Question for people who have used 'blowaway' greenhouses

[IndigoElectron]

For those of you that have used these, what size did you choose and was it a good size?

What did you mainly use it for and how useful was it?

I have a choice of two sizes that will fit in my garden, the smaller one is about half the size of the other:

Wilko Mini Greenhouse 4 Tier Clear 164cmx90cmx49cm at wilko.com
Wilko Small 4 Tier Mini Greenhouse Cover PVC 130cmx50cmx45cm at wilko.com (for some reason they don't have the greenhouse on the website but they do have it in our local shop)

I have been given some advice on how I would use one here:
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...use_76958.html

but I'm still not entirely sure whether I would mainly use it to start plants off or what. For example, would I want to grow my tomatoes in it, or are they better off in the open space (in the sun, of course)? I have heard about plants 'cooking' in these due to the lack of ventilation, which doesn't sound good! My garden isn't that big and I am wondering whether I'd use it that much, especially if I mainly use it for hardening off plants. The smaller size would give me more space to grow things in pots. The other consideration is which size would be less likely to blow away! (I will weigh it down with a concrete slab at the bottom)

Any advice is much appreciated, I am very new to this and don't want to waste money or get the wrong size.

Thanks!

[Scarlet]

I have a couple of these. They are too small to grow tomatoes in during the summer but I have grown chillies in them with success - great for starting off seeds in the spring. I use the shelves without the plastic for indoor use as well. If you do decide to buy, size depends on how many seeds you are going to start, weigh it down with bricks and/ or tie it to something. They really do blow away.

[snuffer]

Hiya IndigoElectron. I used the larger of the two you are considering. It has to be said they are a bit flimsy but if you look after them (in particular pack them away at the end of the season) you can get quite a few years out of one. I used mine for starting off and bringing on seedlings. Worked a treat and allowed me to have some plants ready for putting out a few weeks early.

Not sure about growing Toms. in one. My father has done in the past with some success but ventilation is a little problematic.

Having said all that you'll never know until you try. Give it a go and have fun whilst doing so.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks both. The problem is I really have no idea how many seedlings I will have, being a new gardener, hence me finding it so difficult to choose! How would I get an idea before I start? Is it to do with the size of my garden and growing space?

Snuffer, did you tend to find yours filled up quickly? Was it too big/too small/just right?

Scarlet, what size were yours and how did you find the size?

So tomatoes would probably be better off outside? What about things like pepper and aubergines?

[IndigoElectron]

Sorry for all the questions by the way :-)

[snuffer]

Snuffer, did you tend to find yours filled up quickly? Was it too big/too small/just right?

Sorry to say, I had two and they still weren't big enough. Was setting seed for an allotment and the veg. garden. A lot of shuffling seed trays and plant pots around. The point is, they did the job and gave just that little bit of advantage at the start of the season. Still use one now inside the greenhouse during the winter to grow a few, well protected and mollycodled lettuce in.

Oh and as Scarlet said, remember they're not called blow aways for nothing. You will lose some growing space on the bottom shelf because of the bricks you have to put on there to weigh it down.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks Snuffer, looks like I'll go for the bigger size then. I won't need as much space as you because I only have a small garden and no allotment.

If you don't mind, please will you talk me through how you used your greenhouse and what for? E.g. what plants you put in there, when, for how long etc. I have been given advice on this but I'm still unclear - for example, I don't know what you mean by 'setting seed' :-/ I have done a lot of reading but am still clueless about a lot of things.

And I will weigh it down, have a very heavy concrete slab for that purpose, and may try to fix it to the shed like in this post: ************

..... ( sorry- link deleted by mods as is from another gardening forum)

[Scarlet]

Thanks both. The problem is I really have no idea how many seedlings I will have, being a new gardener, hence me finding it so difficult to choose! How would I get an idea before I start? Is it to do with the size of my garden and growing space?

Work out how many 'fully grown' plants you will need to fill your space. Plot it out on paper. Sow a few extras for casualties. If you don't have enough when the time comes just pop out and buy some. Don't worry about buying kit until you need to use it. Every Gardener uses different tools and will do things differently, you will learn by your mistakes and successes! It is supposed to be fun and as RL said in another thread- stop over thinking and enjoy it!

[Tripmeup]

The other thing to remember Indigo is that you probably should not depend solely on getting tomatoes from outside plants... A lot will depend on the weather...
Do you have somewhere to grow some indoors or under cover?

[AllInContainers]

I got a blowaway greenhouse when I first moved into this house ... well, actually it was the end of the season so it never got used. The next year just before the season was to start .... it blew away

Well, it would be more accurate to say most of it blew away. I had the bottom half securely fastened to the floor and all points double pegged with long tent pegs, and the wind ripped the cover and top half off, bending poles and splitting couplings as it did so, and kindly deposited it all in a neighbours garden.

After that I decided if a plant aint happy in the garden or on the windowsill, I don't want it

[veggiechicken]

I'm still unclear - for example, I don't know what you mean by 'setting seed' :-/ I have done a lot of reading but am still clueless about a lot of things.

Setting seeds is just sowing seed - nothing complicated, just another way of saying it!!
Don't overthink this growing lark - sometimes the only way to learn is by trying it for yourself. We all have different ways of doing things and have our successes and failures - although some of us don't admit to the latter
Buy a few packets of seed, some seed compost, a few seed trays and flower pots.
Read the instructions on the seed packets with regard to time of sowing and spacing of seed..................and just do it!!
You'll get so much pleasure from the first few plants that you can eat or that flower that any failures along the way become meaningless.

[Penellype]

I have 2 of these, but I hardly ever use them as they are supposed to be used. One of them is the bigger sort, with the frame constructed as per instructions. I put it against a north facing wall, weighed it down with bricks, and it blew over within 24hrs. I took the cover off and put fillers under the lowest shelf, and used the space as a spare compost heap, in which I have sometimes grown ultra shade tolerant crops in such as leeks. I use the shelves for all sorts - particularly plants in the final stages of hardening off, or bedding plants I have just bought that are waiting to be planted out. I've put rings of copper tape round the uprights which stops slugs from helping themselves to my seedlings.

The 2nd one is the smaller variety and I use this in pieces, so I may consturct a polythene cloche with half of it to cover vulnerable plants in spring or use fleece or nets in summer to keep insects out, and I used the end sections along with fruit cage poles to construct a brassica cage with netting last summer. The shelves are useful for anything from shelving to support for emergency frost covers, and even as a support for climbing plants (I used one for a short row of peas).

I use the covers as mini greenhouses for tomatoes in the spring, but I put them over 4x1" square 6ft long stakes hammered into the ground and I weigh them down well with bricks. The temperature can rise very quickly - even with the door open on a sunny spring day it can reach 40 degrees, so in those conditions I lift the cover off the front posts to give the plants plenty of air. I certainly wouldn't advise leaving them on during the summer.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks everyone. I will reply properly when I get a minute, in the meantime I have read all the advice and now realise I can't use a blowaway like a proper greenhouse. So it will be used to harden off plants instead, and I will go for the smallest size as it will give me more space to grow things in pots.

[IndigoElectron]

Right, finally found some time to reply properly!

Scarlet and Veggiechicken, I will do as you advise, thank you. I do like to plan things out in advance but maybe I do just need to get on with it and see what happens!

Penellype, it was interesting to read what you use the blowaways for, thank you, and helpful to know about the inside temps. Hopefully mine will stay put but I'll bear your ideas in mind just in case :-)

[IndigoElectron]

Tripmeup, I don't have any indoor space apart from a windowsill. I had reasonable success with tomatoes last year, so they can go outside in pots and hanging baskets.

AllInContainers, fingers crossed that doesn't happen to mine! It is going in a sheltered spot and I think I will be able to attach it to the side of the house.