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!
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...
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...
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!!
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...
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...
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
As we move into greenhouse season, many people are going to be purchasing or building their very own greenhouses to protect their plants over the winter. They will spend a signifigant amount of time sizing up all of their options, comparing features and prices, looking at the pros and cons of different coverings. Usually they are going to purchase a heater, especially if they are planning on growing (as opposed to just overwintering) this winter. But there is an oft overlooked system that can be overlooked by many a greenhouse owner, especially in larger homebuilt structures.
Air circulation can be very important in greenhouses of the right size. In smaller greenhouses, under 100 sq. ft. air circulation is usually handled efficiently enought by roof and/or side vents. But in larger greenhouses air can become water laden and stagnant if it is not circulated enough. This can lead to disease, pollination, and climate control problems.
Condensation problems can...
September. It’s a reminder that fall is just around the corner and another gardening season is winding down. But the truth is there is still planting to be done; bulb planting that is. Yesterday, I received my first package/box of bulbs I ordered last spring.
I love bulbs. Sure, you don’t see any results for at least six months but just knowing that the bulbs are there, waiting to signal the coming of spring, is exciting. Winter is my least favorite time of the year, so when February/March rolls around I am ready for some sign that the weather is going to improve and that I can get back outside and gets my hands dirty.
Planting bulbs is not difficult and not that time consuming. You don’t need any fancy tools or equipment. The main thing is the bulb itself. Right now bulbs are being sold everywhere; at your local grocery store, big box hardware stores, nursery/garden centers, and I’m sure many other places I didn’t mention.
...
Much of the country is set to begin tilling under their summer gardens and preparing for next growing season. A major part of this preperation usually involves the time-honored, battle-tested, gardener's best friend: compost.
Composting has been an unwritten must for home gardeners for quite some time. In fact, in places like San Francisco composting has become a legal must as well.
The addition of properly prepared compost will make any soil better. It increases nutrient levels that can be depleted during the growing season. It helps support all the beneficial organisms present in soil that plants need. It creates the perfect soil texture for the growth of nearly every plant. There isn't enought that can be said about composting.
However, sometimes the process...
