valley fever arts

I live in the Notheast, so winter weather is a factor

Check out Harbor Freight. They have some pretty inexpensive ones.

I am doing a project which I have procrastinated and it’s fall in Seattle and I am wondering if it to late to start this project

It’s never too late to start a greenhouse. I too am from the Seattle area so I’m familiar with the climate. Are you building from scratch, or ordering one? Do you plan to heat it or use it as a cold frame? Crops differ depending on your intentions. You could use it to overwinter tender plants, or you could keep it heated and grow things like citrus and other tropical specimens, or you could keep it heated just enough to keep your plants and containers from freezing when that ice and snow sneak up on us. Again, it’s never too late. If you get it built over the winter, February and March are great months to start your next summer’s annuals and flowers.

I worked at a greenhouse/nursery in Edgewood for years and I find I miss it now that I’m not there.

Happy Growing!

Having a blooming garden and keeping it well replenished is no longer a distant dream. For continuing garden supply materials, tools and equipments, convenience is the keyword. Today, the Internet has various options wherein you can choose your plant, figure out the right way of planting and pruning shrubs, order the appropriate fertilizers and have everything delivered to your doorstep. Just at the click of your mouse.

Log on to any of these websites, and shop for your garden supply from the comfort of your home.

www.bloomingbulb.com – This site is a good source for quality flower bulbs, rose gardening and other garden supply equipments. You can seek updated information by opting for their newsletters and chats. Testimonials add an authenticity to the site as well.

If you would like to order your garden supply equipment from www.brecks.com, there is a clearance sale available for exclusive members at the moment. A catalog company and an online supplier of premium bulbs, perennials and trees, Brecks provides you with the facility of ordering via traditional mail. The site also offers you the privilege of consulting their expert panel.

Log on to www.charleysgreenhouse.com for garden supply equipment and climate monitors. You can choose from their collection of greenhouse, greenhouse supplies and other items for your garden.

www.deerbusters.com is an interesting site for garden supply that focuses on wildlife control, fences, deer repellents, insect repellents and tips on controlling birds and dogs. This website also has a section for kids. If you choose to order above $50 dollars, you get free shipping and a free return service.

Another garden supply website that may be helpful is www.directgardening.com. One of the most visited sites, DirectGardening has all regular sections on plant care and interesting ones like tip of the week and the gardeners handbook.

www.dutchgardens.com offers you garden supply straight from the Netherlands. You have the privilege of ordering fresh bulbs and plants from Holland. They have a customer service section that can attend your queries. You also have the choice of going through plant finders and shopping related articles. So what is stopping you? Go ahead and plant beautiful tulips at your home in USA and experience a bit of Holland!

If you would like to opt for environment friendly products for garden supply, log on to www.gardensalive.com. They promote organic products in soil care, lawn care, plant care, pest control and weed control. You have the option of signing up for their newsletter or joining the garden solutions club. Their products are supposed to be alternatives to harsh chemicals.

A one-stop shop for your garden supply, www.gurneys.com supplies vegetable seeds and plants, fruit trees, flowering bulbs along with the regular gardening materials. You can check out their Todays Deals section for current updates.

www.krupps.com provides you the regular garden supply materials along with interesting gifting ideas. Besides, this Michigan based company also sells landscaping items like trellis, stepping stones, wishing wells and more.

You may also log on to www.landscapeUSA.com for your regular garden supply. They have an interesting garden library and cater to the needs of both the full-time landscaper and novice gardener.

Options are abundant for those interested in garden supply. Log on to any of the following for more information – www.gemplers.com , www.mastergardening.com, www.michiganbulb.com and more.

So what are you waiting for? Just visit a site, choose your options and order garden supply equipments from the convenience of your home.

Peter Finch
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/keep-your-garden-growing-with-efficient-garden-supply-100230.html

Greenhouses come in a wide variety of different styles and types. Each is suited to a special need or want and degree of seriousness for greenhouse gardening. For the beginning greenhouse gardener there are smaller versions available that come in the form of portable greenhouses, a hobby greenhouse, or mini greenhouses. There is also the option to build your greenhouse from scratch with a foundation.

What exactly is a greenhouse? A greenhouse is a structure that creates a protected environment for plants to grow in, thus extending the productive lives of plants. lubbock marketing Greenhouse gardening is a fun and functional way to garden all year around. You can pick tomatoes in the winter. Grow herbs and vegetables and start seedlings and cuttings. Some of the reasons to start a greenhouse:

Carrying over garden plants to be used as Greenhouse plants next season
Getting an early start for tender plants started from seed
Increasing the possibilities of a greater variety and continuous supply
Easier culture of small vegetables for winter use
To propagate and experiment with various plants as a hobby
Develop new varieties of plants

As with most projects, begin your greenhouse gardening with a plan. You want to consider the type of greenhouse you want (a cold house or a heated greenhouse) and the construction and type of foundation that is required. What type of equipment you will need, covering for your greenhouse, and what type of watering, humidity control, heating, and air circulation systems that will be best suited for your needs.

A cold house is the most uncomplicated of greenhouses. This type of greenhouse is not equipped with any artificial means of heat therefore the growing season is shortened when the outside temperature drops below freezing. Frost sensitive plants will not grow between late fall and the middle of spring unless you provide heat, which of course would not then be a cold house. bar tricks revealed A cold house does lengthen the growing season from that of gardening outdoors by trapping the heat from the sun throughout the day. In addition, it provides a cosy respite for you to enjoy your gardening away from the elements of wind and rain; it also protects plants from these same elements too.

Monitoring the temperature of your greenhouse is very important. If the temperature inside your greenhouse becomes too hot, your plants will wilt and die. On the other hand, lower temperatures can decrease the vigour and growth of your plants. Try to develop a daily schedule that maintains the best possible temperature. It does not take much to destroy all the work you put into your greenhouse; one hour of intense heat is all it takes. It is better to leave your greenhouse open, and have it a bit cool, than to have your plants die from the heat. For the first few days, check the temperature of your greenhouse several times. If you necessary, open the doors more and/or provide more vents to maintain desired temperature control. During the late afternoon or early evening, when the temperature has cooled, close up your greenhouse. This is a great time to water your plants and flats if they require it.

If you begin greenhouse gardening with a cold house, once you install a heater you will then be able to enjoy a true greenhouse. When you do this, you will transform your love of gardening into a year-round hobby. To grow greenhouse plants throughout the winter the minimum temperature is 45 degrees.

Unlike gardening outside where the rain waters the plants, it does not rain inside a greenhouse. Watering greenhouse plants is not simply taking a hose and saturating the soil. Within the soil, there are small open-air pores that roots depend on for providing them with nutritious gases. When you water your plants, these small pores fill up with water; which then causes suffocation for the plants roots. When the roots suffocate, the plants wither and it is very common for most gardeners when they see this to water the plants further thus causing further suffocation. Remember the watering needs inside a greenhouse are different because the environment is enclosed a majority of the time and a fair amount of moisture becomes trapped lessening the amount of water required. A good rule for watering is to check the soil and if it is dry then add water.

Paul P. Duxbury
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/an-introduction-to-greenhouse-gardening-86428.html

For people who would like to do more gardening but live in a short growing season area, a hobby greenhouse is the answer. A hobby greenhouse is not large enough to produce vegetables or flowers on a commercial basis. It will, however, give you a place for a tomato plant or two and some fresh greens even if you live in the northern regions.

Greenhouse enthusiasts even have their own association, called the Hobby Greenhouse Association, which publishes a quarterly magazine. The organization also sponsers events and helps individuals connect to get help with the aspect of gardening that they are interested in, whether it’s growing cacti or saving seeds.

If you are in the market for a hobby greenhouse, there are several types on the market. The smallest type is not large enough to walk into and must be accessed from the outside. It resembles an old-fashioned phone booth made all of glass and outfitted with shelves. This type is designed to fit as many plants as possible in as small a place as possible. The shelves are made of glass to allow as much light as possible to reach plants on the lower shelves. Another inexpensive version of this sort of hobby greenhouse is shelving covered with a zippered tent of clear plastic. This sort of arrangement is great for the small-scale hobby gardener wanting a place to keep her flowers or houseplant starts.

There are a variety of designs of hobby greenhouse that are large enough to walk into but made entirely of clear glass or plastic. They are often about the same size as a small storage building. Some independent builders have started making these to sell locally. Among national brands, one of the nicest is called the “Solar Prism.” It is called this because of it’s unique construction. This hobby greenhouse is made of a single piece of durable clear plastic which is designed to work like tiny prisms side by side. They trap the rays of the sun and shoot them back into the greenhouse at all angles. For this reason, these little greenhouses are said to glow when the weather is cloudy.

Better hobby greenhouses are equipped with automatic sensors that open vents which allow ventilation and keep the interior temperatures from getting too high. These are a great labor saver, but can get expensive. Another benefit sometimes found in nicer greenhouses is a built in irrigation or misting system. Members of the Hobby Greenhouse Association, or HGA, have invented many interesting designs of greenhouses.

If gardening is your hobby, greenhouse growing will interest you. With a greenhouse, you can have the earliest tomatoes and salad greens all year. You can also start seedlings for the main garden early in the spring when outdoor temperatures would kill them. A hobby greenhouse can be a good investment.

John Pawlett
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/greenhouse-gardening-as-a-hobby-89069.html

Do you wish to embark upon a new business venture? Ever thought of getting into the greenhouse business? If you have, then, this article will definitely prove very helpful. Here, are given details of some very basic things that need to be kept in mind while opening your very own greenhouse business.

The most essential knowledge that will be required is about the ways of propagating the crops, their potting methods and the techniques to market them. Based upon the type of greenhouse crops that you wish to grow, decide the location of your greenhouse.

The temperature condition and the water supply should be considered. You should acquire adequate information about your potential customers. The choice of the clients is crucial. You can choose to start either a production business or a retail one. Depending on whether you start a wholesale enterprise or retail, relevant crops should be grown. However, the crops should be diverse in types and size, irrespective of the type of enterprise.

Growing different cultivars of the same crop will prove satisfactory. In case of wholesalers, contract growing can be undertaken. You can produce transplants, plugs or seasonal crops.

A few crops can be grown under contract growing. However, the number of customers will reduce. In order to improve cost efficiency, the types of greenhouse should be properly chosen. Quonset is a greenhouse that is the least costly. Even the covering of the greenhouse varies according to the expense. The one that’s most beneficial should be chosen.

For an individual greenhouse business, a space of about six thousand square feet will prove sufficient. The cost of constructing a greenhouse will depend upon the materials that are used in the construction. Do not cut down the quality to save money.

The frame of the greenhouse should be chosen according to its life expectancy and the weight it can bear. Choose those frames that are economically feasible. Even the flooring in your greenhouse can prove to be a costly affair.

Even here, the flooring should be chosen as per the financial resources available. If water supply isn’t available, then it will have to be installed. In case of additional benches being installed, cost will increase. The installation of modern technology will reduce the labor costs to a large extent. Considering all factors, the budget should be fixed. Once that’s finalized, you are ready to start your greenhouse business.

Allan Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/how-to-get-going-with-your-own-greenhouse-business-134012.html

Here are some things you will need to add to your greenhouse over the months:

Benches and Shelves

Unless you have planned this greenhouse for a long time and have a supply of good soil ready, the soil required for your first year’s planting may have to be included in your budget. More than just plain garden soil is needed for potting most greenhouse-grown plants. Garden or field loam can make up as much as a third of the mixture, but it should be enriched with another third of organic material.

Vermiculite or sand is the other third. With an established compost pile or a heap of leaf-mold, you will find it necessary to purchase only such organics as sphagnum moss, peatmoss, or peat. Sphagnum moss wholesales at a few dollars a bale plus shipping charges; granulated peatmoss and horticultural peat. Leafmold is priced at cheaply per bushel. Special potting materials such as osmunda fiber (an old-time medium for orchids ) can cost a fair amount, shredded wood and bark, used increasingly of late in orchid culture, is (or was) priced very reasonably.

An asbestos bench 3 feet wide, up to 49 feet long, with 6½-inch sides, including pipe and fittings, retails for about $4.00 per linear foot (or at least it did when I bought one a while ago).

Shelves can be of glass or wood. You can purchase ready-made ones, or start out by making a few of your own and adding more as your operation expands.

Greenhouse Walk

For a walk between the benches, use a cement slab, flagstone, wooden slats, pebbles, or gravel. My walk is a cement slab, and I find it satisfactory since it is easy to wash down.

Potting Bench and Storage Cabinets

You must decide on some form of potting bench, and it will be easier if you allow room for it in your original plans. If you cannot bear to give up greenhouse space for working instead of growing, and if your greenhouse is attached to your house, you can probably do as I have.

The greenhouse door opens into our utility room, in which I have a cabinet with a 5/2-foot base.

The counter of this cabinet is used for potting, the shelves hold pots and potting equipment. In the greenhouse annex (between the utility room and the greenhouse proper), I have another cabinet for supplies such as fungicides, insecticides, labels, and fertilizers.

Some growers use a garage area for potting and storing materials.

This works out fine if your garage is heated or you live in one of the warmer areas; otherwise, it may prove impractical since much potting must be done in winter.

If your greenhouse does not have room for a potting bench, the basement of your home may offer a convenient area.

In any case, make the potting bench as strong as possible for it is destined for hard usage. Transite makes an excellent table top; or you can construct a top of ¾-, 1-, or 2-inch lumber. Actually, even if you expect to be dumping a bushel or two of soil on the counter at a time, the ¾-inch top will serve you well.

About Electricity

Be sure to include enough electrical outlets in your greenhouse. You may need extra lights, soil cables, or emergency heating, and it is provoking-and possibly dangerous-to have to run an extension cord to an outlet in your house to get adequate power or light.

In the small greenhouse the cost of electricity can usually be held to a minimum. By operating without growing lights (artificial lighting units) and soil cables you will have only the cost of a light or two for working after dark. If you install fluorescent lights, you can figure this additional operating cost -varying with the locality-at approximately 1/4 cent per hour for two 40-watt tubes. A 100-watt incandescent bulb burns at about 1/3 cent per hour.

Propagating Cases

You can convert one end of your growing bench into a propagating case by installing an electric soil cable. And in this area you can raise any plants requiring bottom heat for growth. To create the “case,” place a piece of glass over the planting; or you can have a glass frame made to fit over the cuttings. A plastic propagating case would also be good.

About Water

Include hot as well as cold water in the plumbing plans for your greenhouse. A mixing faucet will make it possible for you to draw water of proper temperature at any time for your plants.

There is no need to pipe softened water into your greenhouse, unless you want it for hand-washing. Most types of artificially softened water should not be used on plants. While it may do them no immediate harm, it may gradually weaken cell structure and lead to plant collapse.

Copper piping is satisfactory for use in the greenhouse. I have some in mine, and it has never caused any “copper poisoning.” Experts at the University of Minnesota assure me that water passing through copper pipes is perfectly safe to use on all types of plants.

Where to Get Soil

Benches and shelves are other greenhouse requisites. Benches can be built of redwood, cypress, or asbestos with slatted or solid surfaces. Some growers set their plants directly on the bench. In my benches I use galvanized tray-inserts holding a 2-inch layer of pea rock on which I set the potted plants.

Some growers construct a wooden tray for the bench and put soil in this tray so that plants can be grown directly in the bench. You may prefer to place sand in the tray and plunge pots into the sand. If the sand is kept moist, it provides extra humidity and keeps pots cool.

Gerald Mason
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/some-great-additions-to-improve-your-greenhouse-276027.html