Dear Martha: My husband recently purchased a freestanding greenhouse, but I don't know how to use it. Where do you suggest I begin?

Answer: Greenhouses can be used for several purposes. One is to house plants that stay outdoors in the summertime and have to come indoors during winter months. You could also use it for tropical plants, which can live only outdoors from late April until the first frost.

I value my greenhouse space because it lets me raise a lot of things I would never otherwise be able to grow.

Another thing a greenhouse lets you do is grow plants year- round. Set aside an area just for vegetables or herbs. You can grow things right in the ground if you want. I pot these items and put them in the greenhouse until they are large enough to plant outside. If your greenhouse has a plastic covering, keep in mind that this is not for heat as much as it is for retaining moisture underneath the plastic. This allows you to have more humidity and to water less when you are starting seedlings.

There are so many options. You just have to decide what you want to plant, and read up on it. There is a lot of literature about greenhouse growing that is very helpful. I hope you'll soon realize how your greenhouse will really extend your growing season.

Dear Martha: What is the difference between stock, broth, consomme and bouillon?

Answer: Each of these terms refers to liquid that has been gently cooked with added meat, vegetables or other ingredients. These terms are somewhat, but not completely, interchangeable.

Broth is the liquid that remains after meat, seafood or vegetables have been cooked in water. It may be served alone or used as the base for a light soup. Stock is more intense than broth, having been cooked slowly to extract as much flavor as possible from meat or fish bones and aromatics. A stock is used as an ingredient in other dishes, such as soups, stews and sauces, rather than served alone.

Bouillon is often used synonymously with broth. The term also pertains to the condensed-cube and powder forms of broth, used to add a burst of flavor to some recipes. Court-bouillon typically refers to recipes calling for seafood. Because of the short cooking time required for fish and shellfish, court-bouillon is also flavored with vegetables and aromatics, such as celery and carrots, before the main ingredient is added.

Consomme is a clear liquid that results from clarifying homemade stock. This is usually done with egg whites.