Greenhouse Gardener

A greenhouse can be a garden's greatest asset: its nucleus and powerhouse. There are many ways of using it and a gardener can adopt one or all of them. In spring, you can start young plants from seed; raise tender perennials to fill gaps in the garden; give young vegetable plants a head start; sow early lettuce while the soil is too sticky to work outdoors. During spring and summer, you can raise greenhouse crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines and chillis. You'll be able to overwinter tender plants such as bananas and cannas. And the greenhouse can be a showcase full of beautiful, unusual and exotic plants. Trained at Kew and for many years Glasshouse Supervisor at the RHS Garden at Wisley, Anne Swithinbank is the expert on greenhouse gardening, and in this book she comprehensively describes the techniques that will allow you to greatly expand the growing capabilities of your garden.

"Greenhouse Gardening: A Beginners Guide To Growing Fruit & Vegetables All Year Round" is for anyone who wants to know how to get the most out of their greenhouse. Whether you want to extend your growing season, grow unusual plants or protect your valued plants from the frost a greenhouse is an essential tool for any gardener. Greenhouses are so useful but many people don't make the most of their greenhouse and it soon either gets filled with clutter or turns into a jungle of uncontrolled plants. This book provides you with a complete guide to growing any type of plant in a greenhouse and how to make the most of it. With the information in this book you will be able to avoid the many pitfalls and issues people encounter when buying, building and using their greenhouse. As you read this book you will learn everything you need to know about owning a greenhouse from choosing the best type of greenhouse to building the foundation and even buying used greenhouses. You will learn how a greenhouse can extend your growing season and let you grow plants that you would otherwise be unable to grow. In "Greenhouse Gardening: A Beginners Guide To Growing Fruit & Vegetables All Year Round" you will learn: How to buy a greenhouse whether new or used Choosing the best glass, floor, construction and foundation to ensure your greenhouse has a long life The difference between a greenhouse and a poly tunnel How to build a solid foundation for your greenhouse Why air-flow and cooling is so important and how to prevent humidity damaging your plants The best way to heat your greenhouse and the differences between the different heating systems How to irrigate your greenhouse to automatically water your plants and protect them from heat damage The difference between growing in the ground versus growing in containers To secure your greenhouse against the wind and protect it from damage How to start seedlings successfully in your greenhouse Growing tomatoes, chillies, peppers, citrus plants, squashes, cucumbers, grapes, tropical plants and more in your greenhouse Preparing your greenhouse for spring time Overwintering your greenhouse and extending your growing season Avoiding the potential problems associated with owning a greenhouse The potential diseases and pests you will encounter in your greenhouse How to ensure your plants are pollinated in your greenhouse Growing year round in your greenhouse The best way to clean your greenhouse to avoid potential problems A greenhouse is an essential tool for any gardener, particularly those in cooler areas and can make a difference between your tomatoes ripening and you having fried green tomatoes! When you read this book you will avoid the many frustrations a greenhouse owner can face, with all the information you need to successful grow in a greenhouse. Enjoy owning your greenhouse as "Greenhouse Gardening: A Beginners Guide To Growing Fruit & Vegetables All Year Round" explains all about the potential pitfalls and how to avoid them. Discover the many benefits of owning a greenhouse today and how you can grow your own vegetables, plants and flowers all year round!

The greenhouse opens up a new dimension to gardening; making tropical conditions, a temperate room or even an alpine house a possibility. This practical guide adopts a simple and logical approach to what to do and when for the best results. Routine tasks as well as new ideas are included in any easy-to-follow monthly calendar of progress in the greenhouse.

The director of Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and author of The Bountiful Solar Greenhouse has produced a practical, comprehensive guide to making the most of any greenhouse or garden room. Addressing almost every aspect except the actual construction, Smith covers the greenhouse environment (light, humidity, temperature), interior design (plant placement, fans, drainage), individual plants and their propagation, pollination, growth, and scheduling for flower or fruit production. There are chapters on problems, diseases, and insects, and lists of associations, mail-order suppliers, and sun averages during the year across the country. As a Wyoming gardener, he puts a good deal of emphasis on using the greenhouse in summer as well as in winter, but this is a useful, practical guide for readers in most of the continental United States.

"Biggs and Balzer have gardened far and wide, from Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Grande Prairie, to Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. No Guff Vegetable Gardening is a down-to-earth, fun book for new gardeners with a delicious collection of savoury tips and ideas for experienced gardeners.

At head of title Black + Decker. "First published in 2011 as The Complete Guide to Greenhouses and Garden Projects by Creative Publishing International."--Title page verso.

“Few books have grabbed my attention as dramatically as this one—because it’s ultimately do-able for thousands of would-be food and farm healers.” —Joel Salatin, Polyface Farm Grow better not bigger with proven low-tech, human-scale, biointensive farming methods Making a living wage farming without big capital outlay or acreages may be closer than you think. Growing on just 1.5 acres, Jean-Martin and Maude-Helene feed more than 200 families through their thriving CSA and seasonal market stands. The secret of their success is the low-tech, high-yield production methods they’ve developed by focusing on growing better rather than growing bigger, making their operation more lucrative and viable in the process. The Market Gardener is a compendium of proven horticultural techniques and innovative growing methods. This complete guide is packed with practical information on: · Setting-up a micro-farm by designing biologically intensive cropping systems, all with negligible capital outlay · Farming without a tractor and minimizing fossil fuel inputs through the use of the best hand tools, appropriate machinery and minimum tillage practices · Growing mixed vegetables systematically with attention to weed and pest management, crop yields, harvest periods and pricing approaches. Inspired by the French intensive tradition of maraichage and by iconic American vegetable grower Eliot Coleman, author and farmer Jean-Martin shows by example how to start a market garden and make it both very productive and profitable. “Very well done and should be of great use to market growers everywhere.” —Eliot Coleman, organic farming pioneer and author of The New Organic Grower “Both visionary and practical, it is a work of rare intelligence.” —Charles Herve-Gruyer, permaculture teacher and grower at la Fermedu BecHellouin, France

Build your own passive solar greenhouse for year-round food production in any climate Fresh, local nutrient-dense fruits vegetables are hard to find in winter in cold climates. Growing warm-weather crops like tomatoes, bananas, avocados, and other perennials is nearly impossible using conventional structures. The solution for millions of backyard and small-scale commercial growers is self-heating solar greenhouses. The Year-round Solar Greenhouse is the one-stop guide to designing and building greenhouses that harness and store energy from the sun to create naturally heated, lush growing environments even in the depths of winter, covering principles of solar greenhouse design and siting, glazing material properties and selection, controlling heat loss, ventilation, and construction methods. Additionally, an in-depth section covers sustainable ways of heating the greenhouse without fossil fuels, including using thermal mass and storing heat underground with a ground to air heat exchanger. Variations include attached solar greenhouses, earth sheltered greenhouses, plus integrating hydroponics and aquaponics. More than a dozen case studies from across North America provide inspiration and demonstrate specific challenges and solutions for growing year-round in any climate. Grow your own food, anytime, anywhere using the power of the sun!