I first wrote about portable greenhouse options for Suite 101 back in 2009. I have updated the information for Under Cover Gardening.
Gardeners with small spaces or in urban areas often use portable or small greenhouses to create gardening space where there is no yard. As with any greenhouse, mini-greenhouses also serve to extend the growing season, which is why even gardeners with lots of space benefit from the versatility of portable grow racks and flower houses.
Flower House Greenhouse
Some hobby gardeners enjoy using pop up flower houses. Pop up flower houses are especially easy to assemble and use. They are temporary, small, and portable structures that are brought out every year, enjoyed through the season, then stored for the winter until next growing season. They quite literally "pop up" like a tent while being assembled, and require no building skills or tools.
Once the flower house is open, gardeners place plant pots and containers inside the door. The structure provides protection and warmth to the growing plants. In the fall, pop up flower houses may be simply wiped out with a sponge soaked n water and biodegradable soap to prevent mildew. They must be treated gently, however, because they can rip. Pop up flower houses are flat when unassembled, and easy to store over the winter.
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Grow Racks
Grow racks are portable structures sold as complete greenhouse kits with removable shelves and a plastic greenhouse cover.
Grow Racks are usually a couple of feet long and a foot or so wide. A six foot tall Grow Rack will typically have four removable shelves. There are also shorter two and three shelf varieties. The plastic cover is fitted and therefore the kits are not interchangeable.
Setting up a grow rack on the patio or deck is easy. The plastic cover that comes with a grow rack has a zippered opening for easy access to plants and for ventilation. Shade cloths for grow racks are available and advisable for patio gardeners who live in extremely sunny, hot areas.
Cold Frames
A cold frame is essentially a raised bed with a lid. Cold frames can be either portable or built in as part of a gardener's backyard landscape.
When planning a portable cold frame, remember that the bottom must be perforated for proper drainage. When setting up a cold frame on a porch or patio, place a large enough tray underneath to catch the draining water.
Permanent cold frames are built on the ground the same as a raised bed. Cold frames are deeper than raised beds to accommodate growing plants under the hinged lid. Some cold frames have domed lids to give plants additional space for upward plant growth.
Attached Greenhouse, Lean-To, and Mini Lean-To
An attached greenhouse is attached to the gardener's house. The outside wall of the home is one side of the greenhouse. Attached greenhouses are usually built on the South wall to get the most possible light and warmth from the sun.
"Lean-to" and "attached greenhouse" are synonymous terms. A mini lean-to, however, is a portable structure. Mini lean-tos are smaller than attached greenhouses, the same shape, and sit well next to the outside wall of the gardener's home. They can be set up next to the wall on a patio, deck or porch.
With the variety of portable greenhouses available, gardeners with small spaces are able to find the perfect solution to fit their individual needs. The benefits of greenhouse gardening include a protected, warm space for plants and an extended growing season.
