IGCadmin 3/4/2010

Apparently Uncle Sam smiles upon those who till the earth and grow their own garden. Well, at least if said gardening is done in such a way so as to meet his idea of tax deductible. Which is to say a narrow definition.

That's right, your garden might be tax deductible. There's a laundry list of requirements, and this will usually only be true if the garden is used for some type of business purpose. But something as simple selling your veggies at the Farmer's Market might be enough. It's something to consider during these trying times.

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gardenandgreenhouse 3/3/2010

Garden and Greenhouse

Contributed from Garden and Greenhouse Magazine
by Amy Ambrosius

In the warming weather after a long winter, it's only natural that the thoughts of gardener and cook alike turn to tender and flavorful spring herbs. If spring hasn't quite sprung in your neck of the woods, greenhouses, cold frames and indoor containers can all help you get cooking with herbs sooner.

These herbs can grow well in containers, even indoors, in moist, fertile soil that drains well, though they're fairly tolerant of imperfect soil conditions. Additionally, these three herbs all feature edible blooms, giving the creative cook even more ways to bring spring to the plate. Staggered plantings will extend the herb harvest, allowing one to extend the season or to put up some herbs for later use. To clean herbs after harvest, rinse herbs with leaves on...

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drewlandis 2/16/2010
The GrowCamp mini-greenhouse is an innovative dual purpose structure that is sure to be perfect for many growers.

When it comes to greenhouses, pretty much everything has been done. There's only so much that can be done to create an indoor growing space, right? You can rest assured that whenever that mindset takes hold, somebody will come along and provie it wrong.

Such is the case with the cool new GrowCamp mini-greenhouse. Designed in Denmark, this innovative product can be used as a raised bed or a small greenhouse! Best of all, we have an exclusive online offering!

The GrowCamp's unique roll up insect netting will protect your valuable plants from pests while the sturdy UV protected plastic profiles will provide many years of useful life. Basic module measures 4' x 8' and is easily extended in length with extra modules.

The GrowCamp is constructed of high quality resin for durability at a price sure to please. Clear poly sheeting and insect proof screening on the roof and sides...

Hobby Greenhouses
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drewlandis 1/25/2010
Cold Frames are a great way to round out the growing season.

The USDA is launching a 3 year, 38 state study into the feasibility of high tunnels, what we often call Cold Frames around here, in the production of local produce. Check out the article.

It also mentions the addition of some of these greenhouses to the White House garden.

No doubt the results of the study will find that fresh food from a field nearby is delicious!

Cold Frames, Food
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drewlandis 12/30/2009
Polycarbonate panels make a great covering for any project.

Buying polycarbonate can be a difficult purchase because of the volume of choices available to you and the necessity for purchasing additional accessories that may not necessarily be intuitive for the average consumer.

It’s really simple though if you think about it this way. You are going to need the covering of course, so you need to accurately size the sheets and their coverage area. You’ll need a way to join the panels together to make them water tight. And you will need some fasteners to secure them to your structure. That’s it. Each of these can be done a few different ways.

Coverage area

This is the easiest one. Let’s take a 10’W x 12’L pavilion type structure for as a simple example.

First, let’s figure how many panels it’s going to take to cover the length of the structure. Polycarbonate panels, with a couple exceptions, come in either 4’ or 6’ widths. The panels must...

installation
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drewlandis 12/3/2009
Hot Dawg heaters are great for garage and residential purposes.

This time of year many, many people are in the market for a heater. We sell tons of them. Specifically, we sell tons of Modine Hot Dawg heaters. For the most part we never have a problem with them since they are excellent heaters, and everybody is happy.

There are times though, when a problem arises. We (being the amazing company we are) attempt to troubleshoot the problem with our customers. It will usually turn out well for everyone. Sometimes we get folks calling to ask about a heater we did not sell them or that is old or out of warranty. We help with these too, although we are less able to help in these cases than with a Hot Dawg that we sold and is under warranty.

Because of this high sales volume, our most experienced Sales Representatives spend a large amount of time troubleshooting customers’ heater issues. So, we’ve put together this list and the accompanying resources to help you troubleshoot on your own. This list is going to cover the large...

Modine
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IGCadmin 11/20/2009
This EasyGrow is a great example of what can be done to make a hobby greenhouse look great!

We recently donated an Easy Grow greenhouse for a Boy Scout project in Virginia. They were kind enough send pictures of the installation process, so we thought we would share them.

They did an amazing job on the install, and the greenhouse looks great! Rest assured that the installs are not complicated and your EasyGrow can look just as good too!!

Greenhouse Foundation

EasyGrow Back Wall

EasyGrow Frame

EasyGrow PanelsEasyGrow Floor

Hobby Greenhouses
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gardenandgreenhouse 10/27/2009
You're probably going to want to take some specific actions to guard against the implications of a situation like this.

by Gini Coover
Contributed from Garden and Greenhouse Magazine

Whether your greenhouse will be filled with plants during the coldest months of the year or soon after, there are things you can do to better prepare your greenhouse for the cold months.

Greenhouse Cover

Check the greenhouse film for torn or loosened areas. Tears should be repaired with greenhouse tape, and loose sections secured. If the film is past its guarantee and is tearing in several places, it may need replacing. When the greenhouse will be used through the winter, make sure the film is strong enough to withstand winter storms and early spring winds. If an empty greenhouse will be filled early in the spring, the film can be checked a few weeks before the greenhouse will be used and replaced then, if necessary.

Sanitation

At least once a year, the greenhouse...

Winterize
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IGCadmin 10/1/2009
Greenhouses pose unique challenges compared to outdoor growing, but the reward is healthy plants all year long!

It’s not only garden newbies that run for the shelter of new greenhouse every fall, it’s also long time veterans who may be trying their hand at year ‘round gardening for the first time. And while their years of experience certainly give them an advantage over less experience growers, the conditions in a greenhouse are still unique enough to throw these hardened veterans a few curveballs.

Outside the sun shines and the wind blows freely throughout your garden. Outside you can find out the temperature by watching your morning news or looking in the local paper. And outside, it rains and at least partially waters your plants. Inside the sun still shines but the air will not move unless you take steps to move it. Inside you need to carefully monitor the highs and lows with additional equipment. Inside you need to set up a watering regimen.

You are at the mercy of Mother Nature outside, but inside you can control the environment down to the most...

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drewlandis 9/21/2009
Homemade granola is a perfect treat any time of day during any season, but try it with fresh pumpkin in the fall. Awesome.

My wife makes this awesome homemade granola, and she made it this morning with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Together with the pumpkin pancakes she made this weekend it was a very squash flavored weekend, at least in a culinary sense.

I have snagged and posted below the granola recipe she uses because it is so incredibly amazing. Mix the stuff with plain yogurt or eat like cerial with just milk and honey, it's a great way to start the day. She takes liberty with the recipe, and uses different nuts, dried fruits, spices, and wet ingredients. Every time it's awesome, so check it out. It keeps you full way longer than regular cereal, and isn't as sweet as packaged granola. Plus, with flax and walnuts it packs a good punch of Omega-3's.

My Favorite Granola

Dry Ingredients

  • 6 cups oats (I use 3c.quick cooking and 3c. regular)
  • 2 cups nuts (I used chopped almonds)
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds...
Food
granola, homemade
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