A permanent greenhouse has tons of advantages. But it also comes with tons of downsides.
Setting up, maintaining, and moving it around are all factors that play a massive role in how people use them. Generally, making them more impractical.
That’s why a portable greenhouse feels like the obvious way to go.
Moving out and need to take your plants with you? No need to buy a new greenhouse. Take it apart and bring it to your new place.
Need to place your plants under the sun? No problem. Just lift the greenhouse and move it to the right place.
Regardless of what you’re looking for, a portable greenhouse is a sensible addition to your garden. Below, we’ll show you the best models out there, so read up!
Table of Contents
7 Best Portable Greenhouses
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
---|---|---|---|
EAGLE PEAK Instant Pop-up Portable Greenhouse | • Material: Best Quality Frame and Fabric • Item Dimensions LxWxH: 94.49 x 70.87 x 91.73 inchess | ||
Quictent Portable Greenhouse | • Material: Heavy-duty transparent PE with green leno • Item Dimensions: 61.4 x 15.9 x 8.5 inches | ||
Sundayway Walk-In Tunnel Greenhouse | • Material: ABS+PC • Item Dimensions: 58 x 18 x 7 inches | ||
Erommy 3-Tier Shelf Portable Greenhouse | • Material: Steel • Item Dimensions: 45.75 x 12 x 6.5 inches | ||
ShelterLogic GrowIT Mini Grow House | • Item Dimensions: 23.1 x 17.4 x 57.1 inches • Item Weight: 8.78 pounds | ||
Nova Microdermabrasion Mini Greenhouse | • Material: Polyethylene • Item Dimensions LxWxH: 27 x 16 x 16 inches | ||
Amerlife Portable Garden Plant Shed | • Material: Polyethylene • Item Dimensions LxWxH: 27 x 16 x 16 inches |
1. EAGLE PEAK Instant Pop-up Portable Greenhouse
- EASY SETUP: Innovative easy setup technology allows ONE PERSON to set up this greenhouse in seconds. EAGLE PEAK pop-up greenhouse is ready straight out of the box, no assembly or tools required with the pre-assembled frame.
- HEAVY-DUTY FRAME: Gardening is a year-round commitment, and you need a greenhouse frame that can handle it. Our heavy-duty steel frame is up to 23% heavier than competitive products and offers superior stability, regardless of weather fluctuations. Lighter frames are prone to wobbling and collapse risking damage to your plants.
For those who don’t want to waste a single second setting up a greenhouse, the Eagle Peak pop-up model brings the most convenient design you can think of.
It starts with an easy-set-up system that collapses on demand. The multi-piece frame plus the gliding mechanism allows you to move it around EFFORTLESSLY!
There’s no tool to help you. And you’ll have little to no effort to make.
Apart from that, it’s gigantic and spacious regardless of the model you pick. There’s a 6 by 8 feet model as a smaller 6 by 4 feet design. Either way, you get adjustable legs to change the height when necessary.
Eagle Peak doesn’t stop there. It also brings a super-reliable construction with a steel ceiling and a high-quality metallic frame. You’ll find virtually no drawback to talk about.
- Collapsible and easy to move around
- Toolless installation and modification
- Sufficiently spacious for extensive gardens
- Withstands harsh conditions
- Doesn’t maintain heat in winter
2. Quictent Portable Greenhouse
- 【 2 Independent Mesh Zipper Doors& 10 Exhaust Vents】 --- 2 Doors on each side of the greenhouse, one mesh door to keep small things out and ventilate on hot days; one PE cover door to keep warm. 2 Doors have independent zippers, convenient to use each door according to your need, and increase the greenhouse’s functional quality. 10 exhaust vents (8 on the upper part of sides, 2 on doors) for cross ventilation and venting.
- 【7 Rows of Crossbars】--- 3 Rows of crossbars on the top of the greenhouse, completely round structure, can prevent the snow and water from accumulating. Also the ground frame, with using the U-type stakes, will be effectively grip the ground and reduce the wind obstruction.
For those going GIANT, no other greenhouse will fit their needs like Quictent’s.
As soon as you see it, you’ll know this is a piece for large backyards. At 20 by 10 feet plus 7 feet of height, it looks almost like a permanent greenhouse. But without the permanent feature.
What sets it apart is a lightweight PE cover, reinforced to withstand any kind of environment. And yet, it’s still two layers for extra durability without preventing the sun from going in.
The frame build is not to overlook either, as it comes with a crossbar system for an almost seamless installation. On top of that, it still manages to stay attached firmly to the ground.
As for convenience, it comes with zipper doors, exhaust vents, and Velcro openings. You won’t have to worry about ventilation or practically anything.
- Gigantic and super-spacious design
- High-quality cover keeps plants protected
- Sturdy and easy-to-assemble frame
- Extra-handy set of doors and windows
- Assembly constructions can be tricky
3. Sundayway Walk-In Tunnel Greenhouse
- 【Smart greenhouse】: We have equipped the greenhouse with an intelligent management system, to open the reform of the home greenhouse.
- 【App control】: The greenhouse could be managed through app, such as intelligent watering, timing management, vacation mode and etc.
An intelligent portable greenhouse for people who don’t want to move their body. This walk-in model lets you manage everything with a single tap on your smartphone.
It boasts a WiFi feature you can connect through the SmartLife app on your smartphone. The idea? Control the greenhouse’s power system and appliances and use timers to turn them on or shut them down at demand.
Apart from how practical it is, the greenhouse is 10 by 7 feet and 7 feet high, plus it comes with a hose connector, a power adapter, and a 32-feet water hose. This allows you to use an automatic spraying system to keep your plants moisturized.
And if all that didn’t feel like enough, it is made of ABS plus polycarbonate, so it withstands practically any situation.
- Unbeatable wireless management system
- Comes with hose and misting features
- Boasts a high-quality cover material
- Large enough to fit dozens of pots
- It may take some time to move and install
4. Erommy 3-Tier Shelf Portable Greenhouse
- 🌸【ROLL UP DOOR】Plant hot house has a large zipped roll up door provides easy access to the inside and can be attached to the top in order to stay open.
- 🌷【STURDY & DURABLE CONSTRUCTION】Greenhouse for outdoor equipped with 2 slant bracing tubes, and middle reinforced tubes for enhanced stability. Solid steel construction with a galvanized finish, which is resistant to rust, chipping, and peeling.
You don’t want a small greenhouse, but you don’t want a big one either.
Your best choice? A hexagonal model like this 3-tier from Erommy.
With a 7.5-feet diameter, it is large enough to host most of your plants, fit on your garden, and still be portable when necessary.
An exciting part of the piece is the high-quality build. A steel frame with a galvanized finish will never rust. The polyethylene plastic cover doesn’t wear out fast. And with the 2-slant bracing tubes, the greenhouse is likely to stay firm regardless of the situation.
Plus, it is easy to assemble with tons of connectors and racks, weighs barely 33 pounds, and it’s easy to access with a roll-up door.
If you like convenient and highly versatile products, you’ll love this one.
- Boasts a light yet sturdy frame
- Requires little effort to assemble
- It’s big enough for most houses
- Allows for easy access at any time
- Light construction is not resistant to harsh winds
5. ShelterLogic GrowIT Mini Grow House
- PORTABLE AND COMPACT GREENHOUSE: Outdoor 4-tier mini grow house is ideal for small backyards or small spaces. Perfect for a deck, patio, or balcony
- DURABLE STEEL FRAME: 5/8 inch diameter high-grade tubular steel frame with powder coat finish resists chipping, peeling, rust, and corrosion
Have just a few small plants and don’t want to take much space on your patio? Then get a mini to grow house instead.
The GrowIT from ShelterLogic is one fantastic piece of plant-growing equipment. Boasting a PVC fabric and a tubular steel frame, this piece protects from environmental damage while giving your plants enough sun and wind to thrive.
Despite its sturdiness, the greenhouse is entirely customizable. The 4 wire mesh shelves plus the double-zipper door make it effortless to adjust.
Also, you get a combination of quick-snap pieces plus a tool-free design, allowing for an incredibly straightforward installation.
Being 17.25 inches deep, 23 inches wide, and 57 inches high makes it sufficiently small for most places. Adding up how sturdy, practical, and easy it is to use – it is certainly not one you want to overlook.
- Offers incredible winter & sun protection
- Small enough to fit even in tiny areas
- Boasts a super-quick assembly system
- Has a sufficiently sturdy frame
- The shelves are a bit shaky
6. Nova Microdermabrasion Mini Greenhouse
- Nova 4 Tier Portable Greenhouse protects plants and seedlings from elements of weather and climate. Ideal for starting seedlings, protecting young plants or to get a head start or extend the plant growing season. Enjoy fresh, healthy flowers and vegetables all year round.
- 【Sturdy Construction】 The main shelves use high quality metal with powder coated, heavy-duty bearing net on each layer is strong enough to hold more seed trays, pots and plants growth light. Greenhouses are lightweight yet sturdy enough to ensure long-lasting use.
Cheap and utterly practical, this mini greenhouse makes an effort to become your best alternative.
Coming from Nova Microdermabrasion, it has a super-small design of barely 27.25 inches in length, 19 inches in width, and only 63 inches in height. Putting it all together, it’s like a street phone cabin but for your favorite potted plants.
The advantage is not the size, though. It is incredibly resistant with a waterproof and UV-protected build. Alongside the powder-coated metal, it can withstand any condition and last a LIFETIME on your patio.
Finally, it comes with roll-up windows for easy access and boasts 4 stacked shelves so you can place your pots comfortably and effortlessly.
- Mesh cover offers extra ventilation
- Allows for easy access with roll-up door
- Has an ultra-resistant frame construction
- Enough shelves for any purpose
- Not ideal for cold environments
7. Amerlife Portable Garden Plant Shed
- 【Sturdy Mini Greenhouse】Made of heavy duty power coated steel frame and with UV protected PE cover for a long-living use experience. Plants Side bags beside the cover, by adding stones or pots or soil plants, prevent greenhouse from blowing by strong wind.
- 【Ideal Growing Environment】Thicker PE greenhouse cover prevent UV and conserve heat, keep internal moisture and protect plants seeds or fragile plants from frost.Amerlife greenhouse provide a better living environment for your plants survival under severe weather.
Coming with yet another mini-greenhouse, this time from Amerlife.
The difference comes from an increasingly portable design. You can set it up in just a couple of minutes, given the super-handy PE cover and the decently light frame.
It doesn’t lose any of the sturdiness, as the steel is all powder-coated. And to make it even more interesting, you get a 4-tier shelf for sufficient storage area.
Don’t forget the cover is thick for extra protection and open and ventilated, making it a polyethylene product that doesn’t disappoint.
Accessing is almost effortless, thanks to the roll-up door. And what’s even better, it is only 23 by 28 inches in size, plus barely 63 inches high. That’s enough space for up to 20 plants but also small enough to fit almost anywhere in your garden.
- Powder-coated frame withstands any use
- Offers super-easy access
- Comes with practical and firm shelves
- It is light and easy to move around
- The bottom doesn’t close completely
How to Choose a Portable Greenhouse for your Garden
So, you finished reading the reviews.
Now you’re left with all this information but little to no idea about what to pick.
Don’t worry. We know what you need to make the best choice.
Below, we explain all the significant factors briefly but as comprehensively as possible so you can pick the ideal one without making a mistake. Check them out:
Quality of Cover
All greenhouses come with a plastic cover that prevents the wind from hitting your plants, sand from getting inside, and the sun from causing damage.
But this cover can be made of all kinds of plastic materials. Some use polycarbonate (PC), which is a decent yet likely-to-brittle option. It may take a few years to wear down, but it will likely do sooner or later.
Polyethylene (PE) is a slightly more environment-resistant alternative. This one can withstand several years without problems and still protects heavily from external factors. The downside comes from the little sun and wind exposure it offers. Most PE covers have ventilated designs for this.
And lastly, you may find PVC. While rare, it is one of the best. It allows excellent sun exposure while providing sufficient protection. The downside comes from lack of wind, making the interior a bit overheated in the summer or hot environments.
Combinations of ABS or aluminum parts are also worth getting. These are a bit more expensive, though.
Access and Ventilation
There’s no point in getting a greenhouse if you aren’t careful about whether it helps your plants grow or eventually harms them.
This sounds obvious, but it’s often when people realize their super-cute and practical greenhouse is actually a plant killer. There’s just no wind or sun coming in.
That’s why you should be well-aware of the quality of the material (it should be well-ventilated if possible) and about vents and other features that add up to the experience.
Suffice to say, this also comes with the main entrance. It should add extra ventilation to the place and help with how easy it is to enter, arrange, install or uninstall, and then get out. The better the access and the ventilation, the better the experience you’ll have.
Shelves and Organization
That we’re talking about a portable greenhouse doesn’t mean it has to be a messy one. In fact, you’ll need it to be as organized as possible for maximum enjoyment.
This means you should focus on those with easy-to-detach, rearrange, and use shelves. Whether made from steel or aluminum, they should be sufficiently practical to allow easy organization inside the house.
It’s also important to consider the space inside and how the greenhouse is designed. Those with an inefficient use of space may eventually make it harder to operate and organize everything inside.
Weight and Size
The level of portability will depend heavily on how heavy and how big the greenhouse is. Those extra-heavy or oversized models will not be as portable (or may demand a lot of work to move around).
That’s why we recommend those made with quality yet light materials, preferably thin covers and lightweight frames like tubular steel.
As for size, it’s up to your needs more than everything. But if you don’t need a giant greenhouse, maybe opt for a medium or small one instead.
Installation and Convenience
Another major factor that will impact overall portability is installing the piece and how many convenient features it offers.
For example, some greenhouses will require you to use tools like screwdrivers to piece it up. Others will be completely toolless. They may even come with brackets and clamps to help you build the greenhouse more quickly, without any unnecessary effort.
As for convenience, go for those that you can fold and collapse. Regardless of their size, the ones that can be reduced for easy transportation are always worth trying.
How to Use a Portable Greenhouse
There’s no real secret about this. Portable greenhouses need to cover all vital requirements to work well.
In other words, you need to ensure the portable greenhouse offers an ideal environment for your plants.
Here’s how to make that possible:
1. Ensure Proper Light Reflection
Your plants won’t grow unless they receive the ideal sun exposure. This is especially true for cacti and other desertic plants.
That’s why you will probably need to bring some reflective mylar or pick a sufficiently clear cover for the greenhouse.
You can skip this step if the plants don’t need any particular amount of sunrays.
2. Monitor Temperature
A thermometer could be a life-saving addition to your plants, regardless of whether it is a fixed or a portable greenhouse.
If you can maintain an ideal temperature inside, you will have a higher chance of growing all species successfully.
Monitoring manually can be a little time-consuming, though. That’s why it’s recommended to have thermometers attached to the greenhouse. If you can use WiFi-connected pieces, then that’s an even better alternative as you can monitor from anywhere.
3. Take Care of Humidity
Humidity sensors are almost as important as temperature ones. These are a little bit trickier, given humidity can change for a variety of reasons.
However, they work pretty much the same way. The focus is to keep the humidity levels at an ideal range for the plants to thrive.
Bring a sensor, preferably one that connects wirelessly to your monitoring devices, and that’s it. You can then adjust humidity as necessary using a mix of misting and watering.
4. Let Air Circulate
Regardless of the plants you’re growing in the greenhouse, it will be almost CRITICAL to ensure proper ventilation.
Not only does little ventilation increase temperatures to dangerous levels, but it can also increase the chances of fungus and other damaging bacteria from growing.
Proper air circulation also helps the plants breathe, keeps their roots sturdy, encourages blooming, which helps with pollination.
For this, try to keep the greenhouse windows open whenever possible. Otherwise, bring a fan and place it in a way that air circulates all around the house.
5. Don’t Forget to Mist & Irrigate
Ensuring all your plants receive the proper amount of liquid during the day can be time-consuming and demanding. But it is essential.
You should irrigate and mist every day if possible. In case we’re talking about succulents and other plants that don’t require constant watering, you can reduce to once a week or less.
But generally, greenhouse plants thrive with higher humidity. That’s why watering is so vital.
If you can’t water manually, get someone else to do it, or preferably, install an automatic irrigation or misting/watering system. These come with intelligent greenhouses for an extra touch of practicality.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are portable greenhouses worth it?
Yes. While they aren’t as sturdy or spacious as fixed ones in most cases, they’re still sufficiently practical and come with all the features you need. Plus, they are a lot easier to move around than their fixed counterparts.
Can you use a portable greenhouse indoors?
Yes. They are portable because they allow easy transportation from one place to another. This includes from outdoors to indoors and vice-versa.
Do portable greenhouses protect plants in winter?
It depends. You need to get a winterized greenhouse if you want protection against frost and extreme colds. Also, you will probably need to use a heating system as well. But generally, they do – as this is one of their main benefits.
Can you build a portable greenhouse?
It is possible to build one, but not advisable. The reason? Portable greenhouses require unique feats in engineering that many people will struggle with when building one. That’s why it’s much wiser to buy an already built one that needs only a bit of assembly to start working.
Conclusion
So, do you feel compelled by any of our portable greenhouse options above?
Did you learn anything from your buying guide?
Feel like you’re ready to make your pick?
Then don’t hesitate and choose one. Follow our advice and recommendations, make sure you’re picking something that truly matches your demands.
Regardless of what you pick, we’re sure you’re will be satisfied. These greenhouses don’t disappoint!