The Lemon Fool

I don't have space for a permanent greenhouse, but I have a large sunny patio. I want to over-winter a large collection of pelargoniums, perhaps with a small electric heater. I was wondering about buying a 6x4 plastic greenhouse, which I could assemble in the Autumn and take down in the Spring. It will need to be tied down well to large stones or similar, so that it doesn't get airborne during the Winter.

Does anyone have any experience of this type of thing, and has it been useful/trouble free?

We had an ultra cheapie (think £20 ) many years ago, and it was actually better than we'd expected. Lasted about four years before the zips on the door failed and the tubular legs rusted up solid. But by that time it had preserved a lot of plants. In fact we bought a proper glass greenhouse, but otherwise we'd have considered doing the same again.

Yes, you do have to anchor them firmly because they're an awful lot of sail area in the wind. I went so far as to drill a few plastic rawlplugs into the patio, so as to anchor the legs really firmly. But only after a gale had carried away our greenhouse 500 yards toward the main road. It was found, intact, by somebody who was filling up his car at the local garage. We were quite thankful that it didn't land on his paintwork.

Incidentally, make a photographic note of all the leg pieces and cross members while they've still got the stickers on them. You will lose the paper stickers, and you will curse the idiot who made one type of strut two inches shorter than a similar one, so that you're effectively doing a three dimensional jigsaw without the picture. Yu think you'll remember them all, but I guarantee that this time next year you'll have forgotten.

BJ

I'd second that securing suggestion; ours was only about 4' x 2', it blew away overnight and carried the plants and trays with it wrecking the crops, plastic cover and frame.

another support for the plastic wrapper type.
£25 ish from Aldi (delivered)
about 4ft x 2ft
mine is anchored to the fence (neighbours fence but!!) and is 'up' all year round as useful storage when no plants
so far is 3 years old and no signs of wear

will replace when reqd