Will plastic mini-greenhouses protect from frost?

acemoola

I have a very small garden, and last year grew quite a bit of veg in containers. This year I'm trying to do even more and grow things from seed (last year bought tom plants etc). I don't have a greenhouse and though I have a few spare window sills to start of the seeds, once transplanted into pots, I'm wondering how I might protect from the frost outside, since I will run out of windowsills fairly quickly once they are bit bigger.
Are the plastic mini-greenhouses you see in the shops going to offer any protection to new seedlings/ plants ? If not any other suggestions how I might get over my space issue!?
Thanks,
Claire

mary43

We grow our veg in containers and the other year (well about two years back) we bought a mini greenhouse but were advised not to trust that it would keep young plants frost free so we still ended up with the kitchen windowsill and work top full of seedlings. Mind you, once they'd grown a bit OH took a chance and put them out once they'd gone from seed tray to potting on size and because where we had the greenhouse was quite sheltered we were lucky. Having said that..........later in the year gale force winds took the plastic clean off...........no idea where it ended up so we didn't get one again. Might have another go this year though........it was a good place for bringing things on a bit quicker.

Davesnave

Consider carefully whether planting really early is worthwhile. For some things with a long season to maturity (chilli peppers for example) an early sowing may be a good idea, but with low light levels you may end up with straggly plants. Most crops soon catch up if sown a bit later and it is partly the influence of money grabbing garden centres/ DIY sheds getting young plants in far too early which causes folk to plant sooner than they need to. Plastic greenhouses plus horticultural fleece will protect against 'ordinary' frosts, especially in town, but I'm talking about the south & I don't know where you are! By April, you're not going to get penetrating frost hereabouts, but it's often the unexpected May frost that catches people out. A poly greenhouse or frame will cope with those.

acemoola

Thanks, I'll bear all you've said in mind - so really useful stuff. We live in the North-West in Wirral nearish the coast. That said, my garden is a really sheltered walled garden, albeit quite shady for most of the day in some parts, a lot of my veg will go on the wall in troughs.....
Thanks again