Seedlings in the mini greenhouse?

[Digitalis]

I have just set up one of those plastic mini greenhouses.

Is it correct to simply use it as a normal greenhouse? i.e- put newly sown seeds, seedlings, and bigger plants in it? Can I leave them in it all the time?

[Digitalis]

[Tee Gee]

Is it correct to simply use it as a normal greenhouse?

Basically yes! but they are generally not as warm as a traditional glass greenhouse.

i.e- put newly sown seeds, seedlings, and bigger plants in it?

Depends how new new is! and if we are talking veg or flowers!

I like to give my veg seedlings a few days in relatively warmth after pricking out, and flowers a bit longer

Can I leave them in it all the time?

Again basically yes but you will still have to keep an eye open for frosts and cold spells. I try never to let the temperature go below 40°F (4°C ).

Keep a piece of fleece at the ready for throwing over them if a cold snap is forecast.

[tonybloke]

those mini greenhouses can heat up real quick in full sun, and cook little plants / seedlings! be wary! ;)

[thifasmom]

don't forget to weigh it down or the wind will tip all your hard work on the ground for you :(

[Digitalis]

don't forget to weigh it down or the wind will tip all your hard work on the ground for you :(

How would I weigh it down? If I put heavy 'stuff' on the bottom shelf, I imagine it could still tip over?

[Digitalis]

By the way, it will be strawberry plants (7" high), small lettuce seedlings and toms.

[Borlotti]

Mine blew away in the wind, but is OK now, but all the seed trays blew over, but picked them up with the soil and whatever was growing is a result.  I have now put bricks, heavy metal slabs on the horizontal poles at the bottom of the greenhouse.  If the wind blows and it is zipped up it takes off like a kite in the wind.   I unzip mine in the morning and zip it up at night.  It is against the back wall of my downstairs bathroom so is protected, but if the wind is strong will still blow away.  If the day is sunny I take the plants out and give them an outing to get some sun as the mini greenhouse is in the shade.  They are not ideal but if you have not the space or money for a real greenhouse, they are OK for bringing on seeds, plants can be protected from frost.   I suppose they are good for the purpose but would not have one on an allotment as I am sure it would just blow away.  £15 for a small one, £30 for a walk in one, not bad when one thinks the cost of a real greenhouse, but we can't all be rich, or have a big garden.  Started off in a flat, with a window box, now have a very small garden and a lovely big allotment.  Feel I am so lucky.  Would love to live backing onto an allotment, wouldn't mind the smoke from bonfires, would love a really big garden, with shed and greenhouse, but I suppose it is horses for courses, whatever that means, and am really happy that I got an allotment when I retired from work and only have to pay the Council £30 a year for so much pleasure.  A house with the garden as big as my lovely allotment would cost be an arm and a leg.

[thifasmom]

don't forget to weigh it down or the wind will tip all your hard work on the ground for you :(

How would I weigh it down? If I put heavy 'stuff' on the bottom shelf, I imagine it could still tip over?

i use four heavy bricks one in each corner of the bottom shelf, i hardly use the bottom shelf though except near the front so the plants can catch some light. i normally use to overwinter yound perinneal plants and at this time of the year as a coldframe.

[Chrissie]

You need to hold the cover down somehow, otherwise a gust of wind will just pull the frame apart and blow everything away except the weighted bottom shelf. If it's against a wall or fence you could screw in some hooks at the appropriate points and use those little ribbon ties on the plastic cover to attach it to the wall. Worked for me - it seems to keep the whole thing more stable. If it doesn't have ribbons on the outside of the cover you could sew some on, or even better tie some tapes to the frame near the top, make holes in the cover (reinforce these with sticky plastic or something) to push the tapes through and attach them firmly to hooks screwed into the wall behind.

Phew!

I bought one of these a few years ago, then another one last year - the difference in quality is unbelievable. The old one is much more robust and the metal shelves are much thicker and stronger; likewise the cover.

If you can tie the b*****s down though they're fantastic for the price, and well worth the effort.

Good luck.

[sunloving]

I love mine they are just indispensible at this time of year for hardening off and for bulking up anything thats struggling a bit.
My tip after doing all the above to stop them blowing over or the top section getting loose is just to site it next to a drainpipe or hook or fence and just tie a bit of old electrical cord, bungee cable or washing line around it that is anchored to the stable thing. If you do this around about the height of the second shelf you can just zip the cover inside the rope.

Makes all the difference and you dont have to use up the bottom shelf with bricks, however as a precaution always load it from the bottom.


Another tip for the winter : i save bubble wrapp and plastic bags and put these under the wire of the bottom shelf this reduces the heat lost to the ground and keeps the slugs at bay (well a bit!). I also put cardboard on the ground to do a simular thing.

Happy growing
x sunloving

[midnightvelvet]

Hiya, can I poke my two penneth in?  I had several plastic greenhouses including a full sized one at one stage which were all naff and blew away!  I then bought one of those heavier covered types...reinforced plastic...and then have loops on them for the guy ropes.  What I eventualy had to do to secure mine was tie it to the fence using the ropes and loops and that did the trick for me thank goodness  ;D

I now have an 8 x 6 'real' one which is my joy but my last plastic greenhouse was brilliant once I managed to figure a way to secure it.

I have a fair sized garden which backs onto allotments so I consider myself lucky...apart from the devil children who constantly kick their ball into my garden!!  I've resorted to not returning them which seems to have helped a bit. ::) ::)
Once or twice occasionally is one thing, 4 or 5 times a day and destroying my raised beds is quite another!! >:( >:(
Anyway, back to the plassy greeenhouse...I gave mine away when I got my real one but will buy another one as I found it so useful!