Plastic mini greenhouses

[greenzone5]

Is this kind of mini greenhouses good? Can there grow cp`s and other tropical plants? Please if someone has expierence or information its welcome?

[Ordovic]

HI,

I have grown Sarracenia, Dionaea and Hardy Drosera successfully in a Gardman 5 tier Mini greenhouse. A few problems though:

1) They're prone to overheating on sunny summer days unless you open the 'door'.

2) They lose heat pretty rapidly -freezes solid in coldest times during winter and only slightly warmer than outside unless the sun shines.

- You cannot grow tropicals or tender species in them. -Drosera binata survived only the mildest winter.

3) During very strong winds the unit can be blown about/over unless weighted on the bottom shelf (a big old bag of wet compost does the trick) &/or guy ropes attached (ropes and pegs not supplied with mine but had attachments built in for them).

4) Also during very strong winds the frame can be shaken or pulled apart (this happened on mine and the shelves fell down in a heap spilling out plants and seedlings -fixed this buy using loops of adjustable plastic ties around the uprights at front and rear).

5) The plastic covers degrade from exposure in two years and need replacing.

6) You run out of growing space quickly.

All in all they're not brilliant which is why I upgraded to a real greenhouse, but that said they maintain high humidity and keep air frost and the birds at bay! So if it's all you can afford, they're better than nothing and provided you don't have too cold a winter, they do a job.