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Is this greenhouse worth anything?
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Is this greenhouse worth anything?


I won this greenhouse in a raffle. Reading into these types of greenhouses it sounds like they don't insulate well. Could I use this for starting seeds or extending cool season crops into the winter? Or would it need insulation or external heat to be useful?

by mrknowitnothingatall

23 Comments

  1. Candid-Level-5691

    Will definitely be useful, maybe not as good solid building, but will definitely help with extending the season, great for seed starting.

  2. morticiathebong

    Yeah for a free one I’d set it up with the expectation that it will be a good season extender. More planning than action goes a long way with less-than-perfect setups. A few examples come to mind, 

    * it would probably be advisable to put this on its own level ground, better yet a pad of gravel or concrete so it can be anchored, and these homeowner-styled greenhouses can be flimsier than the professional types. It’s good and bad, easier to set up but cant handle inclement conditions as easily. 

    * Take the time to find a spot on your property where the wind doesn’t sweep through as hard as other areas. This is probably single walled and the worst thing that can happen is a gust rip at it hard, or tree debris drops on it. If the southern side of your house has an open area where one side of the greenhouse can be “sheltered” by the building, that would be perfect. This advice needs to be altered however if you have a heavy wind pattern in that location.

    * Be judicious in data collection. There are Bluetooth monitors for everything, but you could also easily start a notebook and read the temperatures in there manually and record them. It’s not really so you can do anything about it, but so you can learn about the greenhouse. Is it scorching on sunny days? Is it below freezing at night? Are there drafts? How big are the temp swings? This can all help you as you go season by season and learn what the greenhouse is capable of helping you with. Could be useless in cold Springs for example, but maybe your autumns are more temperate and it will help you extend the end of the year. Hard to know without data. 

    * Look up alternative uses for greenhouses. They make decent storage areas for gardening items including seeds and bulbs sometimes, and houseplant support in the summer at the very least. 

    Good luck, sounds fun to me!!

  3. compost-me

    My neighbour had something like this and the first bad storm trashed it unfortunately.

    I should clarify this is in the UK. This is not the USA style death cyclones of the weekly apocalypse.

  4. Demorylized

    I have a similar one that is 10×20. Been great for extending season, you’ll definitely have to do some work to make it winter ready if that was goal.

  5. Auntwedgie

    I have one of these. It’s not perfect, but for what I need, it works really well. I’m in Idaho; it’s cold and windy. As long as I have the bottom “flaps” held down with bricks or bags of pea gravel, it stays put. It holds heat “ok” giving me a temp 10-15 degrees above the outside temps. It’s been a good way to extend my growing season, and harden off my seedlings.

  6. rollawaythedew123

    I used one that was that style but 3 times longer and I loved it for 3 years until a tornado came and I watched it fly down the street and up in the air, never to be seen again. I took extra time installing it and buried the walls and reinforced joints with gorilla tape and just all the little things I could think of at the time to help it along. I definitely got my money out of it by end of season 1 I’d say

  7. FloralFlatulence

    I had one of these and it collapsed the day after I put it up. I anchored the frame down and we had probably +/- 20 mph winds and the frame just collapsed. It’s REALLY cheap.

  8. christophersonne

    I have the one, but its brand is different (that is not very weird) – and it’s pretty good. I have to add heavy duty anchors to keep this stable in any form of wind – but it worked great last year, until mid summer when I could bake bread inside.

    you will need to remember to open and close those windows as needed.

  9. nitabirdonit

    I’m in zone 5b (northern IL), and I have one of these. I use it as a season extender. If you have a space for it, and enjoy starting seeds especially, sure.

    I modified it to be sturdier and use it a solid eight months out of the year. In July/Aug it’s just a way to be outside when it rains, and in Jan/Feb I do not go out there, and it’s too cold here to grow things without some effort towards heat. My wrapped parsley and kale last until we get three days in a row under 10f. I start using it in March with cold crop starts.

  10. Objective-Giraffe-27

    I have one that I use inside a larger lean to greenhouse and it works excellent for this purpose. I don’t see them lasting a single serve thunderstorm outside however.

  11. Nodnardsemaj

    Complete garbage. Unless you put it in a building, then itll hold up fine. These POSs fall apart in the first 50mph gust of wind. Ive tried 4 and all broke, ripped and bent even after i reinforced them. The steel is way too cheap and thin and the plastic cover always rips at the corners where it connects to tie downs. One is still missing. Wind ripped the plastic corners and carrier the entire greenhouse to who knows where. Wooden frame and greenhouse plastic here on out, for me.

  12. Moonshot_42069

    You’d be lucky to get a season out of it

  13. DosEquisDog

    This is what I have covering citrus trees during cold snaps. It works, but it definitely not a permanent solution. It keeps frost off and I can heat the space up for limited amounts of time.

  14. Inkdman73

    Great to extend and early season- I use a oil space heater and a blue tooth thermometer to regulate temp-

  16. chanmanfriend

    I have had this one for almost 3 years – works fantastic for extending my season to start to seedlings, and store my tomatoes and peppers into late fall.

  17. Weekly-Somewhere-211

    Yes and no. I have two of these. The frame is pretty decent and actually last. The bad is the plastic usually last one season barely. Mine is tucked behind my garage hidden and both only lasted a year. I bought a 15×10 one year the replacement plastic is expensive enough that I bought a new 20×10 instead

  18. TechnicalPrompt8546

    I have this same greenhouse and got thru SNOW! In Texas , as long as it’s in a good spot it’s good, all I did was put heat lamps in it

  19. CantStopPoppin

    Hi, I have this exact model, and I will say the build quality is solid; however, get two packs of these to ensure that it does not blow away. The door failed in about two years, but I am going to refurbish it. I would also consider a circulating fan and keep up on rainwater pooling on the top. Other than that, I have had several wonderful harvests. It’s a good choice and will last a long time as long as you take care of it!

    https://preview.redd.it/qyy3u5oyvgfe1.png?width=2410&format=png&auto=webp&s=bb09fad8231d95483edf8fef04b69b4699286675

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