Shelf unit with plastic cover, greenhouse-what do you think?

Has anyone used one of these outside to protect young seedlings plants after WS untill planted? shelves and plastic cover with zipper door....good to harden off plants started inside. Do they last?

WS sprouts don't need hardening since they're born outside. Might be nice if you're the type who wants to protect everything after it germinates. I could never keep it in my yard, though. It would blow away and be gone in a heartbeat.

Karen

I was thinking of some annuals seedlings that were not too hardy, when a surprise frost occurs.....just a thought. We had late frosts last year, end of May. I have not done WS at all and want to be prepared....several others had mentioned loosing seedlings after a spring cold spell....so I should just let nature take its course And yes, the wind would definitely be a problem; I would have to attach it to a wall in a protected area.

I have used one just like that greenhouse. I also have a small one (2 shelves) and a larger one, 4' x 6'. They do just fine for wintersowing seeds. At least for me here in the NW. The zippers don't go all the way so they are exposed a bit to the real weather.
Carol

Eary last spring a bought a "walk in" version of this----plastic w/zippers. It lasted a couple hours before the zippers tore away from the plastic and I think only a couple days before the whole thing was torn to shreads. If they're asking more than $10 for it I wouldn't consider it unless you don't have any wind where you live :)

Sandy

Yep, the wind is murder on the plastic and zipper, I have found out too.

I used one all last summer that I got from Thompson Morgan. It did very very for protecting plants that I bought at an early spring plant sale. I didn't lose anything. I also kept the WS plants that I didn't get into the ground right away in it. Later in the summer, I used it for various plants I was fiddling with. I had some petunia seed I started late, etc.

Yes, it's a little on the cheap side, but I can't think of anything that was a real problem.

I just got the one from Thompson Morgan a couple of weeks ago. I was amazed at how warm it stays. For example, when it was 60 outside at mid-day, it was over 100 inside. It does a good job of protection from frost and so forth. My only concern with it is that you can't really regulate the temp.
Deb

A friend of mine has had one outsdie in a sheltered place for ten years
and it is just like new.

taramark, does your friend's greenhouse have a plastic-type tubing frame or some type of metal frame? has the original cover survived also?

Tammy,

Yes, and yes. My friend reports that she has great results using it.

My son gave me one for last Christmas. I set mine ten feet back in a building without a
front. so it gets light but not strong sun or wind. I have a few pots of seeds that need
cold for germination, and then I will move the house seedlings to it this spring.

I've had mine for 3 years, still have the plastic too. As long as you don't have strong winds, it will last a few years. We had a bad thunderstorm in July one year and it knocked the whole stand over. Plants and dirt went everywhere! Now I use bungie cords to tie it to the deck and it has worked well so far. I usually un-zip it during the day, and even take the plastic off if its really hot. During the night, depending on how cold it will get, I put the plastic back on. In the winter I put it in the house and use it for my seelings until I can put the whole stand outside again. It has worked well for the little things, but I need a REAL greenhouse for the big things!!