Advice for a mini plastic greenhouse

[Oleander]

Hello all

I have got a mini plastic greenhouse and I need some advice.

It's in full sun all day, and when the sun comes out, if it is fully closed up, the temperature inside very quickly shoots up to 40c, sometimes even 50c.

At night it has been falling to near zero, so I don't leave anything in it overnight yet.

It's not a problem at weekends as I can leave it unzipped and keep an eye on it. If the sun goes in or if the wind gets up, the temperature falls very quickly, but I'm there to rescue anything that needs rescuing.

However, I am out at work all day Monday to Friday, so it either has to remain open or closed. I have lost seedlings because of this, either to extreme heat or cold/wind.

Does anyone else have this problem and, if so, have you found a solution?

thanks in advance!

[selfraising]

Does it zip up at the front? If so could you leave it partially open so that air can still circulate a bit?

[jackie j]

I leave mine zipped up all the time at the moment when it warms up a bit more I open it for a while, air circulates a bit through the bottom. One of mine is in full sun all day the other is more sheltered but gets the sun at the top. if you are realy concerned open the zip sliightly at the bottom if it looks like a sunny day.

[Oleander]

It's got two zips, which go up both sides of the front and then over the top, so when it's fully opened, it has no "roof". I've tried partially unzipping it, but when it's windy the flap, well, flaps! Its knocked the pots over inside on occasion. It seems that it can either be fully open or fully closed - I might have to "adapt" it!

[selfraising]

hmmm how about getting double sided velcro strip and sticking one half to the end of the flap and the other roughly the height you want it open to? Then you could roll it open up to that point on good days and no flapping!

[Mi Jardín]

Could you make a flap in the roof?
If you cut three sides of a square out of the roof, and attach velcro to either side, you would have a little vent you could leave open.

[Two_Sheds]

If not velcro, then can't you just peg the flap with clothes pegs?

[bramble]

Have to agree. A lot of gardening is about innovation, or, as my mother would say, "necessity is the mother of invention"
Am sure you will find a way.

[jackie j]

Mine has two zips and only opens to the top the front rolls up and ties at the top.

[ann-the-nan]

Advice for a mini plastic greenhouse

I've had a couple of these for 3-4 years, so I recognize the problems. When I worked (and I also did weekends because I was a photographer), I would just drop a sheet over the whole lot if I thought it would be stinkin' hot. With the two zips up slightly but hanging it worked for me. Now I am retired it's a bit easier. Oh yes, I did forget to water one morning, and one or two trays dried out too much. Even with the sheet on it was a bit too hot to be waterless.

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There's a pleasure sure in being mad that non but madmen know. (Anon)

[westwiltspatio]

Hmm. I've just got one of these (the Aldi 3 tier one they were selling recently) - I'm now wondering if I should put it up against the south wall of the house where it'll get full sun, or whether I'd be better off putting it up against the fence where it won't get the evening sun but might not be so hot come midsummer.

I suppose I can move it around the end of May (before I start planting up the growbags), and put it against the house for now where it'll hopefully stay a little warmer overnight.