Learn How to Grow Vegetables in a Greenhouse With These Helpful Tips!

[@BrokenGround]

Hope you all enjoyed this video! Which tip did you find the most helpful? Do you have any of your own pro tips for fellow greenhouse gardeners? Let me know below!

[@glencanaan2169]

Greenhouse within a greenhouse, good idea. Hadn't thought about the pollinator issue. Are the self pollinating plants natural (non GMO)?

[@BrokenGround]

@@glencanaan2169 Yes, definitely non GMO, open pollinated varieties.

[@izabelasiczek3547]

Watched about 8 videos now and you're finally is the one that actually had lots of tips thanks greetings from uk

[@BrokenGround]

Oh, I'm glad my video was useful for you! Thanks so much for watching!!

[@kate739]

great, helpful, practical video - thank you so much! i don't have a green house but am toying with the idea. thanks

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching Kellie! You won't regret getting a greenhouse if you do decide on it!

[@crystaltherapy]

This is so comprehensive! best video on growing in a greenhouse. TY!

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome! I'm glad it was useful for you. Good luck growing in your greenhouse this season!

[@ms.f.leebanks397]

Hello, My son just put up my greenhouse 2\19\22. This is my 3rd greenhouse because zone 7b tornadoes & hurricanes damaged the others. I'm trying wind proof dome style this time. Not giving up on greenhouses no matter what happens. I must grow my own food. Your tips were wonderful. I'm going to buy frost cloth and chicken water heater 12 ft greenhouse. I already have shade cloth.

[@BrokenGround]

Wonderful. I'm glad the tips were useful. Good luck this season!

[@Freynightwalker]

Great video, we live in Ontario, Canada, and your tips would work great in our climate. Thank you for sharing.

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching, glad that the video was useful for you!

[@aunnaowens6113]

i am starting a greenhouse and i really needed this

[@BrokenGround]

Perfect, I'm glad this was useful for you. Thanks for watching!

[@abraham3901]

great insight(s)Thank you very much. ill be setting our first greenhouse in a few days. looking forwards to a new gardening experience. Have a great rest of the week.

[@BrokenGround]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching. Good luck with your new greenhouse!

[@malaikahansen]

Thank you so much this video is a treasure for me as a beginner!!!

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome! Good luck with your greenhouse!

[@rebeccagreen-parkinson1195]

Wonderful video. Very informative. Thank you so much!

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome Rebecca!

[@connieefurulee]

Thank you. I’m brand new to a greenhouse. This was very helpful

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome! Glad this was helpful for you!

[@Orion100]

Thanks for sharing. We are going to put up greenhouse this year. First time. You have some great tips for cold climate. We are in Alberta. Will be visiting your channel.

[@BrokenGround]

Great, thanks for watching and good luck with your greenhouse!

[@ianbeagleman1191]

Great job explaining the inner greenhouse functionality. OUTSTANDING!! Thank you.

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@tommarsh4602]

Super informative. The soil mix is excellent you can tell by the plants and preach on about the microbial and earthworm part of it🍂

[@yennyjen5742]

I am in Wyoming. Currently turning a shed into a greenhouse. 😬 looking forward to watch more videos for gardening in a cold climate 😬 new subscriber here 💪

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks so much for subscribing! Glad you found me and glad you'll be building a greenhouse, it makes such a difference in our cold climates in terms of extending our season. Let me know if you have any other specific questions I can help you with!

[@ricetwicemattdaddy9429]

Great idea to use "greenhouse" within the greenhouse during the winter. I bought a 10x7 greenhouse last August and bought a heater fan for the winter nights but this winter I will definitely use clear plastic covers to cut down on electricity use. Thank you for the ideas on how to use the greenhouse.

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome. Glad the video was useful for you. It is really surprising how much you can gain. I would suggest you use frost cloths rather than clear plastic, it has more insulation value.

[@TheRancherAndTheWife]

Great insight about getting the pollinators in :) Can't forget them!

[@z21004wang]

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[@traceyhanson1704]

Do you do in-person greenhouse visits? I live in Bozeman and just installed a greenhouse. I would love some help and consulting. Happy to pay for your time and services.

[@BrokenGround]

Hi Tracey, I just emailed you a response. If you don't see it in your inbox, it often lands in spam or promotions. Happy to set up a consultation time!

[@lillianclayton8371]

Hello Kareen, thanks for the great tips. I am using a hoop house for the first time and had to discover so important facts out just in time, such as transforming from cold to hot crops, when to water etc. I am now listening to your video again to get more info on soil amending in my hoop house. Thanks for being here. Lillian

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome Lillian, thanks for watching!

[@windmillcancersurvivor2568]

I have a feeling I'll be visiting this channel often as you seem to be quite the resource.

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching!

[@neverendingharvest6413]

Thank you. Keep sharing

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@maryharrison8263]

I am building a greenhouse now. Your tips were very useful. Thank you for sharing with us.

[@BrokenGround]

Glad it was helpful!

[@maryannewolter-pryke2450]

Thanks very much for taking the time to do this video to teach others. You are so knowledgeable! Not so cold here in NZ

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching Maryanne! You're so lucky in NZ to have a more temperate climate. I still remember the delicious feijoas from my time there!

[@denesestanley7011]

Good morning. Thanks for sharing. I’m going to buy a greenhouse from Amazon…. Does the color make a difference? I’m seeing some that has clear material and some that are green. Thank you

[@BrokenGround]

I'd go with the clear material if you can!

[@christinewiet363]

This was such a helpful video for me. Thank you so much! I’ll be putting up a greenhouse the spring, and your tips for watering and considering pollinators are excellent.

[@BrokenGround]

Great Christine, glad it was useful for you. Good luck with your greenhouse this spring!

[@onnozweers]

I loved the sound of the rain!

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

Greetings from the LooseNatural farm in Andalusia

[@BrokenGround]

Greetings back! Thanks for watching my videos!

[@johnnynixon6697]

Great journalism!

[@lovefist8271]

Thank you for this. Just started a mini greenhouse and failed miserably the first round. This just showed my so many things I did wrong. Heading back out now to try again.

[@BrokenGround]

Glad this was useful for you! Good luck this growing season! It's always a learning process.

[@pfdavidz]

Great advice!

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching!

[@freelearningresources5552]

Great tips - thank you so much for sharing your experience

[@karenw9996]

Just watched your video on five favorite berries, then this one - and I've subscribed. GREAT information, well presented and easy to understand - and you're in zone 4, YAY!!!! Tomorrow's supposed to be near triple digit heat index - I'll be watering the garden in the morning, then retreating to the house to keep cool, and I'll be binge watching your channel!

[@BrokenGround]

Glad you found my channel Karen! Thanks for subscribing! Hope you're staying cool!

[@territrimble9780]

Really helpful video!

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching!

[@Mark-te8ky]

i live in nyc and i have a garden at my yard, can this greenhouse help me plant things during winter?

[@BrokenGround]

Hi Mark, it can definitely extend your season significantly but perhaps not throughout the entire winter. In December and January, we don't have much light so things grow really slowly. They can still grow but you'd have to heat the greenhouse so it's for you to weigh the benefits versus the cost. I typically freeze out my greenhouse during the winter (typically December-February) to interrupt the pest cycle and simply because the additional cost of heating it and the slow growth rate doesn't really justify the greens that I would get out of it.

[@Mark-te8ky]

@@BrokenGround besides the heater, do you use a fan or some sort of ventilator? there is a large green house by my home and they use some fort of circulating fan?

[@BrokenGround]

@@Mark-te8ky Yes, there is also a fan in the greenhouse at the top. I try to use it minimally and mostly just open the door and windows on hot days but it's good to have as a backup.

[@TheMintedMaiden]

Lovely video, thank you! This is my first year growing in a greenhouse and I learned a lot from this.

[@BrokenGround]

Great, thanks for watching!

[@Sibes3]

Very useful information. We're just a little north/west of you in southern B.C. so your climate zone is very similar to ours. We just purchased our first greenhouse, which we've yet to put up. I'm very excited to learn how to use it properly. Thank you for your video!

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome Sylvie, thanks for watching! Good luck with your greenhouse this season!

[@cabigail_b]

One tip I learned from The Vegetable Gardener's Bible is to refrain from watering plants in the greenhouse when the temperature drops - leafy greens are much more likely to die if their leaves are filled with water versus withholding water during the colder temperatures. Have you tried this out in your greenhouse? We are aiming to build one this fall, so I haven't been able to try it out yet. Loved your video - thanks for sharing!

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for sharing Chari and for watching the video. I haven't tried that out but it does make sense. Covering everything with frost cloth is fairly effective as well. Good luck with your greenhouse build!

[@steffipaunikoski2795]

Thanks for the tips! We are also new at this Green world, just got a green house to raise our veggies in our yard. We are from Finland 🇫🇮

[@BrokenGround]

Wonderful! Thanks for watching the video. Good luck with the growing season!

[@chantallachance4905]

next year here in québec, in march I will put in the soil of my little greenhouse a heater cable (for roof).

[@BuhayNamin-z9k]

Wow nice 👍

[@bonnymoore979]

Thank you! Putting first greenhouse in Red Lodge.

[@BrokenGround]

Exciting! Good luck!

[@susanjivoini6330]

Great info. We are building our first greenhouse.

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching! Glad you're getting in your first greenhouse, very exciting!

[@sheelaghomalley3292]

Very informative thank you

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@carolynsteele5116]

Thank you for this great information. I have a 12x20' greenhouse because I garden for sustainability in zone 7a. The plants grown in beds last much longer because the soil stays more temperate. I had the entire greenhouse overwhelmed by white flies one year, so I spray the whole place down at the first sign with Dr. Zymes. Haven't had a problem since.

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome Carolyn. Thanks for the tip on white flies!

[@thecarpentersdaughter4456]

What is Dr zhymes

[@Skaaptjop]

thanks, starting n 4.5m x 12m tunnel now, I live on South Africa in the Karoo, very short grow season in the Sneeuberge. nice videos !!

[@practicalphilosophy9031]

Very cool! Thank you for sharing!

[@debbiecrawford8910]

Great information! I’m from Libby Montana and just purchasing a greenhouse. I really don’t know much about growing in a green house, but want to grow my tomatoes and peppers. I see you have so many greens in your greenhouse too! I am never sure about the correct soil. Im trying to make my own compost, but it’s slow. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos! Thanks

[@BrokenGround]

Great, thanks for watching Debbie! Yes, getting the soil right is very important. I usually go with a 50/50 compost soil mix for any beds. You may have to add extra amendment to your greenhouse beds over time. Having a greenhouse in our climate means you can do early season greens (I plant in my greenhouse mid-March) and then you can extend the season for your peppers and tomatoes, often by at least a month. Good luck!

[@AccessAlly]

This is such great info! I need to think about the best way to collect rainwater from the roof of the greenhouse too... and I love the tips on when to plant and move things, too. Great advice!

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching Nathalie!

[@tiffanie4102]

Such great information! Thank you!

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@j.o.a.t9718]

Excellent tips. Being up in Canada, I wanted to get my seeds going early so I'm not trying to plant seeds directly in the garden, which is usually mid to late May. I built a hoop house with some ventilation. Not intending to use it during the summer, but I could use it to extend the season. It being my first greenhouse, there is room for improvement.

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching my video. And yes, hoop houses are great options that are less expensive and often just as effective! You could definitely use it in the summer as well if you're able to roll up the sides and properly ventilate it.

[@lovutati]

Great video thank you!

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@evekinglehman84]

Have you thought of using Thermal Mass in the winter greenhouse? I have no electricity in my greenhouse, Western Oregon, USDA zone 8a, and I keep it going with food all winter with cool weather crops such as Boc Choy, Mustard, Chickory, Kale, Chard, Arugula. In summer, no thermal mass, with lots of ventilation, I grow the hot season veges: peppers, eggplant, and melons. Thanks so much!

[@BrokenGround]

That's great that you can keep yours going year round. Of course, you're 4 zones warmer than we are! I also find that light wise, it's just not worth it in terms of the slow production. But additional thermal mass would definitely help, especially in October and November. I've thought of putting in a bunch of jugs of water, but I have such limited space that it's tricky sometimes. It's a constant exercise in experimentation. Thanks for watching!

[@juangallardo4618]

Well explained. God bless You..😇

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching!

[@beefsoda1]

Love the video

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching!

[@jamesalanstephensmith7930]

Very helpful as I plan to integrate a greenhouse onto the back off my house for the reasons you stated and more (permaculture).Informative! Go green!

[@BrokenGround]

Wonderful! Great to hear!

[@Travelgirl0224]

Thank you so much for this video. I learned so much! 😊

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@DDGLJ]

Wow, your videos are so helpful. Thank you so much. I moved to Red Lodge from Billings and the difference is shocking, for two places ostensibly in the same zone. Does altitude have an effect? I’ve noticed some perennial flowers are stunted here, though they get more water than they did in Billings. Just built a wonderful greenhouse as a last attempt to save my green thumb!

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks so much for watching! Altitude definitely has an effect, the temperatures swings are usually more significant i.e. it gets down much cooler at night and it's probably not as warm during the day. So it may be a hardiness zone colder, even. So getting a greenhouse will definitely help extend your season! You'll love it!

[@DDGLJ]

@@BrokenGround I’m sure I will! I saw your musical seed short and thought, “I’m right there with ya!” Itching to get started. Thank you so much. So helpful.

[@swann548]

Wow ! Finally someone who answered all my questions in 1 video. You are awesome & smart as a whip ! Love ur garden 💙 Look how much fresh food u have ! You are what u eat. 💚 I want to build an attached greenhouse at my ranch in Arizona. It would help heat the house , it provides oxygen also from the plants. What do u think ? Have u ever tried to grow fruit trees inside the GH ? Do u think its better to just keep the polinator plants outside to control pests on the other indoor plants ? I want to grow & harvest all year just in the Greenhouse. Use flat black color barrels full of water to absorb heat during day & release at night. ❤ ❤️

[@BrokenGround]

Glad the video was useful for you. Attached greenhouses are a great idea, though being in Arizona, I might have a concern that it would be quite hot and create issues for you in the summer. I guess it depends on what altitude you're at as well. I haven't grown fruit trees in my greenhouse, since it's too small though this year, I am experimenting with a couple of fig trees in pots so we'll see how that goes. However, it can certainly be done and I would suggest it, especially if you're going to attach a greenhouse. Check out Jerome Osentowski's work at the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute. He has also written a book called Forest Garden Greenhouse that should help you think through how to go about doing that. He uses something called a climate battery. If you do a search for that, you'll come up with other options as well. As to pollinators, definitely put pollinator plants in your greenhouse as well as outside. I typically have calendular, nasturtiums and then my arugula that's gone to flower is in the greenhouse, while at the same time having the pollinator plants on the outside. The more the better!

[@mork6911]

Hi Kareen thanks for posting your tips & tricks, I have just brought home the glass windows & twin wall poly for the roofs before i start construction its youtube time to learn.I do like your explanation/presentation. We live in South Australia, snow not being one of our problems but heat will be. One reason for us is to have a safe gardening zone free of snakes as we have three of the most poisonous with-in tripping distance ( wear boots ). Happy Gardening

[@BrokenGround]

Yes, being able to properly vent your greenhouse should definitely be a priority. Is there a way that you can design so you can lift the top off entirely? Yikes, poisonous snakes, that adds a whole different element to gardening! Good luck!

[@mork6911]

@@BrokenGround Thanks for your reply & what a great idea about the roof which might be too heavy to lift off but i could hinge half of it & lift it up with gas struts. Our small Nanda Farm is on the banks of Lake Alexandrina the largest natural fresh water lake in Australia with a mediterranean type climate so water no problem just heat, wind, snakes, black birds and more biting insects than you can poke a stick at, other than that we love it. For your interest our snake's are the Brown snake, Tiger & Red Belly Black. Have a great day & keep up the good work.

[@davidanderson9845]

Thanks, good info!

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@mayaali4332]

This was very informative.

[@darbysherrodhorne6203]

Do you have plans for your green house for ideas? I'm looking for actual construction plans as this is the size I'm looking at building, and/or when and where you put all your crops for the different seasons! I love your little shelves for the starts and the idea of doing hot crops in there too! I'm in zone 5 and have been looking for some tips to extend our short growing season - thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!!

[@BrokenGround]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you Darby. I don't have plans but if you go to the Alpine Greenhouses website here (alpinegh.com/) you can possibly see how it's constructed. DO NOT buy from them or enlist their services, however. I have had several clients who have now had bad experiences with them. The model for the greenhouse is good, the company just has some issues ;-). Yes, shelves for starts is critical. I might change the shelves from wood to something that would let the water flow through (like metal shelves with slats) so that the water can flow down to the garden beds that are located underneath. Thanks for watching the video!!

[@DailyHumsafarke]

Nice

[@나무사랑공예]

Thank you.

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@dorothyandrews8872]

I have just built a 8x8 greenhouse from glass patio doors. I have one window in the back which opens and I am going to have a door that has a window that will open when needed. I have cement slabs on the floor. I live in Canada zone 4 normally we don't plant outdoors until end of may. I am not planning on food crops but perennials and annual flowers. I will start them indoors with grow lights but not sure when to put them in greenhouse, I have no heat in there. I don't know where I can get fleece, or shade cloth as we do get really hot in summer. This year will be a huge learning curve, but excited about it. I am following your tips, and already catch rain in large barrel, as I am also on a well.

[@BrokenGround]

Hi Dorothy! Typically, I am able to plant in the greenhouse at the beginning to end of March without having to use supplemental heat. If I am moving plant starts like tomatoes or peppers out to the greenhouse, I usually do that by mid-April. You can always give them a little extra protection by putting a frost cloth over top of them in the greenhouse too. In terms of shade cloth or frost cloth, these are typically available at local garden centers or nurseries. In a pinch, you can also order them online at places like Johnny's Seeds, for example. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck!

[@manijkjp5527]

This video helped me a lot thank's ♥️

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@drivestorage1779]

New to this, no land to grow. Looking to greenhouse it all. Eager to learn, subscribed.

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for subscribing. If you haven't already, I have a lot of videos that will be able to help you out if you're new to gardening!

[@drivestorage1779]

@@BrokenGround m catchin up on ur videos and contemplating how to do my setup. Question ... can u show videos on self watering containers?

[@BrokenGround]

@@drivestorage1779 Here's an older video that shows you how I initially set up my watering containers in my old greenhouse: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZWbgqR4pat0gck

[@alternateroads]

We have an off grid location we will be adding permaculture to in the WY/SD area. We are very interested in being self reliant. Thank you for all your "zone 4" knowledge! It is invaluable to us.

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@Gardeningnature768]

so amazing

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching! Hope it was helpful for you!

[@w4447]

Do you ever use cold frames?

[@BrokenGround]

Yes! I do! They can be super effective. I also use frost cloths with hoops that are also pretty effective as well. I definitely recommend cold frames and/or hoops with frost cloth for someone who either doesn't have the space, time or budget for a greenhouse!

[@exam2easy1]

This is very useful information

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

[@skaboosh]

Superb. I was thinking of putting my spinach and kale outside but maybe I can grow it in my greenhouse

[@BrokenGround]

Yes, you can grow a first succession in the greenhouse and then a second succession outdoors so that you have spinach and kale for longer. It will eventually get too hot in the greenhouse in late June, early July to grow those in the greenhouse. Thanks for watching!

[@skaboosh]

Thank you very much

[@larryanderson599]

I just came across your channel. You have done one excellent job of explaining the workings of a greenhouse. I’m in the process right now of building my own homemade greenhouse. You helped me so much thank you. I just subscribed to your channel have a good day

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching, Larry, and for joining the workshop last night! Good luck with your greenhouse build!

[@larryanderson599]

@@BrokenGround Kareen, you did such a great job with your workshop the other night. It was well worth the time. I’m so impressed with how you talked about your consulting on your clients property. I’ve been on my property for a little over 50 years not knowing that I have been making our land work for us, with watching the wind water and etc. It’s just something I enjoyed doing. I wish you all the best in your business. You can tell how much you enjoy what your doing. I can tell your awesome at it. I will be watching your KZbin channel. Thanks again for a fantastic workshop. Larry

[@margiemistretta8885]

Very correct information. I find in many of these homestead type gardens they donot get the concept of cool or warm crops. Also you didnt get into the proper watering techniques. The most important fact is to water when soul is dry...never water if soil is wet!!! Or the extreme importance of ventilation especially during the warmer temps.

[@BrokenGround]

Yes, great advice and thanks for watching!

[@ursamajor1936]

Your video popped up in my feed today! I loved your informative vlog! New subscriber from north central Wisconsin forest land.

[@BrokenGround]

Wonderful! Thanks for subscribing and watching my videos!

[@MervB1]

Enjoyed your video. I live in Australia just below the snow line (yes we do have snow fields) which means we have very cold (for us) down to around 0c (32 f) and heat up to 46 c (115 f). I have small hothouse for winter with a southern thermal wall built from 3 ltre milk container. I also place water filled milk containers amongst the plants. Frankly, during the heat of summer I just close the gardens down. Pests and heat cause too much mayhem.

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for sharing! I would imagine closing down the greenhouse makes sense during your summer. 46 c is ridiculously hot. Can you even grow outside very effectively? Thanks for watching!

[@MFV77]

Something I’ve had no luck tracking down is how to integrate/ work with both earth ( raised bed) gardens and the greenhouse. We have a geodesic dome from Growing Spaces.

[@BrokenGround]

I'm not sure what you mean, so feel free to elaborate. I have raised beds in my greenhouse that are continuous with the soil below the greenhouse. Does that make sense?

[@MFV77]

@@BrokenGround Hello! Thank you so much for responding ! We live in the Black Hills, so zone 4b or 5a. We got our greenhouse started in July last year (took forever to arrive, and then a rabbit ate every last start!), so we just planted pretty much whatever we could find, just to experiment. We have a raised bed garden close to it... six 4’X10’ beds (fenced in to keep the myriad deer out). We have extremely rocky soil, which despite 8 years of amendments is still a bit clayey.... for whatever that’s worth! Anyway, we want to grow in both gardens, but can’t really figure out how - what to plant where, what to start early in the greenhouse to move into the earth/ raised bed garden, how to maximize the shorter season here. We’ve found great books and similar resources on greenhouses, and great books on raised bed gardens, but none that tell us how to work with both of them together to fully maximize our space. The greenhouse is an 18’ dome... a nice amount of room, but not huge. I totally get (I think!) what you said about your greenhouse’s raised beds growing down into actual earth, but our soil is far too rocky. (We literally border the National Forest.) It was great to hear from you! Any help/guidance/advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!!!!

[@gauthamishetty2582]

This video has really helped me to enhance my knowledge about plants and green house. And also it helped me in my biology study. Thank U. 😄😄😙😙💓💖💕

[@BrokenGround]

Wonderful, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@MyBackyardGarden]

Beautiful seedlings. Great content. Thanks for sharing.

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome!

[@respectmothernature]

I noticed in a post you did a year ago that you were trying a fig tree in your greenhouse. What kind did you try, and how has it worked? I plan to pot one up in our greenhouse this year, and since we live in the same area, I would appreciate knowing how yours grew. Thank you!

[@BrokenGround]

I actually forget the variety, though I bought it locally from a woman up Springhill that grows a bunch in a large greenhouse. I forget her name! But it has survived these past several years! I bring it into the house during the winter where it goes dormant and drops its leaves. I water it once/month during dormancy and then bring it out to the greenhouse in April/May! Good luck! Let me know how it goes!

[@Kasador]

I'm in Island Park, Idaho, so this was great.

[@TheRancherAndTheWife]

where is that? we are growing in north idaho

[@JohnSmith-vb6jx]

Really glad I found this channel. I'm in the same area and climate (having mixed snow and rain right now, 34°F...May 23...). Just putting the finishing touches on my 12x20 hoop house today. Installing a storm door and vent window on front and back walls. Picked up some seedlings from HD yesterday and they're under a plastic tunnel I made out of leftover greenhouse film and put inside the greenhouse. Hopefully the low temps don't hurt them. I have zero experience at this so I'll definately be tuning in. I need to plant these seedlings by tomorrow before I leave to go to work on monday for a week or so. Do you think it's too cold to plant them with this weather we're having? I got tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, corn, etc. Thanks for the help.

[@BrokenGround]

So sorry for the delay. Planting season is underway so I've been pretty busy! I imagine you already put your seedlings in but for future reference, it's fine to be planting on the hoop house, even with the lower temperatures. You usually gain a few additional degrees by having a hoop house so you're usually okay, even if it's cold outside. Sometimes, you can gain even more protection by covering everything inside the greenhouse with a frost cloth, though you'll no longer need that now that we're moving into later spring, early summer. Let me know if you have any other questions!

[@lindawyborny5091]

What types of plants would be considered a hot crop? Your video is very informative. Thank you.

[@BrokenGround]

Hi Linda. Hot crops are things like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, winter squash and beans. They like the warmer season and aren't very frost tolerant. Thanks for watching!

[@linr7342]

Bumblebees are one of the best veggie pollinators out there. You can even buy bumble bee or make houses for them. Plant lots of sunflowers and red bud trees around your green house Bumblers love those.

[@BrokenGround]

Red bud trees are borderline for us but yes, I have sunflowers that volunteer in my garden as well. Love the bumblebees! Thanks for watching!

[@linr7342]

@@BrokenGround We try to encourage bumblers to come to our blueberries also. As much as we love our apiary bees only bumblers can give the right kind of pollination for many plants. Love your channel.

[@dkurtel]

@@BrokenGround I've been hearing a lot about leafcutter bees being super efficient pollinators. Haven't tried them yet but plan to. Thanks for the video!

[@BrokenGround]

@@dkurtel You're welcome. Thanks for watching and for the tip!

[@LittleJordanFarm]

Hello..enjoyed your tips..this is my first year with a greenhouse (10x10) appreciate your information. I'm zone 7b . If I may ask your zone. It would help me judge my timing on taking my seedling out into mine. Blessings

[@BrokenGround]

Thanks for watching. We're in zone 4b so a lot colder than you. I'm sure you can start in your greenhouse much sooner and perhaps even be growing throughout the winter. Good luck!

[@annieem5693]

Thank you for all this great info! Exactly what I was looking for. Question: My 8X12 greenhouse will have its long sides facing South and North. I though I'd put the raised bed for the tomatoes and peppers on the north wall, and the bench and shelving for the seedlings along the south. That way the tomatoes and peppers won't block the sun for the seedlings. Does that seem like the thing to do? Thanks for your time and help!

[@BrokenGround]

Great, glad the video was useful. Yes, that seems like that would make most sense. Though you're often growing out seedlings long before the tomatoes get tall enough to block the sun. The peppers could go on that south end as well as they don't get as tall as tomatoes. Hope that helps!

[@timothykamei7194]

Thanks for your insight. Can you suggest any books to help me start on this journey of green house hoophouse etc.

[@BrokenGround]

Hi Timothy, thanks for watching the video. Eliot Coleman's Four Season Harvest is a great book. I guess it also depends on overall goals for your greenhouse. I assume it's for annual and not perennial production. You can see his book here: www.eliotbarbara.com/read-our-books/four-season-harvest/

[@BrokenGround]

Jerome Osentowski's Forest Garden Greenhouse is a great book for perennial food production in a greenhouse. Hope that helps!

[@timothykamei7194]

Thank you so much. I have added both the books in my cart in Amazon.

[@thezone3gardener645]

My greenhouse is just being constructed. Please want to see a tour of your greenhouse

[@BrokenGround]

Are you local? If so, I will likely have a public tour in July. Stay tuned to my website here for more information about it: www.brokengroundpermaculture.com/

[@jenniferhardy59]

thanks for the awesome tips. We have just purchased our first greenhouse and I am so excited. I am new to this, so I'm trying to figure out where to begin. I guess the first thing to ask is do you keep any of your vegetables in the greenhouse all year round or do you transplant some. I was hoping that we could build a raised garden within our greenhouse and I could plant my seeds directly into that. Or is it best to have both (inside and outside). I am in Canada, so our growing season is like Montana's very short :)

[@BrokenGround]

Hi Jennifer, you can definitely plant directly into your garden beds in the greenhouse and you can do this a lot sooner than planting outside. So, for example, I plant my early season greens (e.g. spinach, lettuce, peas, arugula etc.) in the greenhouse mid-March, directly seeded into the soil. Whereas I'm not planting those same things outside until the last week of April or the first of May. I don't keep plants in there year round, however. In December and January, there just isn't enough natural light outside to make it worthwhile. Plants will grow, if the greenhouse is heated, but VERY slowly. So instead, I take that time to freeze out my greenhouse to cut down on pests and start it back up end of February/March. Hope that helps!

[@peety6323]

Jennifer Hardy I am in Montana LOL. Yes it is short.

[@jessicagibson6538]

great video thank you for all of your great advice.

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@danhorton107]

Can u do a video on fertilizer on your transplant plants

[@BrokenGround]

I'll put it on the list. Thanks for the idea!

[@noelwalker8599]

So glad I found your channel! We moved from a coastal swamp in the Gulf to Great Falls last July. I have so much to learn for this climate. If you are moving plants into your greenhouse in March, when are you starting those seeds? Also, is there a resource you can recommend for when to plant things? Would things like pumpkin and sweet potato get started inside, or would it be warm enough to start them in a greenhouse?

[@BrokenGround]

I'm glad you found my channel as well! Have you been to my website? I have a blog where I have other resources/blog posts that may be helpful for you. I also have a planting calendar that you can download that I'll post in a link below. It's for the Gallatin Valley area but I imagine it's similar. However, I'd also suggest you go to a local nursery in Great Falls to see if they have a planting calendar for your specific area. Pumpkins can be direct seeded but also started inside. I typically do start them in the greenhouse from seed before putting them out in the garden, just to get a jumpstart on the season, since we have such a short one. Sweet potatoes are trickier here and need to be started as slips, but it may be a little late to do that now. The cool season crops that I move out to the greenhouse in March, I typically start the first week of February indoors under lights. Hope that helps. Here's that planting calendar link: brokengroundpermaculture.com/my-vegetable-planting-calendar-for-cold-climates/

[@noelwalker8599]

@@BrokenGround thank you so much! Heading to your blog now!

[@DDGLJ]

@@BrokenGround Do you have a greenhouse calendar? Or do you recommend just adding x number of days to this schedule? We just installed a fivewall polycarbonate greenhouse at our place in the mountains near Red Lodge. Even unheated, with no thermal mass except a gravel floor it was 0 in there and -20 outside a couple days ago.

[@BrokenGround]

@@DDGLJ Below is an approximate one, though it also depends on whether you want to heat your greenhouse. If you don't, then I would experiment to see how warm it stays given your microclimate. You can start stuff as early as February but I usually wait until early to mid-March. Feb: plant cool weather greens (kale, lettuce, spinach, arugula, carrots, radish, peas, etc) - keep heater at a minimum of 32. Mar: plant warm loving plants (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, herbs, beans, etc) - keep heater at a minimum of 42. If it's a cold March, plant mid to end of March. Apr: plant warm loving plants. If too cold in March, plant in April. Continue planting beds and shelves. Oct/Nov: Depending upon weather decide when to shut off heater and pull out plants. You can keep greens going all winter if you are willing to keep heater at 32.

[@DDGLJ]

@@BrokenGround Wow! Thanks for taking the time to help me with this. It’s been very confusing as the only other cold-climate greenhouse schedules I could find were zone 5 in CO (so a latitude effect as well). I think the hours of daylight will ultimately be my limiting factor more so than heat as we are in a canyon. I’ve got so much to learn. Thanks again!! So happy to have found your channel.

[@kimberlyomeara5450]

I'm having trouble with a fuzzy mold growing on my soil in my walk in greenhouse. Any advice would be great

[@BrokenGround]

If you have mold on your soil in the greenhouse, it usually means that you are watering too much. I usually don't water more than 3 times/week in the greenhouse (unless I have plants in pots).

[@kimberlyomeara5450]

@BrokenGround thank you I will cut back on the water.

[@BrokenGround]

@@kimberlyomeara5450 You're welcome. Let me know if that helps!

[@jamietrout2527]

I'm in northern Idaho, so this was super helpful

[@BrokenGround]

Glad it was helpful Jamie!

[@porteryoung5757]

Glad to find you, thanks for the info, I’m new to the greenhouse life so I’ll definitely keep in contact with your video... thanks again 🤙🏻💜🧘🏻‍♂️

[@BrokenGround]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@markoduchich236]

Why not to use skins from boiled favs bins . We like them . Do they value ? Is it ok to plant them now May June in California ? Thank you very much !

[@BrokenGround]

@@markoduchich236 It's too late to plant fava beans right now. They like the cool season so they wouldn't be happy right now. You can plant them in the early fall though! I've found the fava bean skins to be a little bitter, but I'll try them out next time!

[@sabrinah6968]

I'm so glad I found this channel! We are moving to a larger property in north Idaho and I want to add a greenhouse. I'm very interested in extending the growing season as much as possible. What are your thoughts on a geo-thermal greenhouse?

[@BrokenGround]

Glad you found me as well Sabrina! Geo-thermal greenhouses are definitely a great option. I think it depends on what your goals are and how much of a budget you have for a greenhouse. A lot can also be done with a climate battery design. I'm not sure if you're familiar with those? Jerome Osentowski at the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute has greenhouses designed with climate batteries that have significantly extended his growing season. You can look for those on youtube. Good luck and thanks for watching!

[@saraheaston7362]

Some friends just built a steel and polycarbonate greenhouse for me. I have NO experience with greenhouses so will be your grateful student. I am in zone 6b and the greenhouse gets really hot. Where can I get the shade cloth you mentioned?

[@BrokenGround]

If you have a garden center or local nursery nearby, you can most likely get the shade cloth there. They often sell it by the linear foot. Good luck and let me know if you have other questions!

[@virginiaisforgardeners]

I have had a few greenhouses at various homes, and just getting back to having one again. One way of moderating the temperature inside a greenhouse was using 55-gallon oil drums (found from health food stores with things like olive and castor oil they had mostly drained but we also got free 1-2 gallons they missed before adding water) and painting them black to attract the sun. Their stored thermal mass helped keep plants warmer in the winters. The drums also made a great base for tabletops to put the plants on, as they were just about the right height for potting, etc. I don't know how easy it is to find the 55gallon drums these days, but I will be looking for a few over the summer in preparation for winter crops. They release their stored heat overnight as temperatures cool down and add some protection from the colder winds if placed on the north wall of non- lean-to greenhouses. I would love to hear if anyone has employed a low-tech geothermal system to heat the greenhouse floor with tanks like this or just recirculating water heater water from the house? Also, a dear friend added a layer of the bigger-bubble wrap to her half-hoop greenhouse wall (instead of doing the blown air double-walled approach), and that extra air pocket in the bubbles worked well. I wish I had your potting mix -it looks fabulous, and your plants appear to be singing in the sun:) Thank you for sharing your tips!

[@BrokenGround]

Yes, I love this concept of storing thermal mass in the water barrels. I think it's a great idea. And I would do it if I had a larger greenhouse. But it's pretty tight in there so I'm limited on space, unfortunately. But I think this is a great design solution if you have the room. I'm glad you've had success with it. Thanks for sharing!

[@wa5illysutton295]

We live in Alaska, zone 4b. We are getting our new greenhouse delivered at the end of this month (april). It is a polycarbonate 8x16' with a built-in vent fan. We already started our tomatoes and peppers indoors and they growing pretty tall already. I was wondering if they needed to be hardened off before I put them in the greenhouse? Or can I just put them out there when the night temps stay warm enough? Do I have to do anything special to prepare them for the transfer? Also, what can I do to prevent aphids before they become a problem?

[@BrokenGround]

They can typically go directly into the greenhouse without needing to harden them off. Sometimes, I'll put a frost cloth over the tomatoes to mitigate the nighttime temperatures but that is about it. In terms of aphids, I've found that if I catch them early, they don't become much of a problem. So I think my best advice is to stay vigilant, in addition to growing flowers in your greenhouse to attract pollinators and other beneficials. Good luck!

[@connieefurulee]

Do you have any fruit bearing trees or bushes in your greenhouse. That’s my primary interest in a greenhouse. Growing citrus and other fruits year round in zone 7a. I’m new to a greenhouse and any suggestions would be appreciated thanks.

[@connieefurulee]

Also Do you have any fruit bearing trees or bushes in your greenhouse. That’s my primary interest in a greenhouse. Growing citrus and other fruits year round in zone 7a. As I mentioned I’m new to a greenhouse and any suggestions would be appreciated thanks.

[@BrokenGround]

I have a fig tree in a pot in my greenhouse. But Jerome Osentowski has written a book called Forest Garden Greenhouse which is all about planting fruit trees and shrubs in greenhouses so I'd definitely recommend that book. He grows citrus at 7200 feet in Colorado in one of his greenhouses. You can get his book here: www.chelseagreen.com/product/the-forest-garden-greenhouse/

[@connieefurulee]

@@BrokenGround thank you so much for your response I will find that book

[@BrokenGround]

@@connieefurulee You're welcome!