New book!
Building Your Own Greenhouse by Mark Freeman
Publisher: Stackpole Books
This new book includes very thorough discussions of greenhouse building
materials and construction techniques. There are price lists in each chapter,
to give you an idea what to expect. Two other sections detail examples of
freestanding and attached greenhouses including their cost and the time
spent building them.
Greenhouses need not be expensive (though they certainly can be without
much trouble!). This book offers so many alternatives, that anyone could
apply the information presented to construct a greenhouse that is affordable.
A dream come true for many gardeners.
I just purchased this book and haven't finished reading it. When I have,
I'll give you a more complete review.
Greenhouse Gardener's Companion by Shane Smith
Publisher: Fulcrum Publishing
If you can only purchase one greenhouse gardening
book, this is it! Comprehensive. Helpful for greenhouse gardeners
of any experience level. This is not a construction book. You need
to already have a greenhouse to put this book to use.
Chapter titles: The Greenhouse Environment, Interior Design, Plant
Layout, Selecting the Right Plants, Plant Propagation, Pollination, Scheduling,
A Closer Look at the Plants (Ornamental Flowering Crops, Fruits and Vegetables,
Herbs), Getting to the Roots, When Things Go Wrong, The Future, Appendices
(including supply resources, record keeping guide, and the interesting chart:
"Average Percentage of Sunshine for Selected Locations")
In reading the chart for May, I find that here in Portland, Oregon USA
in Sherry's Greenhouse, I will have 52 percent sunshine (if I don't turn
on the 1000 watt light). Our friends (Darrell, Diane, and D'Arcy) in Phoenix,
Arizona, USA, will have 93 percent sunshine! They recently sent me a big
box of lemons, the show-offs.
Greenhouses - Planning, installing & using greenhouses
Publisher: Ortho Books
This one is particularly good if you are in the process of deciding whether
to buy or build a greenhouse, and just what form it might take. Has information
on buying and building a kit greenhouse, building plans for 9 greenhouses,
including 2 "solar" models, guidelines for outfitting, managing,
and using your greenhouse.
The Complete Book of the Greenhouse by Ian G. Walls
Publisher: Ward Lock
If you want a book with more technical information, this is a good one.
Ignore the advice on how to deal with pests and diseases, though--this
book does not use organic methods.
The Greenhouse Expert by Dr. D. G. Hessayon
Publisher: Expert Books
A simple book covering the basics. Enough to get you by for quite awhile.
Monthly calendar to help you plan your work in the greenhouse for a display
or crop every month. Color photographs only in the sections very
briefly describing individual plants: "general" ornamentals, alpines,
ferns, bulbs, tomatoes, other vegetables, fruit, cacti, orchids.
Secrets to a Successful Greenhouse and Business by T. M. Taylor
Publisher: GreenEarth Publishing Company, Inc
"A complete guide to starting and operating a high-profit business
that benefits the environment."
Chapter titles: Quantity and Variety, Specialized Projects with Excellent
Profit Potential, Greenhouses, Selling, Marketing, and Economics, Watering
& Growing Care, Insect & Disease Control (You can learn a lot
here--this book uses organic methods.), Soil & Fertilizer Mixtures,
Wholesale Price List (I don't know about this one--They don't say how they
arrived at the figures). Delivery, Collecting, & Using Computers (nothing
detailed, would have been dated anyway), Guidelines to Organizing Your Business,
Plant Buyers & Suppliers (USA only). Also lists the addresses (no telephone
numbers) for the US Cooperative Extension Service offices for each state.
(Don't forget to check the World Wide Web for crop information which has
been put up by various universities.)
Greenhouse Gardening by Miranda Smith
Publisher: Rodale Press
A very good book, but not nearly as comprehensive as Greenhouse Gardener's
Companion. Focuses on vegetables mostly. I'm not sure it is currently in
print. Copyright date of my book is 1985.
The Glasshouse Garden by John Watkins (The Royal Horticultural
Society Collection)
Publisher: Conran Octopus Limited
Another good basic book. This one has enough inspiring color photographs
to make me want to get out in the greenhouse and get growing! Chapter
titles: Gardening under glass, Choosing your glasshouse, The productive
glasshouse, The display glasshouse, Through the seasons, Key plants.
If you can't find these books locally, try the World Wide Web.
Amazon Books has an amazing website, and a good selection of greenhouse gardening books. I believe all of their stock is new books. Go to http://www.amazon.com
Powell's Books is also now on the web. They offer new and used books (over a million in stock!). I am fortunate enough to live in the same city. Powell's is on my small list of favorite places to be. I now see people hustling through the aisles with carts, apparently filling orders placed via the website. Go to http://www.powells.portland.or.us
Hobby Greenhouse Association (HGA)
Don't wait as long as I did to join HGA--I just got round to it recently.
HGA is a nonprofit organization of gardeners in hobby greenhouses, window
greenhouses, and other indoor areas. Membership in HGA includes a subscription
to Hobby Greenhouse (published quarterly and very worthwhile reading)
and HGA News. Other membership benefits include round robin letters,
help and advice on greenhouse gardening, a seed exchange, videotape and
book libraries, access to certain print materials at discount, etc.
To join, send membership dues to:
HGA Membership
8 Glen Terrace
Bedford, MA 01730-2048.
Be sure to provide your name, mailing address, city, state or province,
zip or postal code, and country.
Enclose U.S. funds drawn on U.S. bank or International Money Order.
Membership dues are: US $19/yr ($36/2 yrs); Canada and Mexico $21/yr ($40/2yrs);
Overseas $22/yr ($42/2 yrs).
CAUTION: The procedures for joining the listserve (below) seem to have some problems. Try at your own risk. (It won't hurt a thing.) You may get in, but then again, you may not. I'll test this again when I have time. It USED to work!
HGA also maintains a listserve. To subscribe, leave the "subject" of your message BLANK. In the "body" of the message, type the following:
LISTSERV@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU
SUBSCRIBE HGA-L Fred J. Testname
If that doesn't work, try sending message to: HGA-L@ULKYVM (or HGA-L@ULKYVM.BITNET,
if necessary)
Be sure to use your name instead of "Fred J. Testname"
as indicated above, not a computer userid.
When your subscription has been accepted, you will receive a message containing
full details regarding this listserve.