Is a plastic greenhouse ok to leave out during winter?

Hi,

I bought a plastic greenhouse in summer.

Should I dismantle it, and build it again in spring, or is it ok to leave out over winter? Perhaps I should take just the cover in? It would be a useful dry space during winter if I dont need to dismantle it.

What do you think?

Thanks

 

Roughly what are its dimensions?

 

It depends on how exposed it is.
You need some means of anchoring it down, or the wind will wreak havoc with it. I find you rarely get more than two seasons out of them.

 

Two things may (or, are likely to) happen.

If the greenhouse is small (say, human height or lower and forearm deep), it will blow down in the winter gales. A layer of bricks or something else low and heavy on the bottom shelf will help, and anchoring the greenhouse to a wall is even better.

If the greenhouse is large and sturdy, the gales may tear the covering. Duck tape is the universal solution to reinforce the seams

The structure will at some point rust through. My longest living structure lasted four years.

Having said this bleak prediction, plastic greenhouses are usually well worth the money, they provide shelter for overwintering plants and are invaluable in spring when the windowsill juggling begins.

 

I was going to say the same about the wind, then I thought of all the gales and horrible weather we've had this summer/autumn already - if it's survived those it's probably OK!

I had one a couple of years ago that I thought was adequately weighted down, but high winds in the Spring destroyed it and all the seedling trays inside it - it also fell down across other nearby pots and damaged them. If I buy another one I will attach it to a wall.

 

IMGO. Just break it down. Store it and sav e it for spring.

 

If it isn't properly secured @Tufty - ie to a fence or wall, the wind can get inside and just whip it away. Many people suggest weighing down the base, but that doesn't work here - the wind gets inside, the cover just rips, and gets torn away from the bottom, leaving a total mess.
I used to tie old washing line around the top, just below the sloping top, but so that it didn't affect the opening, and sometimes at the base as well. That was then fixed to the fence using vine eyes. I now have a little polycarbonate one, and it's fixed in the same way - round the top.

Even so, if there's a tear or hole in the plastic ones, the wind can rip it, so if you don't use it for overwintering anything, it's probably better to remove the cover for winter.

 

Useful thread. I’ve had a plastic one in the garage for years and just never got around to setting it up. As it happens I got it out recently to overwinter pots. I usually manage with domed planters but the pot population seems to be increasing every year !
Given this thread I will site in a corner with the house wall on one side and garage and hedge on two others. It won’t get much sun but will largely be out of the wind ….

 

We have one of those too, we use it in a spot in the garden which is mostly in shade to pop plants in during the summer when it’s too hot elsewhere. My OH anchored it down securely with ( many) large tent -type pegs all around the bottom frame. The pegs go right down into the ground. It’s butted up against the fence and in such as place as we get wind tunnels down the side of the house. It’s never moved in the two years it’s been up. We do close the front up though when we approach winter so no wind can whip inside it and swirl around.

 

Our allotment has plenty of these and there are two things I've noticed. The first is the cheap ones don't hold up long, they rust out and degrade quickly and the second thing is the decent ones are quite strong but need their covers replaced every few years. If I has a cheap one then I would bring it in just to prolong the life of the frame.

 

My 6F x 4F plastic-covered greenhouse has been blown and damaged a few times despite moderate anchoring and situated in a corner, so personally I wouldn’t risk it.

I do leave the frame out, but even then it will be subject to wet and wind which will degrade it.

I suppose if it was very strongly anchored and weighted it may be ok but there’s nothing worse than seeing your precious plants scattered on the floor and having to rescue the cover from a soggy corner of the garden in the pouring rain (ask me how I know).

It is a bit disappointing, as I could really do with a shelter for my tenders and cuttings but my decision was not to use it over Winter.

 

It will last longer if you take it in. Plus, you won't have to be on alert to carry out rescue missions, braving the cold, torrential rain and gale force winds to recover bits banging about the garden in the dead of night.

 

I double checked ours this afternoon and noticed that OH has actually screwed through the frame onto the fence, too, just one screw through the two sides which butt up to the fence. It doesnt move at all.