Are Plastic Greenhouses Any Good? How Long Do They Last & Are They Worth It?
Vložit
- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
- 12 month review: Are those cheap walk-in plastic greenhouses you can find on Amazon worth it and how long do they really last? In this video, I review last year's purchase and point out the damage and failure points I experienced in my garden. I also provide you with tips on how to better secure your greenhouse against the wind and improve the lifespan of the plastic cover. I'll give you my opinion on whether or not they are a worthwhile investment and talk about other options such as polytunnels for extending the growing season for your vegetable garden or allotment plot.
As promised you can find the greenhouses I've used below*:
Walk-In Plastic Greenhouse / Grow House (Display4top) on Amazon - amzn.to/3qacQll
Mini Greenhouse (Parkland, 4 Tier) on Amazon - amzn.to/45a0mJA
And the replacement guy ropes amzn.to/3KhIlAX and ground pegs amzn.to/44LIx3B I used to better secure the greenhouse
And now is a great time to sow seeds and start some plants! Follow these guides to get growing: • Food Growing Guides & ...
Happy Gardening!
Thanks for reading this far! To let CZcams show you more of my videos about growing food at home, press the like button or click this button to subscribe: / @alexgrowsfood
Other stuff I use:
Britten and James Trays: amzn.to/3rQAqnJ
Propagator Seed Starting Cells with Lid: amzn.to/3rSc4Ko
Grow Bags: amzn.to/3Qf1UO4
Tamper: amzn.to/3q9WEAA
Coco Coir: amzn.to/3KnNyHn
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I will only ever recommend things that I really use or that I really like (and if I link to something that's not 100% fantastic, I will tell you). Proceeds go back into improving the channel.
0:00 - Trying To Extend The Growing Season?
0:29 - What Are They Made Of?
0:58 - How Sturdy Are Plastic Greenhouses?
1:26 - How Do Plastic Greenhouses Handle Strong Winds?
1:47 - Securing Your Plastic Greenhouse
2:00 - Common Failure Points on Plastic Greenhouses
2:33 - Two Simple Ways of Making The Plastic Cover On Your Greenhouse Last Longer
2:55 - Are Plastic Greenhouses Any Good For Seedlings?
3:33 - Greenhouses For A Small Space Garden and Alternatives
3:56 - My Overall Feelings And Where You Can Get More Information
Follow or contact me via
Instagram: / alex.grows.food
Website: www.alexgrowsfood.com/
Seriously impressed you are reading this far! But sadly this is the end of the description. Happy gardening, my friends!
#greenhouse #growyourownfood #allotment - Jak na to + styl
UPDATE: 24 Month Review. Watch this video czcams.com/video/QguULHRfWI8/video.html to find out how hundreds of gardeners and I go about securing their plastic greenhouse and making it storm-proof
Mine has lasted over 3 years and still going strong! it's protected somewhat from winds tho with short, surrounding trees and a bit of a fence. I laid a few bricks on the flaps on the bottom. Amazingly, it looks almost new. In intense sun, I put a piece of shadecloth on top. It's been a total win for me, all things considered.
Amazing. Honestly 3 years and counting is absolutely great for the money. I was using compost bags but bricks are a much more sensible way of doing things. I imagine they do a better job of keeping the heat in too!
This year's purchase has done a lot better for me now I've secured the sides from day 1 and last year's purchase is still going now I taped the flaps under the bar and onto the inside of the cover and oriented it away from the wind. I did forget to cover mine so it did hit 52C/125F in the summer....
Awesome video. Yeah, I had one of those greenhouses before I started my channel and it was just a sail. Blew away to the neighbor's with the first decent wind storm. I use low tunnels now and have built a plastic, removable (but much sturdier) greenhouse off our entry (we own our property and are rural, so no one cares, thankfully).
BTW, I do like your video style. I know that this is your most popular video so far, but, you're right, it's quick, to the point, and very informative. I think your channel will keep growing quickly with this style.
Thank you! I think this was a good pace although I noticed that I've sped up a bit since.
Yeah these greenhouses do struggle without a lot of support. Around here you see a lot of polytunnels popping up because you don't need permission to put them up (I think). I think they are the same as the low tunnels (they are about 6-8ft high)
I found a solution to the problem of holding the whole thing down, without relying on the guy ropes. I simply dug a trench around the perimeter and buried the bottom edges of the plastic cover under eight inches of soil. It holds the whole building in place and slows down the process of plastic cover failure. I typically get two seasons from each cover, though they are often looking a bit ratty by the end of the second season. Duct tape is my friend!
This sounds like a great idea. I ended up using u-shaped garden pegs to secure the frame and then trying to weigh down the overhanging plastic cover/flaps (or duct taping it to the frame) but your method seems to solve both issues. I think you're right, once the cover is secure it lasts a lot longer - the greenhouse I bought this year doesn't seem to have any damage at all.
Hi Alex just love your delivery on your videos ...I have that plastic Green House it is currently in my bedroom with grow lamps and my seedlings ,after I rescued it from neighbours garden 🤣..
Thank you so much! And that's a great idea, indoors is probably it's natural habitat (unless you've got a few bricks handy)
This is the exact greenhouse my wife got me for a gift some years ago. It is not good quality so I constructed and reconstructed it each year to try and help preserve some of its lifespan. It did work pretty well for me to store some pots and soil and also protected delicate seedlings from early spring weather. It worked fairly well, but parts started to break a bit over time, and it was only last season that the green cover became too ripped to use anymore. I used mine for about 5 years or so, maybe 6. I would love to have a real well-built greenhouse, but one of these cheap ones will get you started.
Wow, 5 or 6 years is really impressive! Thanks for the comment. If it can last that long then it's probably a no-brainer - just having a space to move the seedlings even for a single year was enough of a relief for me to get a replacement (and it's easy enough to dismantle/transport if I need to move house etc). I think the landscape around here makes the wind a lot worse so perhaps this was a bit of a harsh test for the cover but the frame seemed relatively rust resistant out in the open.
Did you try and repair the cover? I saw someone else use duct tape for the minor rips so I've got some on standby --- not sure how else to go about it really.
I am curious if you keep your greenhouse on all year? I would image the summer UV light harms it a lot.
@@TheSnowyWind I did not keep it up all year, I assembles and disassembled it every growing season. We get so much snow here in Central Oregon in the winter that it would have collapsed over the cold months.
I have two of these plastic greenhouses I don't remove the covers every winter one has lasted 5 years and is still going strong I weigh mine down with breeze blocks and occasionally rub the zips teeth with a candle which keeps them working smoothly of cause they are not as good as a real glass greenhouse but I find them to be a good value for money alternatives.
Thanks Richard. I think this is the right attitude - it must be where the product was designed to fit in (a lesser quality greenhouse for a lower price than a glass one). 12 garden pegs around the base and a different position and no issues with my second greenhouse so far despite the wildly strong winds yesterday. Last night I was thinking of buying a third...
Had no idea about the candle trick though, I might have to give that a go
Agreed. The plastic framed style greenhouse is not sturdy and a problem. We have a metal framed 6x10 that has held up well. It expands just like a canpoy shade frame but comes with the standard plastic greenhouse canopy. The canopy splays at the bottom to the entire thing could be held down with landscaping bricks if wanted.
Last fall, here in east central USA, we had an artic blast with high winds. It did no damage to the structure. Metal accordion frame. That's my recommendation.
Thank for sharing mate.
Thanks Jules. That sounds an interesting design. I suppose the only questions I have is how well does the cover connect to the frame and how failure-resistant or replaceable are those connections? I think if there were metal or even ABS plastic clips going down the corner edges rather than fabric ties (and if the zip were higher quality) my cover might have lasted a lot longer - do you have those kinds of issues?
They are very cheap but also very prone to wind damage, so they tend not to last longer than 2 or 3 years, depending how exposed they are to the wind. I have a smilar one to yours which I put up about 3 weeks ago, it cost £60 and I will be pleased if I get 2 seasons out of it. It is on a patio so the ground pegs are no use, instead I weighed down the lining edges with a mixture of concrete slabs and compost bags. When the cover becomes damaged beyond repair I will dismantle it and use the shelves in my glasshouse, but for now I'm happy to have doubled my growing space for toms, peppers and Qs. Happy growing season everybody. ☺
This sounds like a realistic approach and appreciation of its value. The landscape around here creates some strong winds so it definitely got a rough ride and it's unfortunate they don't sell/advertise new covers. I think if you can reinforce the fabric ties and where they connect, you might get a lot more life out of it. Sounds like you've got it weighted down though. Good luck, let me know how it goes
Excellent explanation. I’ve subscribed to your channel. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy what's coming up - it's a lot of work but evidently worth it
My zip broke after the 1sr year so I sewed it closed over winter and got a second hand cover from a friend but it was too thick to let the light in enough to get a good crop of tomatoes. He and I built a new wooden framed greenhouse with corrugated PVC panels and roof it is excellent. I used some
old shower doors and made a cold frame form the off cuts and another shower door for the lid. Most of the project was repurposed fence posts and the doors free given from my mother as she had redone her bathroom.
Thank You! It's good to know sowing the door is a viable option - the zip on the other side still works. Did you need to do anything special to secure it to the ground or were the fence posts enough? Sounds like a nice design, PVC is a great idea
The bottom of the posts were connected to each other with som 2x2 8 foot lengths. These we’re screwed together using long wood screws and large 90 deg brackets. I made a wooden base out of the rest of three fence but it was on a slope and filled with war petr under the base so I moved it onto a level surface and dug beds into the soil and made a path in the middle using paving slabs. It’s been like that for 3 years.I have a very productive grape vine from a cutting about 5 years ago from my father in law. It is an old plant which gropes dark red grapes.very sweet.
Thanks for the great review. Just subscribed, looking forward to watching more of your content
No worries & thank you!
You might consider doing winter sowing. Check CZcams for different methods. Basically, you'll use plastic transparent or translucent jugs and turn them into mini greenhouses. You plant them with proper drainage and good quality potting soil, WITHOUT THE CAP OR SCREW TOP, and put them outside in late winter (February-mid April for me). Nature takes care of the watering and knows when the seeds should break dormancy and sprout. It's a mobile and inexpensive way to grow seedlings, although your volumes would require many jugs. We go to fetch ours from recycling bins the night before trash is picked up. Works well and worth trying, at least on a small scale. Label each jug well, both inside and out, and you'll get some healthy seedlings in just a few months.
Definitely sounds cheaper than buying those expensive cloches & having direct access to wet soil is a massive plus. The biggest pain point with using a greenhouse with low airflow or starting seedlings indoors is having to remember to water everything.
@@alexgrowsfoodI agree! That's why winter sowing is my jam now. Low effort, after creating, and I've gotten great seedlings. You only need to water if you've had no rain. You can check them easily by picking up to check weight. They're easy to water. Just fill a plastic container with a few inches of water and let the jugs sit in the water for about 5-10 minutes. They'll absorb just the right amount of water and be ready to continue with their growing. Be careful with labeling (both inside AND out) and wash your hands between jugs. One year I ended up with a bunch of mystery plants that were NOT what I expected. I must have carried seeds from one jug to another accidentally.
My Chinese Celery survived the winter, -28 coldest night wind chill, (-10 normal) thanks to some straw and the greenhouse I have nice pickable celery stalks popping up in April.
Maybe I'll make me some Tuna Salad for lunch!
Edit: I had a cheap 50 dollar greenhouse secured to a raised bed, so it didn't fly off in a hurricane, the cover dissolved to a net though after 2 years so I got a good one made of PVC instead. Supposedly 10+ years but it has a 3 year cover warranty... worth the 100 bucks IMO.
That's an amazing result --- and I'm here evacuating the greenhouse when the overnight forecast is 3C/37F. Can believe the PVC was a worthwhile upgrade. The theme from these comments appears to be DIY upgrades are the way to go to make these things next level
@@alexgrowsfood i built the raised bed out of an old cabinet, was free materials lol. Its all about throwing out the engineer made instructions and getting a hammer :D
I have the same one, love it, I tied it down with better rope to better hooks, haven't had many issues yet, starting 3rd summer 😊
That's fantastic to hear! Proper ropes and legs make a big difference for sure. I've just repaired last year's sheet (or tried to anyway) and have a side-by-side comparison of the supplied ropes and my own and you'd think they are two entirely different products. Single best upgrade you can make for sure.
There's still plenty of time to start your seeds! Some might say now's the ideal time.... Get growing and follow these seed starting guides: czcams.com/play/PLMNjC6h_XSTaHKD60LdVhQ7wE8VETFUit.html
Have any of you had experience with plastic greenhouses or something like a polytunnel or cold frame? How long did yours last and what went wrong with them? And also what did you do to fix the problem? I'm thinking of trying more, help me and everyone else here dodge a bullet!
I got a low tunnel mini green house from Amazon last year and had good success germinating and growing cold hardy vegetables from seed in the early spring. I weighted it down with extra rocks and bricks to keep the cover in place. In summer it was difficult to keep it cool enough to use even with it completely open. I removed the cover and put it indoors for the winter to preserve it for another season. I’m planning on getting a second tunnel for this year.
Sounds like the way forward. A lot of people have said bringing the cover in makes all the difference. This year the only damage I've experienced has been from things blowing into it in the wind (solar lights, plants in pots) but I can imagine unpacking it would have made it last a lot longer (someone reckons 3 years and going strong).
Having mine under a tree has helped during the summer. Last year I tried putting towels over it to block the sun and cool it but it didn't do much. Getting one more like a polytunnel with two ends for airflow (or cutting your own hole at the back 😨) is meant to help a lot.
Hey mate, I found what works for me is burying the overhang into the ground, doesn’t go anywhere, even in strong wind 😉
Thanks George. I had some luck with the garden pegs on the frame, but I'm trying something similar this year for the cover (taping the overhang to the frame on the inside and then covering). Did what you tried reduce the flapping around in the wind towards the top of the cover?
@@alexgrowsfood Hey Alex, yeah no issues with flapping, burying it into the ground creates a super strong anchor. If I had more time I would’ve dug a slightly deeper trench and buried the whole frame base into the ground. Mine also has zippered windows on each side, that might help a bit with air flowing through it
@@alexgrowsfood mine also had ties attached to the roof to tie to the top bar, can’t see if yours has those?
Mine doesn't just 8 around the corners. Would have been nice to have seen a combination of clips and ties really for the price.... I've noticed less flapping around on the greenhouse where I duct-taped the base (and zip up the door on stormy days), but doesn't sound quite as good as what you've managed. The frames are pretty secure with the garden pegs though - two per plastic connector (or bar) around the base
Hello Alex, it's nice to meet you. I like the way you present your information. I just ordered two rather small greenhouses similar to the one you showcased. They are going in my box room to experiment on growing mushrooms and microgreens during the winter (I live in the mountains). Of course, I'll have to do something about the boxes first...
Hi Alys, thank you so much! Good luck growing. I've not tried growing mushrooms but microgreens are great, beansprouts get you a lot of mass fast. Only thing I'd suggest is keeping the plastic cover off indoors to maximise airflow / avoid mould issues. Otherwise good luck, you'll do great!
@@alexgrowsfood Thanx, Alex, for warning me about the mould because it surely would have happened and I would've been standing there thinking, "I thought Alex said if I expanded the coir with boiling water, it would be sterile and no problems...." Cheers, from our geek family to yours...
I got one over lockdown. The cover lasted a couple of years before perishing. I still have the frame, I also have a smaller shelf model which is still serviceable. I think they're basically a good idea, but they need extra securing against the wind and it would be nice if the covers were more durable and the guys provided were fit for purpose. It would also be good to be able to get replacements.
Totally agree on all points. It's wild that you need to buy a new frame when the old one seems to do fine. I had planned on making a trellis out of the old one but in the end I managed to Frankenstein my old cover using duct tape.
Those guy ropes........................................ :/
@@alexgrowsfood perish the thought!
Well I'm going to take that off my order list thanks for the save and video too
No worries, glad it helped. As much as I love having the thing it has a lot of flaws. Someone in the comments here says he managed to get his to last five years but in my exposed location it has been a struggle. It's probably fine for a sheltered/urban location but I'm only guessing.
Have you got an alternative in mind or are you planning to go without?
Good vid. Honest, straightforward reviews.
Appreciate that. Thought it was important to cover all the failure points, although I was *possibly* a little harsh.
I’ve got four of these style of green plastic houses and tbh for the cost I love them. Obviously when you purchase one you’ve got to realise you will need to do a little fine tuning so that they stay put. Mine are intact and no rips, splits or broken zips and they’ve been up for a whole year.
I totally agree - that much space at that price can't be beaten. And you're probably right, someone else here was saying theirs lasted five years so it's definitely possible. Also if you have a good fence to shelter the greenhouse or generally live in a less windy area, then it'll probably do better than mine did anyway.
Good video thank you. I have one the same in Scotland and just started my 3rd year using it. This year I bought another cover and put it on first with the old one on top which I can change easily if needed.
Thanks Al and congratulations on a third year with it. Did you have to measure up and find a suitable cover that way or was there one you could directly buy? I bought a second, with the plan to repair the first but buying a spare cover would be more cost effective. Good luck growing!
@@alexgrowsfood Hello. Thank you for your reply. It was bought from the same people as the greenhouse. Not sure if allowed to post details? I put new one underneath so when the old one finally fails it is easy to change.
Fantastic video. I've owned 2 of these and they really do require some extra reinforcing to make them last. We ended up placing it against the shed and tying it to that so it didn't blow over. With their price point it's well worth it though.
Definitely worth it. If it lasts for two years and you get a lot of value out of it (a freed up kitchen worktop) then it's a no-brainer. Unfortunate you can't buy a new cover and have to use your own stuff to secure (strapping it to a shed is a great idea) but that's the only downside. I was pretty harsh in this review and my second one has done a lot better, I might have to update the video
Mine lasted just under 2yrs. We've had several wind storms and it made it through with flying colors. But the last wind storm finally broke one of the corner fit pieces. The windows were pretty useless after the first 6 months and the zipper on the door just came apart a few months ago because of the wind.
Yeah that zipper.... It's wild how such a small item completely destroys it. I've managed to replace one piece and re-attach but that half of the door just stays shut now. Shame they don't do replacement parts, it'd make these things much more substantial products
build a wooden frame and attach with 15mm pipe clips. staple the plastic to the wood. a raised bed with greenhouse on top, withstands 60 mph winds
I had the smaller walk in one gifted to me at Christmas about 1/3 size of yours, used it at my windy allotment, the zip broke after about a week but I opened one side of the zip puller and repaired it. I fixed each door side corner inside on a stake and used heavy duty stakes outside and strapped it to my shed , it was good while it lasted , at the end of the season it was starting to rip. Over winter I picked up a free greenhouse from fb and I now use the shelves inside the glass greenhouse.
Great use of the shelves. I was using the frame and shelves to store my (plastic) terracotta pots over winter. As much as the frame wobbles when pushed, it holds together pretty well with a few cable ties. How's the glass greenhouse going? How big a difference did you notice when you made the step up?
@@alexgrowsfood Too early to tell as I only finished glazing a few weeks ago, main concern on an allotment is vandalism but finding it much better for space as there much more space in 6x8 rather than the 2x5 ish plastic one and the greenhouse doesn't have the wind issues (unless we get a bad storm), leeks are doing well and a tom or 2 have just sprouted and we have had a lot of rain so outdoor work has been limited to early potatoes, broad beans and onion sets
Didn't realise allotments had those kinds of problems, that's a shame. Good luck with this year's growing, looks like you're already off to a good start, let me know how it goes
Use ground anchors (large screw shaped things) inside the tent, then get long adjustable straps that go through the ground anchors around the frame and pull the whole structure to the ground (and the straps act as sway bracing). That will secure it good. The whole thing should be dismantled at the end of the season really.
Those will definitely keep it in place, that's for sure! More substantial than my little garden ground pegs, which are doing a mighty job holding the base of the frame in place --- just not the sheet.
I have one and they are alright for starting things off but it's in a sheltered spot by trees and some fencing. If it was a more open spot I'd look elsewhere. Mine doesn't have any vents/windows so it can get pretty hot and humid and lacks air circulation, especially when the door is closed - maybe something to consider for some plants.
Yes this is a very good point. Over the summer my thermometer hanging from the top recorded a maximum of 50C/122F. Obviously, it's not quite that hot in the middle but it can get extreme. Last year I threw a towel over the top to create shade and left the door open for months on end but the air is definitely very still in there even facing the prevailing winds. A polytunnel with both ends open or even a DIY job on this one is probably worth considering
Hi I got one just like yours last year I put blocks all round the inside and put my plants on the blocks and had no problems with and didn’t use the ropes I am now going to put my cover on it for the 2nd year
Good luck, Robert! Steering clear of the provided ropes and securing it yourself was definitely the right thing to do. Someone in the comments here said they've gone five years by better looking after their cover and taking it down over winter. So I suspect you'll have a better time than I did (still love it though)
I had one of those mini greenhouses and they were good but the plastic went weird by the end of the summer. Like it shrink-wrapped the frame a little but still works really well. No zip issues yet!!!
Those little ones are remarkably tough. Mine is tougher than my big one, although they do topple more easily (I guess the high centre of gravity to small contact area). Was great when I had a 6m x 6m garden though.
I built mine on top of cedar beams and attached the bottom tubes to the beams with conduit clamps. No problem at all with winds at all , it is very secure. I use shade cloth in the summer and in winter on very cold nights I cover it with 16’x20’ canvas drop cloths and put a milk house heater set on low. Last week we had low twenties at night and this set up held the inside temps at 45 degrees or better. The zipper has gone bad, I simply bought one of the zip up plastic tarp assemblies from a paint store. They come with nice zippers and can be attached to the existing door opening with high strength Velcro.
That's really nice work getting it to stay that warm. In my first year I couldn't solve the airflow issue but this year, building it again and tucking the sheet under gave a couple of degrees improvement. Can imagine a heater would do a lot in those circumstances. Thanks for the tip re: zipper, yours is definitely a better long term solution than I came up with!
I had a larger one. I lived in a windy area but placed my door away from the prevailing wind. No guy ropes. The sides were elongated at the bottom so that the resulting flap could be buried. I had it for three years before selling the house and if I had space , I would buy another.
Great to hear Rob. Three years and still going strong is great. Seems they do really well if they are secured well from day one --- it's unfortunate this isn't baked into the design of these smaller ones or in the instructions. Even duct tape to stop it flapping around appears to be enough to stop it breaking.
Thank you for the info. I think going by reviews it needs to be against preferably a south facing house wall. It will help with support and it will get the heat from the house.
No worries!!! As long as you can still peg in the metal frame and your own ground pegs still or secure it some other way. It isn't going to be particularly flush with the wall so wouldn't want to lose the anchoring. Had no issues this year with the upgrades and it's holding up well so far this winter.... 🤞
Otherwise just being near a wall (ideally inside a corner) and putting earthen/stone materials in the base of the greenhouse might be enough to get extra heat overnight and avoid direct exposure to colder winds. In the summer you'll want it elsewhere though - it gets very hot even out on grass/under a tree (I forgot about that when I made this film)
I think if you are able to observe through some bad weather and be ready to adapt if it doesn't work out, you should be okay (and have a permanent site for the second year).
Good luck!
I have one if these in Australia. I glued every joint while assembling and mounted the rear of it to a shed for sturdiness. Its held together well but the plastic cover is disintergrating badly from the sun.
The cover is also ripped , only one year old. I like it but just wished it ladted longer.
Same. And it would be so much easier if they sold replacements too. Someone in the comments here said it's possible to make your own but I wouldn't know where to start. Duct tape has fixed last year's holes for me but, from what I remember of a March in Newcastle, Australian sunshine hits different.
I just got that same greenhouse. I bought lumber and brackets to build a wooden frame around it. I plan to build my own door and also put another greenhouse tarp over the outer wooden layer. Really I just bought the greenhouse because it gives me so much vertical gardening space. Hopefully I can keep it warm enough. In the summer I will have to just take off the covers entirely and put loose weave burlap over the frame because it's in the sunniest spot in my yard and I had some plants struggle with the heat this summer.
Burlap sounds like a clever idea. Suspect you'll get good airflow and shading. Depending on what you're growing you could probably get away with only covering a little bit of it too, maybe just cover the top and keep the sides free or keep the plastic cover on if you want more tropical-loving plants. For the winter, I'd definitely look at adding slabs, stones or whatever else is good at absorbing heat around the base. Folding the flaps on the base inwards and taping them to the inside (or strongly securing them flat, folded inside or outside) gets me an extra 1C overnight.
Alex I make cold frames using an old wooden draw with the bottom taken out and a secondhand window pane over the top.. this works amazingly well
Oh cool. That's quite clever. I've even got a set of drawers that I might need to get rid of..... Thanks Angela!
You're very welcome Alex
It’s worth investing in some fleece to cover plants in the greenhouse in winter to protect against frost so the plants do not have to be brought in. If a plastic greenhouse is fitted against a south facing house wall it will help against wind and be warmer.
Hi Alex! You have a good video.👍 Interesting to watch. I will subscribe.
Awesome, thank you! Hope you get a lot out of the channel (slowly building up a library of videos)
@@alexgrowsfood 👍
Fantastic presentation
Thank you so much!
I've had a small plastic greenhouse for the last few years. But fed up with having to fix it all the time. So just bought some 4mm polycarbonate roofing sheets and some wood to build my own small greenhouse. I need my dinning table back 😂
Love it! Sounds like a great idea. Good luck, let me know how it goes
Mine got wiped out less than 1/2 of summer here in Michigan 😮
The plastics and zippers no good
Mine was clear plastic I like the frame I’m just going to make a cover .
Oh wow. Is it pretty windy where you are or was it something else? I must say this year mine has done a lot better. Securing the flaps early has prevented a lot of damage but if you know a good way of making a new cover.... It's probably the best long term strategy for these things.
I use a cold frame and it's a real bonus. It's not very big but it allows me to move freshly germinated seedlings from the house and they do very well - strong plants which after a few weeks can be planted out without extra hardening off.
Glad to hear it, thank you for letting me know! I guess being outside for wider temperature swings when young does them a world of good. Out of interest how cold do you let it get before you take your seedlings indoors (if at all) and how does that compare to the outside air temperature? From what I understand they are better at retaining heat than these plastic things and can keep off direct frosts but I suppose freezing point would be too cold still
Up till now I only have cold weather crops in the frame and have left them out for the night during light frosts. If the worst came to the worst I would bring them in and put them in an unheated room. This is what I do if it gets too cold for the wam weather crops in April/May
This still sounds really reasonable, definitely a level up on the mini-greenhouse. I might try one, thank you!
Possibly depends which one you get. I'm in Blackpool so can get very windy. Mine lasted 10 months in my garden, 1 season. I bought a cheap polytunnel for my allotment that lasted 4 weeks, ripped to shreds, then bought another more expensive one and its lasted 2 years so far and still going. Bought a glass greenhouse for my home garden instead. I also use plastic cold frames at home they're great.
4 weeks!!! And I thought flat Cambridgeshire had bad winds. I'll try not to cheap out on the poly. Thank you!
I’ve got a medium size on In my conservatory.
Amazing! That sounds like a double greenhouse to me --- is it twice as hot? Wondering what the light is like, do the plants like it?
I have two of the house shaped coldframes with the same construction/material.
One of the zip's went within a year but so far after 3 years the frames still not rusted through but the plastic is now becoming perforated so I have wee square holes appearing at the top where the sun is strong . Perhaps I will get 4 years out of them..
I have also had some of the wooden framed and aluminium framed coldframes from Aldi or Lidl and they only lasted about 3 years as the polycarbonate in both of them disintegrated due to UV .
I now have a green house will real glass thankfully
Real glass is the dream. Might hit some of the highest UV but at least the plants get a proper spectrum of light. Hope it's working out better for you (and keeps more heat in during the cold months). My mini-greenhouse has started to get tatty down the bottom and it's just been in the shed this year - I presume a mouse or something is eating it or maybe it gets super hot in there and is degrading. If I owned the land I'd definitely look at getting something more permanent for sure.
I find the little growing tents are best. The poly tunnels are ok for 1 season as the fastening strips and little windows don't last. I haven't found a good solution as i don't want a greenhouse either as the plsnts will burn when it is very warm
Yeah, I've not figured out the heat issue either - my thermometer read 40C/104F in there today (outside air was 14C/57F). It was probably an error in positioning the device but it was hot towards the top for certain. I think if you could get something with air flow it could be better - maybe a shorter tunnel with both ends that could open, it might end up being the best, especially if you could cover the very top with a blocking material for the hottest days. I'm trying last year's (semi-repaired) plastic greenhouse under a tree, hoping the leaves will block the worst of it during the height of the summer.
Thanks
No problem, hope it helped!
good job
Thank you! Cheers!
My partner bought me this very same greenhouse against my protest as i seen it as a poor quality fix. After building it, I found that the green cover was way too tight for the frame and attempting to zip the door closed added more tension to the overall green cover, and split the sides at the door way. I erected the greenhouse behind a large structure protecting the green house from one side and to the back of the greenhouse. A 3mtr X 3 mtr shed was already standing protecting the rear of the greenhouse, which only left the other side, but that wasn't a problem as there is a horse training round yard there, so the greenhouse was protected on 3 sides from strong winds. Mother Nature, in her awesome power, cared not for my strategic placing and simply cartwheeled the greenhouse from where it was to another location, yes I installed the ground pegs that came with the product. Ultimately I used a ratchet strap and anchored the green house to the ground.
All in all, as I predicted, a waste of money at $200 + Au, so not entirely cheap for the product. I would not suggest getting one, save your pennies, and buy a decent quality greenhouse.
Some really good observations here, thank you for noting them! Forgot about the tightness, it definitely didn't help my zip situation either. And THOSE pegs...... Even just using them to demonstrate was a painful experience (that guy rope untying clip took a total of two seconds, didn't even have to wait to catch it on film). Sort of agree with the sentiment, although going to hold off for a few more years before upgrading
I have been using these plastic green houses for 5 years.. I get free pallets for flooring and as a solid anchoring spot.. I take them down in the winter.. I get 3 or 4 years out of them.. I live on the southern Oregon Coast.. We get our share of wind and rain.
3 or 4 years is pretty good going. Presumably it's the cover that degrades over that time? I think once it's anchored in place then the frame, more or less, stays put. I've got one on grass and one on cardboard and can't see any rust or anything. I think I'll do a follow-up --- it's possible I got unlucky with the wind last year because this year's purchase is completely fine.
Yes it is the cover that degrades.. The sun and the constant wind buffeting takes its toll.... We take the plastic down about 20th to 25th of October and leave the frame in place.. We put the plastic back on the frame last week of March to 2nd week of April depending on the weather year... I wish now I had taken pictures and videos of our way of keeping them anchored.. Maybe this coming year I will, except we are looking at a different type greenhouse.. Bigger one. I would not recommend it but we have seen our plastic green house in over 50 mph winds .. They look like they are going to take off but we have never lost one to the weather. Most of ours have been the 8 ft by 6 ft ones but we did a 10 ft by 8ft in 2021.. I did not like it because it only had one entry and It was the green colored plastic and it always had lots more bugs flying around in it.. But It did hold up well. On the anchoring them.. do NOT depend on those little wire anchors they provide.. get something solid.. solid that you cannot just pull apart with out a tool. Do NOT depend on the string/rope they furnish.. The sun will have it rotted half way into the season.. Get some small parachute cord.. do not over tighten the tiedowns. Just snug not tight. Also The bottom skirt of the fabric has to be firmly held down.. . Hope you have better luck... Thanks for your videos.
Very welcome. That's all great advice. I forgot about over-tightening the ropes but that's definitely another failure point - the tension deforms everything else too and the zips struggle if it's even slightly out of shape. I had the fly problem too (although I suppose I've learned to live with them). Anchoring I've managed to do reasonably well using two garden pegs/staples per metal bar and using them for the ropes too using two ropes per corner. This year has been better but, to be fair, the winds have been a little milder.
Thank you for the heads up. I will not purchase one of these. Great video, appreciate your time!!!
No worries. I love mine but the peripheral items are an issue. Might do a lot better sheltered by a fence or in an urban location (the winds can be wild here) but I'm just guessing
I have the same exact greenhouse, was bought 11 months ago literally falling apart piece by piece
That's such a shame. Do you think it's salvageable? I love this thing but it needs the perfect conditions or it struggles. My cover from last year is now a patchwork of duct tape, hoping to get one more year out of it.
@@alexgrowsfood it’s definitely salvageable, but it’s just irritating that the straps have degraded off, and the clips are not tight enough they fall off all the time I have loose shelves, we had a very windy day. A few days ago, and blew a couple of holes in it
Yeah it's so unfortunate given how much the product costs. They should advertise replacement parts, that'd be something... Good luck making repairs. Definitely buy some zip ties to hold those shelves in place (I forgot to mention that but you can probably see them in the video)
Although the greenhouse was a mixed bag and complex, garden hand tools are simple. If you're giving gardening a go then I've created a list of garden tools that I think are essential for any gardener and I'll show you both the low-value and high-quality options: czcams.com/video/e5dHE9RL6Kk/video.html.
I've had a plastic mini greenhouse for two winters now, I unzipped it this March, and realised there was a lot of water in the pots inside, I couldn't figure out where the water came from, on closer inspection I realised that the roof was full of tiny holes in between the squares of the plastic material, how or why they got there is beyond me, but it has ruined the little greenhouse.
Ah that really sucks. Unless there's some obvious source that sounds like plastic degradation, probably under heat & UV light and the thread between each square is holding up still. It depends how many you have (if it's mostly perforated it might not work) but you _might_ still get a heating effect but have better airflow so it should get less hot and humid during the summer. Obviously not great now for the overnight temperatures but _maybe_ better later on in the year? I appreciate this is me being very glass half-full here...
Mine got destroyed by strong winds 3 times and i rebuilt it 3 times without buying again lol. Fun and games with these ones
Glass greenhouses wish they could do this! Starting to wonder if its somehow a feature, not a bug.
@@alexgrowsfood you might be right.
I bout this same greenhouse. I used it one season and the cover stared to get brittle and fell apart. The next year i purchased a new cover but the the plastic connectors got brittle and the entire thing fell over :(
That's a really interesting failure point. Have you got super cold or super hot weather where you are? Or high UV intensity? Sounds like polymer degradation.
How about this: I’m using a hoop tunnel on top of my compost pile.
It's a clever way of keeping the rain off the compost for sure. I'm quite new to composting but I guess it depends on your process how the hoop tunnel impacts temperature & air inside the heap. Do you have any issues with that? The surface should be nice and toasty for sure.
i owned one of these and the metal frame kept coming out of the plastic connectors.
Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that! You're right... If I recall, unless they are pegged to the ground (and therefore fixed) and strapped in using the trays and zip ties to keep the mid-frame shape and completely smashed together as tightly as you can go at the top (deforming the connectors while you do it), they do pop out a lot. Right bother to put together.
I think these are the best plastic greenhouse for the money. I paid $100 and it’s still working after yrs of use.
I agree, definitely best for the money. My second one has done a lot better than the first too, no signs of damage this year. If the frame is secured and the overhang of the plastic sheet is secured I think it will last a long time. Might have to do a second/follow-up review next year
Spring cant come soon enough 👍
Completely agree. We've had a few warm days here and avoided another December. How harsh was the winter where you are?
@@alexgrowsfood Nice and dry January and Feb, A bit crappy now, what with the rain.
When you hear the Blackbirds Sing that is a sure sign that its Spring!
Used this plastic greenhouse first time this year. Big wind issues! It broke in many places cause of winds. I won't be using it again.
Huge wind issues. Everyone seems to have the same problem. I think I was unlucky with my landscape making it worse but the small parts degrade and can't be replaced. I still love it (it's nice having a work surface in the kitchen) but I think everyone who's commented here has similar feelings about the longevity
👍🏾
I would never buy another one. Mine lasted less than a year. I had it for one spring. That’s it! It could not withstand basic wind storms.
Yeah I get that entirely. I did think it was a little bit risky going for a second. It's seemed to have worked out for me this year but it wouldn't have been possible without learning from the mistakes/damage that occurred last year. No more though, I'll wait for a glass one or a poly
@@alexgrowsfood I got a poly one for this year. Hoping it lasts long enough until I can build my own. On the plus side, using the cheaper ones has taught me what I want or don’t want when I build.
i built a cheap cattle panel green house and its very strong and works great for me.i did have one like you have and i think they suck.
I can imagine! How did you secure the panels? Did you do the whole t-post thing to reinforce? I wanted to do something like that for my chickens over winter and then swap to greenhouse in the summer but I ran out of time. I think the weak structure (and the lack of temperature control) is the main problem with the cheap plastic ones. I think it took a couple of dozen garden pegs to keep the frame in place....
@@alexgrowsfood with heavy duty staples i got from amazon. i do have 2 videos on how i did it feel free to have a look if you like.
@@WILLITGROW That sounds a lot easier than driving in a post, I'll take a look. Thank you!
If you're interested in the greenhouse you can find it here: amzn.to/45eC2FM (Amazon Affiliate*). It's been six months since I purchased my second greenhouse (and fixed the first) and both are standing strong this year with no signs of damage. If I can figure out where I'll put it, I might even buy a third....
There's been a lot of continued interest in this video - I really hope you're finding it useful. Thank you all for your support and let me know if you'd like to see a follow-up / 2-year review video in the Spring.
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I will only ever recommend things that I really use or that I really like (and if I link to something that's not 100% fantastic, I will tell you). Proceeds go back into improving the channel.
Yes, I would like to see a 2-year follow up, just in case I decide to also buy one for the back deck.
I just recently won one on auction.
Didnt pay alot/0 expectations.
I would suggest plumbers glue on the joints.
Zip ties and cordage supports. Plus a couple hundred pounds of rocks on the inside bottom.
Today wind gusts up to 35mph. Still holding
Those rocks seem like a great idea. Have you measured the temperature in there? Do they warm up and retain heat overnight? Right now mine easily hits 30C/86F on a cold but bright day. Wonder if you could dodge a light frost if you manage to limit the worst of the airflow?
IMPORTANT INFO.... These mini green houses are ok ..BUT BUT BUT the covers rip easy and deteriorate after a few years and replacement covers cost almost as much as the green house it self ,DO NOT use the ties and loops on the cover as its these places rip first , They WILL be shook by strong winds and will shake all the plants off the shelves even if weighted down with sand bags so reinforcing the frame is essential and build separate shelves that are not connected to the greenhouse frame , They get too hot in summer and too cold in winter .
I couldn't even find a replacement cover. I did try contacting the vendor but no response.
I do love the greenhouse and entirely rely on it but couldn't make a video for you all that didn't point out all it's faults. I think upgrading guy ropes and using ground pegs around the base as well as cable ties so secure the shelves enhances the produce massively. But sadly I've not figured out how to prolong the life of the cover (other than remove it from late autumn to mid spring, as someone else commented) or attempted a repair. Will try in April, I suspect.
A little common sense and they work much much better. Better anchors can make a huge difference.
Pegging the greenhouse to the ground and putting weights on the excess sheet definitely made it feel a much more substantial product, but the zips and fabric ties let the rest of the side down imo. As much as I love them, there's only so much you can tape over and even on my new plastic greenhouse the metal zip has already split in half
Obviously made from Chineesium .
It's a shame that it would have seemed quite a premium product with just a few tweaks. The problems are the low quality peripheral pieces. The cover itself is really very strong stuff and the frame is as rust resistant as advertised, it just connects together terribly. Probably fine for a more sheltered/urban location though.
I bought one that lasted only one season and looks the same as the one in the video. The plastic deteriorated and small holes formed in the small squares of reinforcement. I wont buy another. It is to big of a investment for just one season.
It could be the same. It's hard to tell with these non-brands. I've not had any damage on this year's purchase but the weather was pretty mild --- even the wind. Agree it can feel like a roll of the dice and that's a shame because I don't think it would take much design improvement to make this more durable / premium
Nope, mine got smashed in bad weather
Yeah, they for sure need a lot of tying down, careful positioning and diligence closing the door in high winds. This year's fared a lot better than last year's (in the video) but that was probably due to the mild weather this year and learning from troubleshooting last year.
In other words build your own lol
Definitely a case of being your own peripherals.... Hopefully everyone has some good camping gear gathering dust that they can repurpose
Rubbish never, never, never buy waste of money
I did manage to free up my kitchen worktop and cook dinner last night so definitely not a *complete* waste. But my review wasn't exactly glowing. Definitely some simple upgrades they should do to make it much better.
Yep, absolute crap, don't bother
Tempted to buy a third one... Starting to get the hang of it now. Glutton for punishment or did I just sow too many seeds?