10 Easy Pieces: Portable Greenhouses

Is a portable greenhouse the best weapon in a spring garden? My friend Kate, who grew up in Wisconsin where the growing season is very short, recommends germinating seeds in a mini greenhouse on a trolley that you can move to follow the sun. “My brother has one he wheels around his garden,” she says.

Here in northern California, Kate’s last crop of sunflower seeds mysteriously failed to germinate in the ground (“I even soaked them,” she said). This spring, she has a new plan: Planting sunflower seeds in a controlled environment, in little plug pots in a portable greenhouse to make sure they stay warm, get enough water, and bask in several hours of direct sunlight even in March.

Another thing to know about portable greenhouses? They’re adorable. Here are 10 to consider this spring.

 

See more ways to get a jump start on spring:

• Hardscaping 101: Cold Frames
• The Bell Jar: Terracotta Garden Cloches
• 10 Easy Pieces: Cold Frame Greenhouses