greenhouse

Whether you’re a new gardener who’s just learning the basics, or an experienced farmer who’s looking to extend the growing season, greenhouses are an ideal environment for fruits, vegetables, and other plants to thrive. But there's a lot to learn about greenhouse gardening, and so in this guide, we'll go over everything you need to know to get started with your own portable greenhouse.

In this guide, you'll learn:

• What a greenhouse is
• How to use a greenhouse
• The different types of greenhouses
• The advantages of greenhouse gardening
• The best way to organize a greenhouse
• How to protect your plants and crops from pests
• How to clean your greenhouse
• And much more

What is a Greenhouse?

A greenhouse is a shelter that allows plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables to continue growing indoors when the weather outside is no longer conducive to agriculture. In other words, it’s a house for your plants and crops that allows you to control the environmental conditions so that you can keep gardening year-round.

How Do You Use a Greenhouse?

The idea with a green...

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift ideas for beloved family and friends?

ShelterLogic Group has a wide array of brands with a broad offering of holiday gifts for all types of people in your life. From Gardening Grandkids, to yor New-Homeowner Niece, to Camping Cousins, to your DIY Dad: we've got all the great Christmas gifts you'll need to complete your 2020 holiday shopping...

Did you know that fall is a great time to grow vegetables? With all the talk about spring being a good planting season, it’s easy to forget that the late summer and early fall is also a prime time to plant another set of well-loved crops. This is the time when delicious vegetables like turnips and broccoli are in season and taste their freshest. After you harvest your spring crops in the summer, it's time to prepare another wave of delicious homegrown fall vegetables. Planning more crops at this time ensures that you get a steady harvest of healthy vegetables well into winter.

This article will discuss fall planting. You’ll learn how to clean up your garden to prepare for fall gardening, what vegetables to plant, how to clean your garden for the fall, and how to use a greenhouse to extend the growing season. With the help of ShelterLogic greenhouses and other outdoor living essentials, you can prepare your garden for a bountiful autumn harvest every year.

What Fall Vegetables Can I Grow?

What can you grow in the fall and winter? Apparently, quite a bit! Some of the best-loved vegetables are sowed at the end of summer and beginning of all, like winter cabbage and carrots. Overall, the average fall planting temperature is when the days are in the low 70s and nights average 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Whenever this temperature range falls for your area, start planting. Here is a list of fall crops you can grow after you harvest your first round of spring and summer veggies.

• 3-4 months before the first frost: Plant broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, lettuce, radishes, and rutabagas directly in your outdoor garden.
• 2.5-3 months before the first frost: Plant beets, beans, green onions, carrots, and chard. You may also plant another round of lettuce and radishes.
• 2-2.5 months before the first frost: Plant spinach, arugula, turnips, winter radishes, and...

Summer may be coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to put away your gardening tools! In fact, now is the perfect time to plant those fall vegetables. Start sowing your garden now, and you’ll enjoy a delicious crop of fresh veggies by the time winter weather arrives. Plant enough, and you'll be able to enjoy fresh veggies in the fall and have plenty left over to can or freeze for use throughout the colder months.  

Not quite sure where to start? You’re in the right place! This fall planting guide will tell you which crops to plant right now and explain how to use unheated greenhouse growing to ensure you’ll harvest a beautiful autumn bounty.

Best Crops to Grow this Fall

One of the most important keys to successful fall gardening is knowing which crops to plant. Some of the easiest fall and winter vegetables include:

• Brussels sprouts
• Beans
• Beets
• Celery root
• Collards
• Cauliflower
• Green onions
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Lettuce
• Peas
• Parsnips
• Radishes
• Radicchio
• Turnips

Deciding which crops to plant will depend, in part, on personal preference. You’ll also need to consider how much space you have and your area’s hardiness zone.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has created a map that divides the country into eleven different zones based on the average annual temperature in the region. Each zone represents ten degrees of temperature difference. The zones are further divided into “A” and “B” segments, representing five-degree differences.

If you live in zones 8 through 11, you shouldn’t have any problem growing turnips, summer squash, broccoli...

Is there a more perfect time of the year than the fall? The temperature is comfortable, the leaves are changing, and everyone wants to be outside. It’s also a great time to get to all those DIY backyard projects before the winter weather starts to roll in. Before you get started on your to do list, here are some essential products you need to make your tasks that much easier.

Organizing the Patio Ahead of Winter

One of the most popular DIY backyard projects is cleaning up your pool, patio, or deck ahead of winter. Outdoor storage sheds can be a practical addition to your backyard space, patio, or deck. A Spacemaker deck box is an attractive and versatile outdoor storage bench with roomy, convenient patio storage for pool toys, furniture cushions, and other summer items. It has a built-in corrugated floor to keep your items protected and dry and a pneumatic lift for improved lid opening and closing, which gives you easier access to your items. The Storboss horizontal shed is also an excellent solution for your outdoor storage needs. The Storboss’s 6 x 3 ft. footprint and slanted roof design is great for patios, decks, walkways, in the garage or on the side of your house. This attractive shed for backyard storage has a charcoal finish is an easy to access solution for trash cans, bicycles, patio equipment and so much more.

Prepping Your Firewood for the Winter Season

You may...

• What types of plants am I planning to grow?
• What temperatures do I need to maintain in my greenhouse?
• How much space will my plants need to grow healthy?
• How long will it take for my plants to go from sprout to fruit or flower?

Grow Your Own Vegetables

Urban farming is becoming more popular in America as people are turning to growing their own food in densely populated areas. What exactly is urban farming? According to Greensgrow.org, it’s any growing operation within a city that sells the food it produces. While there are many different techniques to creating the perfect environment for growing crops, here are some proven solutions to successful urban farming.

Finding the Right Location

Maybe you already own a plot of land and want to convert your backyard into an urban farm. Or if you don’t want to dig your yard up, you can rent or buy a plot of land. But before you get those seeds in the ground, look at the site’s security, access to water, soil quality and the distance you’ll have to travel to get there. Additionally, how close are you to a food dessert, and can urban farming help the community thrive? Also, check for zoning laws in your state: some states prohibit land use within city limits for agricultural use. Size doesn’t matter. Efficient landscaping techniques can help you carve out a garden in your small space. If you’re a first-time farmer, you may want to use less than a quarter acre to start. However, more land will give you room to expand, store equipment, add a greenhouse, and even ro...