How do I use a greenhouse?

[IndigoElectron]

Silly question but I really don't know!

I am a new gardener and am about to buy one of these (need to check what size I have room for):
Wilko Mini Greenhouse 4 Tier Clear 164cmx90cmx49cm at wilko.com
Wilko Get Growing Greenhouse with 3 Shelves 152cmx143cmx48cm at wilko.com

I've done some research on them and I know they're not brilliant and can blow away, but I don't have the budget or space for a real greenhouse, so this is my next best option. I know I will need to weigh it down with something.

I want to get one so I can start growing earlier - some of my seeds (e.g. aubergine, chilli) say I can start them now if I've got a greenhouse. But won't it still be very cold? Would I need to provide some sort of protection, or bring the plants in at night? And why do I need a greenhouse rather than a windowsill, is it because the windowsill wouldn't give enough light?

Thanks!

[WendyC]

I think you are better thinking of "mini greenhouses" or "blowaways" as more like a cold frame than a greenhouse. You are right in thinking they provide minimal frost / cold protection. What they will give you is better light than a windowsill. You can drape fleece over seedlings at night but will need removing during the day. Probably best for the hardier vegetables until much later in the year when tomatoes will be ok.
I've never used one but someone who has might be able to give you more detailed advice.

[Nicos]

I'd be tempted to tie your blowaway to something...in these high winds even heavy bricks inside may not be enough
(Says she who has twice now experienced trays of seedlings strewn across the garden!)

[veggiechicken]

I want to get one so I can start growing earlier - some of my seeds (e.g. aubergine, chilli) say I can start them now if I've got a greenhouse. But won't it still be very cold? Would I need to provide some sort of protection, or bring the plants in at night? And why do I need a greenhouse rather than a windowsill, is it because the windowsill wouldn't give enough light?

Thanks!

If you want to start aubergines and chillies off early, you should do it indoors - not in a blowaway!! They need heat to germinate and night temperatures are much too low at the moment.
Use your airing cupboard, a heated propagator or somewhere warm. As soon as the leaves show, you need to put them in good light, like a sunny windowsill, but they need lots of constant light throughout the day to stop them going leggy. So you may need to move them from room to room.
Its still early to sow aubergines etc, there's no point in sowing too early if you can't provide the right conditions to grow them on.

[Bill HH]

I grew a great crop of tomatoes in a walk in blow away (walk in means I can just get my head and stomach through the door. But its stilll very early, calm down and chill out lol.

[Highlander]

I start seeds off on the window cill in an unheated south facing bedroom. I turn the seed trays at least twice a day to try to stop them drawing to the light. once they get a bit bigger they go into the unheated greenhouse during the day and back to the bedroom window cill overnight.
I've started just about everything this way for years to get the seeds away although being this far north does mean that I have to delay sowing a bit or hold things in the greenhouse until the weather is right.
As far as the "minigreenhouse" is concerned, my next door neighbour has a couple and grows great strawberries as well as toms and chillies.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks everyone :-)

Veggiechicken, sorry I didn't make myself clear - I know I need to start the seeds off indoors and I have a small heated propagator as well as an unheated windowsill one. I was going to move them into the greenhouse when they are small plants, is that how things are done?

Bill, I am new to this (never had a garden before) so am very very excited and probably getting a bit carried away! :-)

Thanks Highlander, I think you have answered my question.

[Dorothy rouse]

I have one of those 4 tier plastic mini greenhouses from Wilkinsons, mine can't blow away, cos it's wedged between lower floor and balcony above. It'll do you fine in bringing on your trays of seeds, and pots, and will protect from the elements. I have nothing in there yet, cos just not warm enough. This will be it's 4th year, and I have a new cover for it, as at the mo, it's just kind of green and horrible, so much rain. Don't think much light would get through !

Good luck

[Kristen]

I was going to move them into the greenhouse when they are small plants, is that how things are done?

Aubergines and Chillies will want a minimum of 10C at night. They will like the better light of your "blowaway" (than a windowsill), so there will come a point when it is warm enough for them to be out there and give them the better light. If not too much Faff you can still bring them in for the night if the forecast is chilly.

Watch out they don't cook though - blow aways get very hot in the Sun, and if it is sunny but cold you won't be able to unzip them - so they would need to stay indoors on any days like that. Once we get to May they will probably be able to stay out (although we can get frost in May), and plenty of nice warm days in March and April ...

You might want to get a Max/Min thermometer and put it in the blowaway for some days & nights before you start putting plants in it, to get a feel for what temperatures it actually reaches - both highs and lows.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks Dorothy, that's helpful.

Thanks Kirsten. Can I put some sort of cover over them to stop them cooking, or does that defeat the object? Or can I partly unzip them, to provide ventilation?

[Kristen]

Unzip them is best. The main issue is if the weather is miserable, you go out, and then the sun comes out and cooks them In Summer you will be able to just unzip them, as it will be warm enough, but the variable weather in Spring may be a challenge.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks Kristen.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't have the budget or space for a real greenhouse,

Most of us have used the plastic things, but you need to think of them as coldframes: they really are not greenhouses

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks Two Sheds, I'm starting to realise that its not really a substitute for a greenhouse. Bearing that in mind, is it better to situate the blowaway out of direct/strong sunlight? If I'm going to use it for hardening off rather than growing things? I have a choice whether to put it East facing or West facing, if I put it in a North/West facing corner it will sit in the most sheltered spot and hopefully be less likely to blow away. East facing will be more exposed, in front of the shed.

[Two_Sheds]

Plants should nearly always be in your sunniest position. If you site it in a shady place, growth will be slow, erratic & weak.