Many people dream of having a greenhouse but feel it’s a dream they’ll have to put on hold until they can afford more spacious property. However, there are now greenhouse designs available which can be kept just about anywhere, even if you only have a few square feet of back yard.
These mini greenhouses are ideal homes for starting flowers to move inside your home or to the garden later, or for growing lettuce and herbs for your kitchen. They2019re compact, easy to use, and the perfect choice for urban environments.
There are several different miniature greenhouse designs on the market, meaning that you can still be flexible in your choices despite the limits imposed by lack of space. The simplest, available at very low prices, consist of a low square frame with a roof which is angled to catch the sun.
Made of plastic sheeting, some can simply be unzipped when you wish to access your plants. They insulate well and allow in plenty of light. The main problem is that they’re prone to overheating, so they’re unsuitable for delicate plants. In hot weather you should shade them or leave them partially open so that they can be ventilated.
Box greenhouses take up even less horizontal space, but are consequently less good at catching the sun, so you should be careful about where you position them and not use them to grow plants which need large amounts of light. Some of them can be opened from the top, a bit like chest freezers, making them a practical choice for tall plants, though access can be cumbersome.
Others have a series of drawers in which layers of plants can be kept. Most of these greenhouses are made with stiff plastic panels which make them sturdy while decreasing the risk of breakage as you open and shut them.
Mini greenhouses like these are so useful that some people who do have room for full sized models keep them as back-up or as a starter home for seedlings. They’re perfect for a patio or for your corner of a community garden, and, properly maintained, they can give you years of gardening pleasure.
