Quictent Portable Mini Cloche Greenhouse
Landfills are full of small portable greenhouses that try to emulate a more permanent structure without the ability to secure it as such. The problem is that they catch exponentially more wind than units that are lower to the ground. I see these tall but inexpensive units for sale at Harbor Freight or Aldi every spring, and I just know that the first strong May storm is going to relegate the majority of them to a sad tangled mess of plastic, soil, and seedlings that will be carried out to the curb on trash day.
Why bother at all with a temporary greenhouse? Why not just start your seedlings inside and put them out in the garden when the danger of frost has passed? You certainly can; many gardeners do just that every year and get satisfactory results.
The advantages of getting a head start on Mother Nature are many. Larger, more mature plants that have spent some time being hardened off in a greenhouse like this Quictent are far more resilient to lower nighttime temperatures than seedlings. Rabbits and other critters are more likely to skip over larger plants if other more tender food sources are available. As a market gardener, making efficient use of my raised beds in terms of time and space is paramount. There is something to be said for being able to put out nice stout pepper plants that are built like Samoan wrestlers that are going to start producing for you a month ahead of time because they had such a jump start.
Choosing a protected area with adequate solar aspect is the key to making these temporary structures last. The most important consideration is locating your greenhouse so that it won’t be exposed to strong wind. Take note of what direction the wind usually blows from in your area. Use existing trees, hedges, or structures like sheds and trellises to help shield your greenhouse from the worst of it. You don’t have to block it completely, nor is this even likely possible, but cutting down on the direct wind will drastically reduce the likelihood that your portable greenhouse will be damaged.
This unit feels pretty sturdy for what it is. The frame is a nice powder coated steel that adequately supports the plastic cover. This greenhouse comes with guy ropes that you can stake into the ground, but I would highly recommend that you use some 6″ heavy duty landscape staples to secure the bottom tube at intervals all the way around as well. You can read my review on the ones I use here.
This portable greenhouse is available in two sizes: 71″L x 36″W x 36″H and 95″L x 36″W x 36″H. The larger footprint was about $12 more at the time I wrote this review. I appreciate that the manufacturer kept the width and height of the larger unit the same, as it demonstrates that the product engineers understand what wind can do to a taller greenhouse. Both sizes are going to give the average gardener plenty of room to start and/or harden off their seedlings.
New greenhouse owners (both temporary and permanent) are always surprised by just hot these structures can get inside during even a cold day if there isn’t adequate ventilation and airflow. It’s imperative that you stay on top of watering your plants every day until you get an accurate picture of how much direct sun they’re getting and what daytime temperatures are like under the plastic. I like the design of this Quictent greenhouse because the two zippered roof vents are actually large enough to prevent temperatures from climbing too high. You’ll have to experiment with how much to keep these and the main door open based on the weather.
Exactly how long this portable green house lasts will depend on where you locate it and how many months out of the year you use it. UV rays eventually degrade all plastic, so keep that in mind if you’re only going to use this for a few months out of the year and find a place to store it. The zippers are the weakest point with this unit, so take your time and open the door and vents smoothly and slowly.