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Post by brokken on Jun 11, 2007 20:18:12 GMT
Has anyone here had any experience with portable greenhouses the likes of: www.backyardshops.com/FH300SPCL.htmlIn as much as I would like to build a permanent structure, I can't because I'm currently renting. Thoughts? |
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Post by daisybax on Jun 24, 2007 3:37:34 GMT
I have this one: www.amazon.com/8-shelf-Greenhouse/dp/B0009J5GEM (don't let the two adults in the picture fool you, it only fits one adult and one child inside and at that it's a crowd). The pros: the fit and finish are nice, snapped together really fast. Could be taken apart with a little effort (the posts snap into the connectors and it takes a strong pull to snap them back out). Comes with shelving. The cons: while it comes with tent stakes and cords to secure it to the ground, I'd be surprised if it could stand up to much wind. Even all put together I was able to lift it up by one side and relocate it by myself. Mine is located in a completely sheltered space, otherwise I suspect it would fly off like a kite during the Bay Area's afternoon winds. The vertical space between shelving is tight (~17") and the shelving isn't adjustable. It's fine for low growers but some of our nepenthes are going to be too tall very soon. The shelving isn't very rugged: water-logged pots make visible dips, and the shelves all needed zip ties to keep from sliding about. The frame seems like it could tolerate heavier shelving slats, I'll experiment with that at some point. The roof is too flimsy to support any hanging pots. There seems to be enough support amidst the shelving for small hanger ons. The outgassing from the PVC vinyl cover is very stinky. Mine's only been up for a few days so I don't know how long before that goes away. Soon, I hope. It retains humidity well but temps are all over the map due to the lack of insulation. On the plus side, it's easy to cool down by flapping the doorway but then again, someone has to be home to do that. Some of the fancier mini-greenhouses I've seen have nice automatic roof vents which open in response to temp fluctuations but those cost about 20x more than this one did  I mostly got this one for wintering plants (mostly non-CPs) so I've got a few months to try to figure out how to keep it warm at nights without the entire thing going up in a blaze of melting PVC. Interior closeup: flickr.com/photos/jmamaro/606656353 (the white boards and translucent material are part of my house, not the greenhouse--the cover itself is surprisingly clear. The black shelving to the left isn't part of the kit, just some random shelving I had that happened to fit in). |
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Post by pinglover on Jun 24, 2007 20:10:49 GMT
I had the one daisymax shared a photo of. Cons, it blew over repeatedly in high winds even after it was weighted down. Pros, it can be used inside your home to keep humidity high for seedlings after lighting is hung from underneath each shelf.
I hate to say this but I gave mine away.
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I mostly got this one for wintering plants (mostly non-CPs) so I've got a few months to try to figure out how to keep it warm at nights without the entire thing going up in a blaze of melting PVC. 
