Let’s face it, if you’re one of those people who finds joy in gardening, chances are that you face the same struggle year after year. As soon as the snow has melted and the ground is soft enough to turn over with a spade, you’re itching to get outside in the fresh air and help Mother Nature turn everything green again (or red, orange, blue, yellow and violet if you’re a flower gardener). Unfortunately, if you don’t show some restraint when transplanting from the garden greenhouse, much of your labor of love can be lost to a late frost or other adverse conditions.  Read more...

Composting is one of the best garden-related activities that you can initiate. Knowing how to compost effectively will help you get more from your composting efforts, yield better fertilizer in a shorter amount of time, and help you reap more benefits from your composting efforts. Here are some composting tips to help you get best compost possible.
 
4 Steps to Successful Composting  Read more...

To help you fulfill your holiday shopping list for the greenhouse gardener in your life without busting your budget, we have put together a few holiday gift giving ideas for the greenhouse gardener that are easy on the wallet and welcome in the greenhouse.
 
Greenhouse Gardening Gifts for Tight Budgets  Read more...

Adding a little fun and whimsy to your gardening accessories collection is a great way to brighten your gardening time and lighten your mood. Fun garden accessories may not be the first items on your garden shopping list, but a few fun accessories on occasion can make a world of difference in your approach to gardening and your garden environment.
 
Gardening Accessories Ideas for Fun and Pleasure  Read more...

Selecting the Right Garden Tools for Outdoor Gardening: the Spading Fork

Outdoor garden tools are slightly different from greenhouse gardening tools. When gardening in the open air, you need to prepare your garden in a very different way to protect your plants from the harsh elements.  In order to give your plants the most stable base, you’ll need to prepare the soil for delicate beginning roots by breaking up the packed earth deep enough so your plants can withstand winds and rain. An outdoor gardening tool that makes this task easier is a spading fork.  Read more...

If you’re new to gardening, you should know there a few essential garden supplies that every gardener needs for success. And, the items on the list might surprise you.

Essential Garden Supplies Every Gardener Needs for Success  Read more...

Many green house gardeners take the gardening lifestyle to heart and extend the green living principles from the garden to other areas of life. Some of the green living ideas that originate in the greenhouse can be applied to your whole home.
 
1. Recycle. Recycling is a natural part of any greenhouse, but taking this practice indoors as well helps the environment. Even if you don’t have curbside recycling pick-up in your area, you can locate a recycling center that will take your cardboard, plastic, glass, and aluminum waste. If you transport it yourself, you can even make a little money from your efforts.
 
2. Natural Heating. Many greenhouse gardeners use water filled drums to help harness the heat from the sun to warm the greenhouse at night. By investing in a geothermal heating and cooling system in your home, you can save thousands of dollars over the life of your house, in addition to reducing your environmental impact.
 
3. Going Organic. Choosing organic fertilizers and pest control methods is very popular with greenhouse gardeners. Going organic in your home is a little more difficult, but choosing organic cleaning products, detergents, and fibers for your home can go a long way to helping you live healthier.
 
4. Eating Fresh. One of the best side effects of greenhouse gardening is the endless stream of fresh fruits and veggies that adorn your menu. By eating fresh, you help your body maintain a healthy weight, correct imbalances, and heal more quickly. For those ties when you have to purchase store bought fruits and veggies, try to select the freshest, purest varieties you can afford. Farmer’s Markets are a terrific source for fresh produce.
 
5. Saving Energy. Many greenhouse gardeners work during daylight hours, conserve water and energy in the greenhouse, and tend to reuse every organic material in sight from soil to dead leaves. Extending this practice into the home may involve selecting energy saving appliances and light bulbs, shutting off the water while you brush your teeth, or installing water saving showerheads and toilets. You can also opt for solar panels and windmills to help reduce your load on the power grid.
 
These green house living tips are just the start of learning to live out your greenhouse principles beyond the garden. For more green living tips, you can visit popular websites like TreeHugger (http://www.treehugger.com/) and Campaign Earth (http://www.campaignearth.org/index.asp).

If you’ve been neglecting your compost bins all winter long, now is the time to get busy and get those bins ready for the spring planting season!

• Turn over a new leaf, and a few heaps, with regular compost mixing sessions. Get out that pitchfork and toss your compost to increase aeration and decomposition.  Read more...

Worm bins are a great source of everlasting, rich fertilizer for your greenhouse or outdoor garden. They are an excellent source of liquid fertilizer (in the form of worm tea, or the moisture that drains from the worm bins) and castings, which are the nutrient-rich waste droppings of red worms. This worm fertilizer is equal to liquid gold in the greenhouse.
Worm bins are also an easy way to help recycle food waste and some common household and yard scraps. Dried leaves, dead flowers, grass clippings, shredded newspaper, cardboard, and food waste are all excellent food sources and bedding materials for red worms.  Read more...