Every spring I walk around many greenhouses and I always see things for sale that make me go... why is this here. People leave with a cart full of things that were never going to make it, or could have cost them $2 in seeds instead of $40 in starts. Here's what you need to know before going shopping this year... Lots of things can be very easily started from seed. Save yourself a ton of money and don't buy the starts. The following plants are either too easy not to start yourself or too fussy about transplanting to be worth buying as starts... GROW FROM SEED, DON'T BUY AT THE GREENHOUSE: Carrots, beets, radishes, parsnips -- direct sow, can't be transplanted, they grow a taproot the second they germinate and moving them kills them. Peas and beans -- fast from seed, go in cold ground, hate having roots disturbed. Cucumbers -- I've tried starting these and they die every time. Direct sow and they catch up fast. Squash and zucchini -- usually root bound by the time you buy them and seeds catch right up. Spinach, lettuce, arugula -- cold tolerant, germinates fast, pennies from seed. Do not buy!!! Nasturtiums, zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers -- please do not spend $4 per plant on any of these. Scratch them in the dirt and walk away. Dill and cilantro -- these bolt almost immediately after transplanting. Scatter seeds where you want them, they'll self seed forever once established. WORTH BUYING AT THE GREENHOUSE: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant -- long indoor start time, buy these unless you have a good setup. Onion sets and leek starts -- long season crop, totally reasonable to buy. Pumpkins -- I personally have a hard time starting these from seed so I buy starts every year. No shame in it. True perennials rated for your zone -- rhubarb, chives, coneflowers, yarrow. These pay for themselves over time. THE PERENNIAL TRAP This is the one that costs people the most money. A plant is only a perennial if it survives YOUR winter. Not in general. It has to survive in your zone.

We’ve got another greenhouse build coming up in the next few weeks, and I’m completely torn on what size to go with. I’d love your input. What does your dream greenhouse look like? How big would you build it? And what kind of budget would you realistically want to stay within? I’m sharing my latest concept here for context. Right now I’m leaning toward a 12' x 20' design, built as a passive solar greenhouse. The goal would be to push it closer to a true 4-season growing space. Curious to hear what you'd do.

As the community continues to grow I'd love to hear where you are all from! I'll go first. I am from Northern Alberta and located in growing zone 3. It just snowed another 6 inches last night and I am, for lack of better words, OVER IT. I am just about 8 weeks away from my last frost date, so this week I have to set aside some time to start tomatoes among other things. For some reason, seed starting is my least favourite part of the gardening process. Probably because what I love about gardening is being OUTSIDE. But... as I mentioned... 6" of fresh snow on the ground... on top of the 3ft we already had... So I guess I'll be starting seeds in my basement. Would love to hear where you are from and what you got on the go right now!

I want to hear from YOU! I am in the process of planning another DIY greenhouse project and I want your intel. Tell me what your perfect greenhouse looks like. How big is it, what size? Is it a true 4 season greenhouse that you plan to grow in and heat or more of a potting shed to just extend your growing season? Have inspo photos saved? Share them here. Full disclosure, I am leaning towards a passive solar greenhouse design. I am stuck between 10x12 or 8x16 as far as size goes. Both sizes would cost close to the same to build. They are coming in at approximately $5,500 CAD. Is this something you'd want in your backyard? Would you invest $5,500 CAD ($4,000 USD) into a greenhouse if it meant you could grow in it year round? I attached photos of a mockup of a 10x12 passive solar greenhouse design I’ve been working on. I'd love to hear from you and get your input!

Hey friend! I'm so glad you're here. I'm Carolynne—the one behind every plan, testing every build with my husband Eric in our Alberta backyard, and running Hillside Market from our little homestead in Zone 3 Canada 🇨🇦. I created the Yardstead Society to support you in two ways: 1️⃣ Build Support (Free) Get help with your DIY projects from start to finish. Whether you're building a greenhouse, chicken coop, or backyard retreat, ask questions, share progress, and get guidance from the community. Eric and I are both here to help with build questions. 2️⃣ Yardstead Support (Paid Membership) Weekly calls with me, expert interview sessions, and access to resources for actually living the lifestyle—growing food, raising chickens, preserving your harvest, and working toward real self-sufficiency. 👋 Start by introducing yourself! Tell us where you're from, what you're building, or what you're hoping to grow or raise. Already finished a project? Post it under Progress Pics so we can celebrate with you. 📚 Explore the Classroom: - Build Spotlights – See what others have created - Project Planning Tools – Checklists and resources to help you succeed - Yardstead Resources – Growing, raising, and preserving (paid members) - Plus all Yardstead Society members get monthly discounts on guides and gear Tag me (@Carolynne Hill) or Eric (@Eric Hill) anytime with questions or to share what you're working on. Let's get building! ✨ — Carolynne PS: Say hi below! 👇