Buyers’ guide to small greenhouses
These small structures offer cosy conditions for tender plants, cuttings and seedlings. Geoff Hodge explains what to look for
These compact structures offer cosy conditions for tender plants, cuttings and seedlings
As spring approaches, gardeners’ thoughts turn to propagation – sowing seeds and taking cuttings. While it’s possible to do this on a sunny windowsill, it’s far easier and more successful if you use a purposebuilt greenhouse. The good news is, even if you don’t have space for a full-scale glazed structure, there’s now a huge range of smaller growhouses and growing frames on the market that are a brilliant alternative. Or, if you have a sunny house or garage wall, you could add a space-saving lean-to. While a small greenhouse may not be large enough produce enough food to feed the family all year round, it allows you to experience one of the best feelings in the world – the satisfaction of creating your own plants. No matter what size or style of ‘growhouse’ you go for, the first consideration when buying, is what it’s made from. The materials used in the frame and glazing affect cost, weight and heat retention. Wooden frames look attractive, but need treating – usually every couple of years. Western red cedar is reliable and needs less maintenance. Wood retains heat better than aluminium, so wooden greenhouses remain warmer for longer. Aluminium frames are much cheaper than wood and need little or no maintenance. For a more attractive look, consider coloured powder coatings, which can help a greenhouse blend into the rest of the garden – or even stand out. Aluminium doesn’t hold heat as well as wood, but the thin glazing bars ensure better light transmission. Glazing glass is heavy and adds stability to structures, but is prone to breaking when hit by stray objects, and can crack in extreme heat or cold. Glass has good light transmission, but loses heat easily. Polycarbonate is lightweight and doesn’t break or shatter like glass. It has good light transmission. Twin-walled polycarbonate works like household double-glazed windows, retaining more heat and reducing heat loss in winter.
Coloured powder coatings can help a greenhouse blend in