I'd like a small, cheap greenhouse.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Its maybe a bit late for this year but I'm running out of room for all my little vegetable seedlings. I'm thinking of something like this

here

Well something that size but probably a bit sturdier. Budget up to £50ish.

With these plAstic sheet type ones how warm are they? If I got one could you put stuff like pumpkin seedlings and tomato seedlings out in it this time of year? Would you start them off in something like this or do they need to be inside for a bit?

[Bloodyteenagers]

Plastic should be warm enough, afterall you can make a 'greenhouse' from a plastic bottle... In fact, get enough plastic bottles together and make a large green house.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Funny you say that. Dd's old school has an amazing greenhouse built out of old cola bottles and garden canes. Full size like 6ftx4ft. I'd need to drink a hell of a lot of cola.

[VivaLeBeaver]

But then I suppose its "double skin" so would be more insulation than a single plastic sheet. Can't remember what they did about the gaps where the bottles are narrower at the top.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

My neighbours have one of those plastic greenhouses and they seem to do OK.

My school also has a pop bottle greenhouse. This is its first year but it seems to be doing well so far. Looks amazing too.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

There's bubblewrap sheeting plugging the gaps in ours, Viva. Recycled via school office.

[MrsCakesPremonition]

DH got one of those plastic greenhouses last spring, so this is the second year of using it. We have it on a south-facing wall and it does get very warm in there. It has definitely made it a lot easier getting the seedling out into the garden rather than living on window ledges.

[MrsCakesPremonition]

BTW - if you do go for one of the plastic ones, you probably need something like an older paving slab to weight it down at the base.

[Bloodyteenagers]

No idea how they make them. There's some youtube vids including how to make mini greenhouses with irrigation.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Right have looked at some videos and instructions and am put off the idea now. Cutting up 1000s of bottles seems like too much hard work.

[VivaLeBeaver]

MrsCakes, do you know what make yours is? Would be good to have a recommendation for one which doesn't fall apart too quickly.

[MrsCakesPremonition]

I think it was this Homebase one. Possibly bought on a Bank Holiday when they do discounts.

DH has said that they have similar one on special offer at Wilko at the mo.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Thanks. The Wilko ones look great and get good reviews.

[NellieSocks]

Mine's from Wilko's, 6 x 4 and very warm. No vents, so it does get condensation in, but I'm pretty pleased with it so far!

[afriendcalledfive]

Bumping with interest, as I've just had 2 cloche-style mini greenhouses delivered today. They are up and everything is inside them now, but what slightly worries me is that there is no base, or buffer, between the patio that they are positioned on, and the containers IYSWIM, thus having no real insulation/heat/protection.

I do see some condensation though...

I was thinking of buying some plastic sheeting to remedy the lack of a base/buffer, as I'm worried about frost which they have predicted this weekend in the NW of England. Eek..

Has anybody else had to modify their mini greenhouses to get the best out of them, or am I just panicking?

[afriendcalledfive]

They do have vents/flaps which is good, though...

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I've been using them for about 10 years and never lost anything to frost, I've had seedlings in mine for about 6 weeks now, but am in the south east. Mine's on a NW facing wall and gets sun from midday - late afternoon at this time of year. I've got lettuce, tomato, sunflower, pea, broad bean, runner bean, butternut squash, french marigold, nicotiana all quite happy in mine at the moment. From the start of April I leave them unzipped too, unless a really harsh frost is forecast.

I do have to put a couple of bricks on the bottom shelf to stabilise it. I don't generally put seed trays on the bottom shelf, just stash my watering can etc in there. Also, I use those trays with inserts and clear plastic lids, remove the lid once geminated.

Finally, I take mine down and put it away every winter. when I put it up I wipe all the pole ends with a little oil on a rag, makes it much easier to dismantle. The covers go brittle in winter and fall apart if left out, although you can replace them quite cheaply.

[seb1]

Aldi

[afriendcalledfive]

Thanks whoknows, I'm just worried about my tomatoes and peppers which are between the young plant - hardening off stage.

I've grown them from seed, so would hate anything to happen to them now... I also have some herbs, wild rocket growing in containers, and spinach that I've just sown today.

Mine are cloche type thingys, no shelves, so they are directly on the ground.

We have sun most of the day, then it moves to the front of the house about 4pm so pretty good, but I need the sun to shine in the first place....:D

[VivaLeBeaver]

Well I ordered my Wilko walk in greenhouse.

I've found a good gardening forum and asked them on there what I can safely put in now. They reckoned nothing overnight unless I put a paraffin heater in. I'm a bit gutted if hats true as I don't want the arse of trekking trays inside in the evening and then back out to the greenhouse in the morning.

I guess by the time it arrives and I've constructed it it'll be at least another week and a bit warmer.

But I'd got visions next year of sowing seeds in it beginning of March. And now I'm thinking ill still be cluttering up work surfaces and window sills in the house.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I've also ordered a min max thermometer so I can see what temps are reached in it. Appparantly it has to stay above 10c at night to be ok in the greenhouse.

[MisForMumNotMaid]

I've got a mini wood/ plastic against the fence greenhouse. Its full of plants. The more vulnerable seedlings are in trays with a cloche over the top so they're extra protected (especially from me forgetting to water some days).

If you've got some old blankets and garden canes you could just throw them around any plants within your greenhouse if a frost is forecast.

Happy planting.

[VivaLeBeaver]

How does a cloche over the plants help them if you forget to water?

Do they get condensation in it which then drips on them?

[afriendcalledfive]

Oh dear, looks like I'll have to move some of the plants back into the house then.

Dammit.

Thanks for that, anyway, viva.

I'll wait now for more clement weather....

[WynkenBlynkenandNod]

I'm on south coast and my glass greenhouse was 4 degrees yesterday night unfortunately.

[MisForMumNotMaid]

Regarding the cloche and watering. What you describe is basically how I understand it. In the day the moisture evaporates and then condenses on the cloche, running down the sides as it cools back onto the soil into the tray where it gets reabsorbed into the soil. The system isn't properly sealed so you do need to add water once in a while and critically you need to remove the cover for a while every so often or you can get mould.

My favourite cloches are value lemonade bottles with the bottom chopped off. The bottom acts as a drip tray for a flower pot the the rest of the bottle sits on/ over the flower pot. As the seedling grows you can remove the bottle cap to allow a bit more ventilation.

Chopped off bottles are really useful over lettuces and fit until they're really quite big to keep the slugs/ snails off.