cheap plastic greenhouse a useful buy?

danih

As above. Thinking of buying one on sale and putting it in a sheltered spot in back garden for lettuce and anything else I can think of.

Good idea? Or waste money?

Leif

I'd say it was a bad idea, but many wouild disagree. If you are talking about a polythene on steel frame, the polythene rots in a year or so, and the steel rusts. And they blow over easily. A coldframe is a god send, and Aldi/Lidl do a superb one for ~£24 from time to time.

Davesnave

They don't call them 'blow-aways' for nothing.

Lettuce don't require heat or much physical protection in the main growing season anyway. You may get better value from netting cloches to keep insects off.

Leif

Not much needs protection except when young to protect from frosts, apart from the more tropical stuff. Spend the money on a large container (small ones need watering too often) or nets as said above.

danih

Good stuff, thank you for the advice.

Back yard is teeny and well sheltered as it is cut into a hill.

mansars

I have something similar to this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gardman-4-Tier-Mini-Greenhouse/dp/B00080KPA2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1378133639&sr=8-5&keywords=greenhouse

and its been great. I have it in a semi-shade (actually were its gets most sun in spring and autumn) and planted seedlings out to harden off in the spring, took the bottom 3 trays out and placed my tomtaoes in during the summer and I will be putting my potato grow bags in along with the tender plants over winter.

I used my Nectar points in Homebase when they had a sale on, so cost me nothing.