Do mini greenhouses work?

[Cosmo and Dibs]

I'm thinking of getting a 4 tier mini greenhouse from Wilkinsons for £14.99.

Do they do exactly the same job as a full size glass one? Can I leave the seed trays and pots out in it all the time? Are the plants protected enough if zip it right up?

Do they topple over? I'm really worried about this.

[Two_Sheds]

they aren't frost free.
Mine gets down to minus 2 some nights.

But, they provide invaluable space for me to sow lots and lots of seeds ... hardy ones in Feb/March, then everything else from April onwards.

[Sanjo]

I hope so Coso and Dib as my husband has just bought me the Wlkinson one, together with a spare cover and fleece cover. Admittedly it as an addition to my main greenhouse (to take the overflow of my more developed plants) but as Two Sheds says they are really handy for the hardier things like marigolds or lettuce seeds. By the time these are germinated and at the seedling stage the weather will be good enough to put them out side leaving you space for things like runner beans in April

[Victoria26]

I had problems with my mini GH toppling over in high winds so I came up with a quick fix. I got a wire coat hanger, snipped it into 3 and bent the wires. I pegged the base of the ghouse into the soil with the wires and it hasnt moved since.

[Oleander]

Watch out if you leave it fully zipped up on sunny days - the temperature can climb very high very quickly, and fry your seedlings! mine has reached 40c in March

[selfraising]

Echo two sheds comments

[ukmastiff]

I used three of them in my 'year one' , ( im only a year two newb now).
The great thing is that at 15 quid each , when the covers rip and zips break
( which they will ) you are left with great greenhouse staging/shelving when you inevitably replace them with something larger

My three are now in my plastic 13 by 6 greenhouse being used as superb greenhouse staging and next year that will probably magically turn in to a large polytunnel but I'll still use them as staging. They were well worth the money.

Where will it all end.

[Leralc]

mine didnt last a season....be careful where you put them....my hubby was watering the front garden, yanked the hose as it had gotten stuck on my mini greenhouse and broke the frame !! they are a bit rickety etc. but for a first timer they are ok - dont expect to get multiple seasons out of it

they have some 5 tier ones in Aldi atm for about £18

[Hazel at the Hill]

Yes, they do work, providing that you know what you want out of them.

Mine is super useful - I have no garden as such (courtyard) and two cats who are quite happy to take up residence in any pots I sow in. Acutually, as I see it , it is next door's cat who loves my sun-warmed soil, but there you are (suspect there is a certain quid pro quo with regard to the saucer of grub that they leave out for him in the garden for his daytime snack...

My minigreenhouse is attached to the SE facing brick garage via 3 lots of screwed in eyelets and bungees (from Halfords), so I've had no problems with it blowing over. I plan to put in my peppers in the summer, although all my (fairly hardy) seedlings (leek & brassica) are in there at the mo.

[Tori]

Get one - go on you know you want to! Just peg it down then it won't escape.

[matthew2riches]

I use them to bring on early broad beans, early peas and my sweet peas.

Not bad for the price. Fold it up and put it away in the summer or the sun destroys the plastic!

[di]

We got one a few years ago...can't remember where from,but we managed to get a replacement cover fromQD for only a couple of quid...think they're al much the same size so it should fit most.(although I can't remember where we did get the original,I know it wasn't QD)
We have the same problem as many,that it blows over when it's really windy...unfortunately it's on a concrete patio,so can't peg it in.I wouldn't be without mine.A lot easier to keep a check on new seedlings if they are at home as opposed to the lottie.

[SarzWix]

The best thing I did with mine (after a couple of years 'learning the hard way' ) was put a squirt of silicone into the plastic joints before I pushed the poles in. They really do come to bits a tooo easily if the wind is jolting them, and even if they don't totally blow over, the shelves can still collapse with your precious plants all ending in a heap on the floor. Silicone (or No More Nails) stops that from happening, but, it does make it difficult (impossible with NMN ) to dismantle them for the winter. I just take the covers off mine and leave them out for the winter.
As the others said, make sure you anchor it quite firmly to something too.

[kiwirach]

i've picked up a couple on special this year....and the hope is they will last this year and next, if i keep an eye on them, and then hold onto the staging for a better structure, when i can afford to get one. i weigh mine down with growbags and will use the frames to support cucumbers and melons as they grow!.

will bear in mind the tip about the sun ruining the plastic. i plan on taking them down and storing them for the winter.

[Topcat36]

Wouldn't be without mine, mine is anchored down with tent pegs and grow bags. As someone said remember to ventilate when it's hot, mine is south facing so gets very hot but not had any problems.

Oh and focus had some 4 tier ones for £14.99, thats where i got mine from.