Ok-

With the end to summer moving right along in NY, I've been thinking about getting a Harbor Freight greenhouse to put out back..but I've been thinking, WHY DO I NEED IT? I do have a vegetable garden and usually buy the plants cheap (tomatoes, cucumbers etc.) from the farmers market..I do plant a few things from seed and they do fine. What are the BENEFITS of having one? I've been loving collecting day lilies recently, but that is more for landscaping purposes. I suppose I could grow some in the greenhouse, but I would have to heat it some how.

Thoughts?? Josh

I can't answer your question. But I have always wanted a greenhouse. So on my last birthday my children surprised me with a 6x8 Harbor Freight. Now I have put it up within the last couple of weeks lacking benches but working on that. ( Have realized with age you move a bit slower) But I hope to be able to try a few winter tomatoes in the e-buckets along with a couple of other plants. Now I am in a warmer zone than you and hope I won't have to use too much power to warm it.
I feel like all gardeners we at one time or another wish for a greenhouse and for the price they sell these kits for you can't beat it. Good luck

I bought my greenhouse because I grow a lot of tropical Zone 9 and 10 plants that will not survive my Zone 8 Winters and have to be overwintered in a non freezing place. I heat my greenhouse only to "don't freeze" temperatures. It also gives me a jump start on Spring by allowing me to start seeds 2 months earlier - on a sunny day the temperature can be in the low to mid 60's outside, but inside the closed greenhouse it can get into the upper 80's to mid 90's. By the time it's safe to plant things in the ground, all the annual I started from seeds in late January are within weeks of blooming instead of months and everything else is actively growing.

Ok I will be curious to see how you like your greenhouse. I agree, the harbor freight on is a deal, and I've been reading a lot about ways to improve the overall structure..doable for someone who isn't exactly super handy like myself. I will be curious to know how many times you will have to heat it during the winter. It can get COLD here in NY, so heating in January would be a necessity.

J

I bought a greenhouse mainly for my tropical plants. I collect brugmansia and i 'm in zone7 in Ga. I rarely heat it though, but i put bubble wrap the interior during winter so far is working for me.
Here is some pictures;








In the third pictures you can see the bubble wrap on the roof panel. I also have a heat dish heater i bought at costco just in case.

Cora, I sure do like the idea of the bubble wrap it is the 1 in. bubble? And did you buy it in big rolls? Thanks for answering, I think I should do this.

James, i bought the big rolls at UPS store for $35 + tax. Can't remember if it's 250 feet though. It is a lot cheaper buying at UPS store if you have one close buy.
My greenhouse is 8X24 an it cover all the roofs and side pretty much.

I would love to have a greenhouse. I am home all the time, now, and could get out and putter around with seeds and such. Rita @newyorkrita has inspired me to try vegetables next Spring. If that goes well, a greenhouse would be handy for getting future years' crops started.

Strangely, I've never had a yen for a greenhouse, probably because I really suck at starting seeds. I do enjoy looking at what others do with theirs, though, and the lovely designs. Everything from tiny mini portables to ones big enough to house tropical trees. So very interesting. How do you attach the bubble wrap to the glass?

Debra, for starting spring veggies even one of those stand alone mini greenhouses might work. I don't know really, I don't know much about greenhouses. How about simply a cold frame? Much cheaper way to go.

Deb, good question. If the walls are corrugated plastic instead of glass, couldn't the wrap be stapled on?

What i did on mine is i individually attach each panel with bubble wrap. Put a clear tape on the edges but mostly they stay put if it's bit wet.
I haven't bothered buying shade cloth since i only used it over wintering my tropical plants.

Cora, thank you so much for the info. For sure I am going to do this to mine I am sure it will save on heating cost.

I hardly heat mine so far. But, this year i will have fan running on those freezing nights cause the condensation from the roofs is also ice cold that it hurts the plants.

All kinds of great reasons for a greenhouse , I love my little one and the reward of stepping inside of the greenhouse and having it 85 in the middle of winter on a sunny day when it is 10 outside makes me smile. I just stand and absorb some heat

I don't heat my greenhouse or have plants in it during the middle of summer but I can see the garden and plan for spring.

Are you putting the bubble-wrap on the panels inside or outside the greenhouse?

Cora what brand is your greenhouse, how tall is it ? I like the roof design.

It is Rion Greenhouse, 8x24. I believe it' s 7-8 ft at peak(I maybe bit off). I have a heat dish that I using when it gets below freezing temp. Also have circulating fan that I leave it on all the time.

I wanted a greenhouse for my Zone 9a plants that won't survive a Zone 9a winter!

ShadyGreenThumb said:I wanted a greenhouse for my Zone 9a plants that won't survive a Zone 9a winter!