom in late January through March when little else is in bloom. When […]
Here in Rhode Island, this summer has been one of the hottest on record, with more 90˚F (32˚C) days than ever before. Such high temperatures can easily overheat a greenhouse. If you’ve ever left your greenhouse doors and windows closed on a hot, sunny day, you may have seen the temperature soar above 120oF (49oC), […]
Cacti and succulents are plants with thick, fleshy stems and leaves that have evolved to store water in dry climates. In recent years, they have become enormously popular for house plants. You see them for sale everywhere, including most big-box stores. Some of the most common varieties are aloe plants, jade plants, sempervivum, kalanchoes, agaves, […]
It doesn’t matter whether you have a large or small, old or modern greenhouse, you will use potting soil. I use a lot of potting soil, bales of it in fact. I’m talking about real potting soil. Mixtures that are instead called “garden soil,” or something similar, are a different animal entirely. They can contain […]
For some greenhouse owners finding space for potted plants can be difficult. Shelving attached to the greenhouse structure can usually only support a few small plants. It is not recommended that you attach shelves to the structure. Many greenhouse structures are designed to support the glazing and to resist wind loads rather than carry heavy […]
There are many reasons to grow your own vegetables during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will cut down on trips to the grocery store where observing the shopping requirements can be stressful and where certain kinds of produce can often be in short supply. Plus, veggies straight from the garden are a highly nutritious, pesticide-free addition […]
Most years I go to the Philadelphia Flower Show. The show is held in March and is filled with incredible numbers of flowers. Last year, in the entry hall alone there were more than four thousand flowers, all in bloom and all on display. Considering that Philadelphia is in the northern part of the United […]
Small greenhouses – those under, say, 50 ft2 (4.65 m2) – often have great appeal because finding space for them is less of an issue. But still, even a small greenhouse can be a significant financial investment, and most gardeners want to get good value for their money. To help maximize that value, there are […]
After twenty years or so of giving talks and lectures about greenhouses and plants, I have found that there are a few questions that potential owners often ask. Probably the most common question is, ‘How large a greenhouse should I buy?’ If the questioner is an experienced gardener, my answer is, “Buy the largest greenhouse […]
