Winter Shelter for My Tropical Trees

What made you get a Planta Greenhouse?
Reading reviews, I learned that the Sungrow model could withstand significant wind and snow, which I knew I might encounter. The other clincher was learning that you can add additional sections and make the greenhouse bigger anytime. That is a very cool, unique feature.

What competitors did you consider before purchasing from Planta Greenhouses?
I couldn't find anyone local, so I looked online at places like Wayfair and Home Depot. I found one lone manufacturer somewhere in my state, but when I couldn't find much detail on their website, I emailed them asking for details... and they said I should call or stop by. As a busy professional with a chronic health condition, phone calls just aren't as easy for me, so I didn't pursue that option. Having the info all online is essential.

Why did you choose to buy from Planta Greenhouses?
I trusted Planta as a manufacturer because of many good reviews, and the product seemed like what I wanted.

What do you grow inside your greenhouse?
I gave up on the idea of 4-season growing because the temperatures get too hot in summer (zone 6a). In the fall, when it cools down enough, I grow cool-weather seedlings. As it cools down too much to grow outside, I grow cool-weather plants through late fall and early winter: spinach, broccoli, beets, lettuces—primarily foods my family loves to eat. Through most of the winter, I overwinter little saplings: apple, fig, and tea. When it warms up enough in early spring, I plant tons of seeds to get a head start on spring gardening. Everything for a late spring to early summer garden: tomatoes, peppers, herbs, companion flowers like nasturtiums, marigolds, sunflowers, and I try (and am terrible at) growing ornamentals like petunias. I often supplement whichever seedlings aren't thriving around Spring Break by buying seedlings at local nurseries and keeping them in the greenhouse until it's warm enough to plant them outside. Right now, I still have everything but the cold-weather lettuce, spinach, etc., in Solo cups all over the greenhouse, waiting a few more weeks to go out into my huge raised beds.

How did your Planta Greenhouse improve your gardening experience?
It allows me to start more seedlings and experiment more. Instead of trying to keep seedlings in tubs under weak grow lights, I can start many of my summer crops early and give them a head start at producing. I also love to be able to go out into the greenhouse when it's rainy or cold. It's especially cheerful in fall and winter to be able to sit and enjoy a cup of tea and breathe deeply because all the plants around me have cleaned the air.

What was your experience like buying from Planta Greenhouses? (was it easy to buy? How was customer service? etc.)
It was easy to buy. Customer service has been generally okay, though there was a snafu with returning a heater that I didn't realize didn't work on plain US electricity. I don't think I ever got my money back.

What's your favorite thing about the Planta Greenhouse?
Being able to enjoy a cup of tea and sunshine while surrounded by my plants when it's chilly or rainy.

What would you say to a person considering purchasing a Planta Greenhouse?
Take the time to plan very carefully where you want to place the greenhouse. If you haven't had a greenhouse before, you will probably be surprised by how much work it takes to keep the temperature moderated. Consider whether you can get running water or electricity to the site. Neither are 100% required, but you will probably want electricity at some point to run heaters and fans. This will allow you to grow so much more for so much longer, making it likely worth the cost and effort. Setting things up to get maximum sun exposure is important, so facing a good direction and not being blocked by things like neighbors' towering houses or trees is very important.

Anything else you’d like to add?
I love my greenhouse, and I'm glad you're interested in making installation easier and working with customers. If you have any further questions, I'm happy to answer them by email. I will eventually (in a decade or two) have to move out of my current house because it has stairs that are hard for me to navigate... and it's going to be very difficult saying goodbye to my lovely greenhouse when that happens!

What made you get a Planta Greenhouse?
I wanted something sturdy that I knew was going to last for years and could withstand lots of wind, rain, and some snow. I also liked the visual style of the Sungrow.

What competitors did you consider before purchasing from Planta Greenhouses?
I don't even remember all the other brands I considered. I Googled, I checked locally, I clicked on ads, and I thought about buying something on Wayfair.

Why did you choose to buy from Planta Greenhouses?
They seemed like a business that had been around for a while, and I could see that they supported their customers well. Looking through pictures and testimonials of other Planta owners was also helpful in making me decide it would be a good brand to go with.

What do you grow inside your greenhouse?
Mostly edible foods.

Fall: spinach, beets, avocados, oranges, camellias

Winter: spinach, beets, overwinter roses, avocados, oranges, camellias, plumbago

Early spring: seedlings galore! Tomatoes, bell peppers, nasturtiums, marigolds, basil, squash, zucchini, thyme, cucumbers, peas, sunflowers, borage, berries, chamomile, chives, mint, lemon balm, okra, petunias.

How did your Planta Greenhouse improve your gardening experience?
It allows me to keep my tropical trees alive during winter, and it lets me start seeds much earlier in the season than I could do outdoors. It also gives me a lovely place to sit and relax in the fall and winter.

What was your experience like buying from Planta Greenhouses? 
Buying was easy. Customer service was just okay. Everyone is friendly and seems to try to be helpful, but when I bought the heater I did not get a clear message from the product page that it would require a special electric connection. I sent it back, but the warehouse was apparently so busy they didn't even mark it down as received so I never got the refund. It would be nice if Planta would do more user testing around how to word things like the special electric connection so it's clearer upfront.

What's your favourite thing about the Planta Greenhouse?
Sitting out in the greenhouse in winter and early spring. I keep the temperature moderate for 3 seasons (skipping summer), and it's a really nice place to go do some work on my laptop or sit and enjoy a cup of tea. Having all the flowers and seedlings around me on gray days helps keep the SADD blues away.

What would you say to a person considering purchasing a Planta Greenhouse?
Installation is quite complex and will take you far longer than you expect, so buy the greenhouse when you are not immediately planning to use it. Construct it in fall or spring, when it's comfortable outside, and then slowly start moving things in. It helps if you plan out your floor space carefully from the beginning - decide whether you want raised beds or large pots you can move around. If in doubt, go with pots you can move around and rearrange. And then consider everything an experiment. It is more of a challenge than you expect to keep the temperature moderate for plants, so get thermometers for outside and inside and experiment with different things like the automatic vents from Planta, fans, and shade cloth.

Anything else you’d like to add?
I'm glad we struggled through installation. That was a one-time pain for at least a decade of gardening fun to come!