photo credit: Ryan Somma

Below is a list of advantages to hydroponic indoor gardening when compared to traditional soil based gardening:

1. Once you have made your initial set-up costs, hydroponic gardening is around 20% less expensive to run.

2. You can plant more hydroponic plants in a smaller area. This is because the roots do not need to grow as large as they have easier access to nutrients. This is despite your plants actually growing larger too!

3. Maintenance time is greatly reduced! There is of course no need to water hydroponic plants and weeding doesn’t exist either! All you’ll ever need to do is pick the plants once they are ready!

4. The yield is year round and permanent as you have full control over growing conditions and you will have made them optimum for whatever you are growing. This is great for when it’s off season as you can sell them for higher prices.

5. You can grow them anywhere; basement, living room, bedroom, corridor, attic, greenhouse, garage or rooftop.

6. Your hydroponic indoor gardening will result in a crop that is on average 40% larger. This is because you have created the ideal environment for them and they have constant access to nutrients.

7. As you will not be watering them, there is no danger of them being over or under watered. This is a common mistake with many novice gardeners.

8. For the reasons listed above, your plants will grow up to 50% faster. This is great if you have a large family to feed or you’re planning on selling them.

9. There is no need to have a garden for hydroponic indoor gardening. So if you live in the arctic or the desert you’re fine! More realistically, if you live in a high rise apartment block you can still do it!

Hydroponic Indoor Gardening is a fun and exciting hobby which you can realistically make a lot of money from! If you’re interested then you should learn more about Hydroponic Indoor Gardening!

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© CharlesJackson for The Gardener's Rake, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: environment, gardening, greenhouse, greenhouses/coldframes, home hydroponics, Hydroponics, plants, science

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With continuing economic uncertainty foreign holidays are becoming more of a luxury than ever and families are looking for other ways to enjoy their summer.
photo credit: chrisdlugosz

Adding a conservatory to your home, in the long run, can save you money, increase the value of your property and provide you with a place to relax and enjoy the summer from your own home.

The positive personal impact of gardening cannot be overstated. From the sheer beauty of the plants, to the tranquility and sense of accomplishment growing plants can bring, a conservatory can make a huge contribution to the quality of life enjoyed by its owners.

Some people love the idea of having fresh flowers or lovely plants available but are stymied by the costs or the difficulty of keeping plants alive in a harsh environment.

The conservatory allows these people to indulge in a luxury at a fraction of the cost involved in purchasing plants from a retail outlet. Since the conservatory is a controlled environment, it is also possible to have a flourishing garden of plants that would simply die if left to the whims of Mother Nature.

The conservatory allows year round growing of healthy vegetables for far less than purchasing them. In addition to cutting the cost of living, the wise conservatory owner has complete control over the plants and the chemicals associated with those plants.
photo credit: pirate_renee

Conservatories are a multiple use addition. It is very simple to add passive solar heating or electricity production to a conservatory. The wise home owner who takes advantage of this possibility can simultaneously reduce his or her costs and reduce the environmental impact he or she causes simply by living life.

Conservatories are often viewed as a luxury that, especially in the current economic climate, many think they cannot afford. However, the addition of a conservatory to your home may prove to be a wise economic decision. There is potential for long term money opportunities that would not otherwise be available without a conservatory.

Today we depend upon large supermarket chains to provide our food. However, with the future sustainability of the planet in question we can save money and increase sustainability by begging to grow our own produce. Conservatories are a great help to begin saving money and growing our own food.

As well as offering an escape from a noisy household, providing sheltered enjoyment of your garden area and adding further space to your property a conservatory can help save money and increase the quality of life you enjoy in your home.

Technorati Tags: conservatories, conservatory, gardening, greenhouse, indoor gardening

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photo credit: di_the_huntress

I have used the indoor greenhouse for all of the reason listed above and over the years it has become a staple for raising healthy plants and nurturing sick plants. Indoor gardening takes the gloom out of my long winter months and is where I experiment with different plants and seeds. I have also started cutting in the indoor greenhouse.

The indoor greenhouse is perfect for growing flowers in the winter and keeping a fresh supply of herbs. I have forced tulips and daffodils for Easter and I even grow cucumbers and tomatoes all year long. You may even decide to grow plants or flowers as gifts.

How do you set up an indoor greenhouse?

There are several ways and this one is an easier versions. You can but a temporary moveable mini greenhouse. They are six to eight long by three to four foot wide at most gardening centers or Wal-Mart. They cost 20 to 60 dollars depending on size and when you buy them. I picked up two at an auction for a dollar apiece. These greenhouses come with shelves a frame and the plastic cover and can be used indoors or out.

For a greenhouse set up like this chose a room that is not being used. I have one in a basement room that gets plenty of outdoor light and another in an unused upstairs bedroom. This room also gets plenty of light so that I don’t need additional added lighting for my plants.

If you do need extra lighting, I would suggest using the fluorescent bar lights that are 4 foot long will work well. These are often used in office buildings. The bar lights can be attached over the top of the shelves for additional lighting. Your plants will need four to eight hours or light depending on what you are growing and how light is available in your room. I have also used mini spotlights if I need extra lighting, but I try to find a place in the house that has enough light to conserve on electricity. Note: if you plants are thin and leggy they need more light.

Another indoor greenhouse can be professional greenhouse plant starting stand, which costs more but is complete and ready to use. Or you can create a greenhouse as simple as setting up an unused metal shelf and covering it with clear plastic. What you are trying to do is create a warmer environment and more control over the humidity.

What ever indoor greenhouse you use you need to remember that lighting, proper watering and the best soil mix you can obtain will lead to healthy plants, seedlings and transplants. An indoor greenhouse will extend you growing season and create a more tropical feel to your home.

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© Denise for The Gardener's Rake, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
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photo credit: -Merce-

You can decide to buy a window green house that sits indoors or is attached to the outside of the window and you access it from the inside. The greenhouse attached to the outside of the window usually receives more light but takes more time to build. You can make your own mini greenhouse with a few supplies. Below are hints for creating your own Window Greenhouse.

Window Greenhouse

• Measure the height, width, and depth of inside window casing. Decide on number of shelves based on height of plants plus 1-3 inches. Use a 1″ x 6″ (or narrower) piece of wood and cut three shelves 3/4″ shorter than window’s width. You will want to sand the pieces and remove the dust.
• Next cut four pieces of 3/8″ sisal rope the height of window opening plus 25 inches. Cut eight 30″ pieces of matching twine. Note: Ropes should be no more than 30″ apart. You may need to add more rope if you feel you need more support. It’s best to have more support than needed and not enough.
• Use a 1/2″ bit to drill four holes in each shelf. Drill the holes 1inch from edges and 3 inches from ends. Sand holes to remove any wood splinters. Paint or stain the boards and coat with polyurethane to help prevent water stains and damage.
• To hang your shelves, drill holes in top and bottom window casings 3 3/8″ from sides and 1″ in from front and back. Next install screw eyes large enough for the rope. Start at the bottom of the window and measure from the sill to the first shelf. Add 5inches and put a knot in the rope. Insert the ropes through the holes in the board. Repeat this process for each shelf, leaving 5″ at top. Level the board and the shelving unit you have created.
• Finally, loop the rope ends through the top screw eyes and turn ends down 5″. Knot the twine around the sisal. Wrap tightly 10 times. Tuck the ends in and hot glue in place to secure. You will want to secure bottom of ropes in same way.

Your window greenhouse is ready to add plants to. If you select colorful pots and a few clear color glass pots for any cutting you are starting, you can create a very artistic planting area and raise plants for everyday use.

As mentioned above,  the window greenhouse that is built outside takes more time to build and costs more for materials but will give you more of a greenhouse effect. So if you need more light for your plants or more control over the climate and humidity the outside greenhouse is the best choice.

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© Denise for The Gardener's Rake, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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photo credit: wikked one

Once the greenhouse ready for use I let it set for a week to warm up. I use solar heating so the water needs to warm and that takes about a week to take the chill out of any corners.

It takes about two days to clean and organize the greenhouse.

I use the following checklist

• Wipe down any tables and surfaces with a disinfectant.
• Check all corners, doors and windows for air leaks.
• Check tables and indoor cold frames for stability and any needed repairs.
• Clean and fill clear plastic containers for solar heating
• Sort and clean any left over pots and planters
• Check any leftover soil to see if its useable
• Collect my compost and start more
• Check plastic used for mini greenhouse climate control
• Check additional lighting needed for seedlings

Solar heating

I started using solar heating about three years ago. My spring climate is so unpredictable and a cold snap would have expensive gas bills or have to rely on wood heat and go out every three hours to check the fire and temperature. I don’t know about you but the alarm going off at 3 am to head out into sub degree temperatures tends to make me grouchy.

What I did was set up my greenhouse two foot wider on all sides than I wanted. I had my brother dig a trench three foot deep with his backhoe and placed black metal 35 gallon barrels in the ground filled with water. The greenhouse frame and ground heat will keep the water in the barrels from freezing. I cover the barrels with clear plastic after the end of the greenhouse season. This set up keeps the greenhouse at about 40 degrees all winter.

After the greenhouse is cleaned I fill clear plastic jugs with warm water and place on top of the 35 gallon barrels. The sun will keep the plastic jugs at a temperature that is warm enough to heat the greenhouse to a 55-degree temperature. If I need additional heat the use of a small heater or even light will warm the greenhouse another five to 10 degrees.

To insure the jugs get enough sunlight I set the tables I use beside the water containers not on top of them. Later in the spring and summer the tables are placed over the barrels so they do not heat up by the sun.

I will also set up mini greenhouses within the greenhouse for starting seeds that require more heat. I have even used hot beds in the greenhouse for my finicky heat loving seeds and transplants.

One other way I have to heat an area is with a waterbed heating pad. I usually use this only for tomato and pepper plants that germinate better with heat from the soil, but if desperate I will use the heater in the greenhouse.

Greenhouse gardening can be a lot of fun. It gives you a larger selection of seeds and plants that you can grow and extends your growing season.

Technorati Tags: greenhouse, preparing your greenhouse, solar greenhouse, solar greenhouse heating, starting seeds

© Denise for The Gardener's Rake, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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