Don't buy this greenhouse ...

If you live in an area that has intense heat and UV exposure, do not buy this greenhouse. The cover deteriotes within one year if it is not taken down and stored in a cool place June. I have had 2 covers within 2 yeears. - both have not survived the summers here in San Antonio. Even though, the 10 X 12 greenhouse sits in mostly filtered shade most of the time in the summer, the areas of the cover that has received the most direct sunlight (the top southside) and the areas under the supporting grren painted metal rods have "fallen apart". These grrenhouses are no longer being manufactured and new covers are not available. The frames are great and very sturdy, the zippers are great and the nylon reinforcement in the cover is super ... but the little squares of polyethelene "pop out" from between the nylon strings looking like snowflakes. It will "snow" in my greenhouse during a hail storm. What good is a grrenhouse without a cover? Here is the greenhouse I have, but mine is larger and sure cost a lot more money. My husband and I spent all of yesterday trying to patch the holes and used about $70.00 worth of repair tape. The more we touched the cover, the more holes appeared. Naturally, it rained before the tape was "set" well ... so the tape will probably come off. I will probably have no place to protect my plants during our first hard freezes. The company below is not the retailer from whom I purchased it: but, they have been very helpful with trying to solve my problem.

http://www.4seasongreenhouse.com/hobby-greenhouse-p-619.html

Sorry about your troubles...thanks for the warning about these. If my husband suggests buying one for me, I can now tell him why it would be better to get a greenhouse that doesn't have a plastic type cover! Good luck on getting yours repaired/replaced.

I spent over $200 on a plastic greenhouse that was about six feet high, four feet wide and two feet long with three shelves. It kept falling apart, dumping the seeds that I had started in it. It was such a waste of money and it is in my garage right now. I will never buy a greenhouse of any kind again.

Thanks,

Chuck

kevanrijn, we patched it as best we could and the repair tape setup and did not fall off. There are still small holes here and there. The heat from the heater has been retained pretty well and all of my plants look happy after several nights of below freezing weather. I am hoping that we do not have ice storms are hail.

I will have to replace the top of the cover with a diiferent type of vinyle cover that is UV ressistant. Some vinyl covers are fine, but not this type that has nylon reinforcement threads running through it that creates thousands of small squares. Thanks for your comments.

Chuck, I know the type that you are talking about. I am so sorry that you had terrible problems with it. It is so frustrating and I know how you feel. Thank you for sharing your experience.

I have a 20' x 40' hoop house with a cover which has some patented treatment and is warrantied for ten years to the original owner. I am not the original owner and I called them to see if I could buy a replacement cover later on, which I can do. I think I recall them saying they do custom covers as well, so you could possibly have one made for yours.

My cover is doing fine. A family lived in this hoophouse for 6 months in Colorado while they build their cabin. Another couple bought it and moved it to Three Forks, thinking the civilized world was going to end in 2000. I bought it the next year when they realized they did not have to do the self sufficient thing after all. I am in a sunny and WINDY location. It does get fairly hot in the summer, not your heat, but still hot. It is holding up quite well at this point.

If this is of interest to you, I could get you the contact info in a week or so. I am currently having an insommnia moment, it is dark, cold and windy, so I am not going out there right now with a flashlight to find the 800 number printed on the cover! And I am about to leave for Portland and Seattle for a few days, but just let me know if you want the info and I will do it when I get back. In the daylight ;-).

Yes, I would love the information. Thank you so much.

Trip delayed, so here is your info sooner. 1-888-663-2107 I have the white/white standard fabric, but they list a translucent clear greenhouse fabric which I know nothing about. They do custom design. Good luck!

Thanks so much.

CBernard,

You said:

Actually, my backyard doesn't have room for a full-fledged greenhouse. I am sorry to say this but $200 is a lot of money to me(I am retired).

Thanks for answering,

Chuck

Chuck,

Thanks for replying. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. A properly set up greenhouse can be a really enjoyable thing. But, unfortunately, "properly set up" usually has a price. It's definately not a cheap hobby.

You may be able to modify the GH you have. Is there a way to reinforce the problem areas with your model? Perhaps some metal rods or bars that span the connection joints? Gorilla Glue? Is there a way to secure it it a wall, once it's already assembled?

Just some ideas. Apologies to htop for hijacking their thread. =)

No, problem. :o)

Thanks to both of you...The suggestions were very good.

Thanks again,

Chuck