I use two mini plastic GHs as cold frames, and very useful they are, too. I open the door during the day (unless we have a sudden burst of cold wind again) and close at night. After about a couple of weeks, I'll leave the door open at night as well, and by then the plants should be OK to be planted in their final position.
Oh - and a quick hint that I have found helps: when you roll and then tie the door open there is a bit of a strain on the plastic and the joints, and the door sort of sags around the tie. I roll a short piece of garden can in the middle of the roll, and it keeps it firmer. No sagging!
It sounds as if you may have pélargoniums rather than hardy geraniums. They need to be in a frost free place as do bedding types of fuchsias and dahlias in pots .
Small plastic greenhouses (if that’s what you have) are not usually frostfree throughout a UK winter unless you’re right down in the southwest.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I am down in the SW, still gets cold here though! I have some very hardy fuchsias which stay outside all the time, as do Dahlias, but pelargoniums and tender fuschsias, which are usually the ones with the big flowers, need to be kept warmer for the winter. I bring those into the conservatory but some fuchsias do stay out in a GH, I have a few plastic ones, I don’t think they are any colder than glass, in fact I think plastic is warmer, I never see any frost on the covers whereas I do on the glass windowpanes. I overwinter a lot of plants in them. Where in the UK do you live?
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
They wouldn't survive in a plastic greenhouse here. I think you'd need an extra layer of fleece or similar if you're in a cold area. The biggest problem with the plastic ones [apart from keeping them in one piece in wild weather!] is keeping the temperatures even. They fluctuate enormously. Fine for keeping wet off them though. In the absence of a proper greenhouse, something more substantial - like a decent coldframe - might be enough in a milder area, and keeps winter wet off them too.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ive lined the back and roof of three small plastic ones with the cheep reflective covers you get for car windscreens. Last year this worked wonders as it reflected the winter sunshine into the interior and insulated the coldest parts against the worst of the frost.
Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
That's a good idea Jacqui. I don't really grow anything that needs a lot of pampering, so I don't insulate [and certainly didn't do it with the plastic ones I had] but that sounds like a good, simple method. Easier than faffing around with bubble wrap and fleece!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks fairy girl yes it’s much easier than the bubble wrap and does not have the same humidity problems. On nice sunny days like today I can considerably increase the heat and maximise the light because of the reflective surface. Mum is trying it for the first time this year in her glass greenhouse (she’s in Livingston so possibly not too far from you) so we’ll see how she gets along with it.
Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
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If they are same plugs I have just had they are very small and need potting on a couple of times before they are big enough to go out.
I use two mini plastic GHs as cold frames, and very useful they are, too. I open the door during the day (unless we have a sudden burst of cold wind again) and close at night. After about a couple of weeks, I'll leave the door open at night as well, and by then the plants should be OK to be planted in their final position.
Oh - and a quick hint that I have found helps: when you roll and then tie the door open there is a bit of a strain on the plastic and the joints, and the door sort of sags around the tie. I roll a short piece of garden can in the middle of the roll, and it keeps it firmer. No sagging!
Small plastic greenhouses (if that’s what you have) are not usually frostfree throughout a UK winter unless you’re right down in the southwest.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have some very hardy fuchsias which stay outside all the time, as do Dahlias, but pelargoniums and tender fuschsias, which are usually the ones with the big flowers, need to be kept warmer for the winter. I bring those into the conservatory but some fuchsias do stay out in a GH, I have a few plastic ones, I don’t think they are any colder than glass, in fact I think plastic is warmer, I never see any frost on the covers whereas I do on the glass windowpanes. I overwinter a lot of plants in them.
Where in the UK do you live?
The biggest problem with the plastic ones [apart from keeping them in one piece in wild weather!] is keeping the temperatures even. They fluctuate enormously. Fine for keeping wet off them though.
In the absence of a proper greenhouse, something more substantial - like a decent coldframe - might be enough in a milder area, and keeps winter wet off them too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Probably a lot better in the damp cold we get here on this side too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...