Table of Contents
- What is an indoor greenhouse?
- Size
- Temperature Indoor Greenhouse
- Structure and home production
- Location
- Pros and cons of the various greenhouses available
- MCombo Greenhouse Cold Frame
- Vivosun Grow Tent
- Elegant greenhouse terrarium
- Clear Plastic Walk-in Greenhouse
- Clear Plastic Upright Greenhouse most Popular choice
An indoor greenhouse can be life-changing for any plant collector or grower. There is no better way to provide perfect growing conditions for your plants. There are some things to consider when choosing an indoor greenhouse though and we are going to cover them all so you can choose the one that will work best for you.
What is an indoor greenhouse?
An indoor greenhouse is a containment space for your plants where you can control various environmental factors to create the best area for your plants to grow. This can be in an aesthetic style or a customized style. Every greenhouse is going to end up being unique to the individual space and plants.
Size
Size is a huge factor. What do you have space for? What plants are you planning on growing? Also, what are those plants needs? How big will you want them to grow before you have to cut them back? Greenhouses come in a variety of sizes. You can have greenhouses that are full walk-in with multiple shelves. There are also ones as small as a tabletop or dresser. There are also price differences in these sizes of course and knowing what size you need or can accommodate from the start can help you save a lot of money in the long run.
Temperature Indoor Greenhouse
Temperature is not something that most people think of for greenhouses but it is a huge factor. Inside greenhouses is always warmer than outside. The heat is contained inside. This can be damaging to plants if it is already incredibly hot in the room. You will have to find ways to control the temperature. Perhaps have a way to leave it open and have heat escape.
On the opposite side is cold temperatures. Do you need your greenhouse to withstand freezing temperatures? Does the room get colder than plants can handle? Do you need to work out some sort of heating situation?
Structure and home production
How sealed does the greenhouse need to be to protect your home? Do you need a drip system to water your plants? Do you need high humidity inside the greenhouse or just a slightly higher-than-normal humidity? Also, do you need something underneath to catch small drips or do you need a fully waterproof bottom? When choosing your greenhouse make the best decision based on your habits, and plant needs, and make sure to protect your home from water and humidity damage.
Location
Even if you do not take aesthetics into account, just looking at plant growing factors to consider there is an importance to your greenhouse location. Do you need outlets near or inside your greenhouse? Do you need to grow lights inside your greenhouse or do you have a space in mind that has enough natural light? Greenhouse location plays a large part in what kind of greenhouse to get because you need to know what is naturally going to be there and then you can choose the correct greenhouse to complement those factors and fix any issues.
Pros and cons of the various greenhouses available
MCombo Greenhouse Cold Frame
Cold frames are great because they are greenhouses with thicker frames and thicker transparent plastic. This makes this greenhouse much more durable and safer from colder temperatures for plants. This is also great because the wood can easily be painted and customized. This model also has the ability to allow airflow in by opening the top but seals up really nicely when everything is closed.
The negatives are that the space is limited. The bottom is not fully sealed and the shelves do not adjust, unfortunately.
Vivosun Grow Tent
Grow Tents are unique greenhouses because instead of a clear wall surrounding a frame they have a mat exterior and a reflective interior. This allows for light to be much stronger and to be absorbed by the plants from all angles. They also have a fully sealed floor so you can set up sprayer systems and be messy when watering without risk. Because it is so sealed the humidity can be pretty high and it can get very warm in there. Another pro is there are spaces made for cords and grow lights to fit.
Some cons are that it is not easily ventilated and you may have to buy fans to get good airflow. It is also not the most aesthetic look and can be a bit pricey compared to clear plastic greenhouses. If you are looking to mature plants, grow Hoya, professionally collect plants, grow your own food inside, or mass propagates this would be a worthy investment.
Elegant greenhouse terrarium
Reminiscent of the beautiful Wardian cases from the 1800s these greenhouses are perfect for small plants and propagations. Plants do not have to be planted in them and can simply place inside their pots. They look amazing on bookshelves, tabletops, and even desks. A very aesthetically pleasing greenhouse and functions well for small spaces and small plants.
The only con is the bottoms are usually not sealed to be waterproof but this can easily be remedied with some clear aquarium Silicone.
Clear Plastic Walk-in Greenhouse
Priced inexpensively this greenhouse works very well and has a lot of space inside for plants and plant growth. Being clear all around means there is plenty of ways for light and heat to get in. There are sealable windows on either side to allow for airflow. It is lightweight so it can easily be moved where you need it to be. The door rolls up so you can easily move plants in and out. For aesthetics, we would rate it a 7/10. It looks like a good greenhouse, especially for the price. This greenhouse is perfect if you have a large collection or want to mature your plants. Especially if you have a lot of natural light in a room. There is space for hanging grow lights inside the tent as well.
The cons are that it is thinner plastic so it’s not going to be able to protect against cold temperatures very well. The other issue is there is no floor to the greenhouse. You have to have a waterproof floor or some sort of waterproof mat down to protect your flooring. The humidity seal is also not very high because there is no floor to keep it in and humidity can leak out the base.
Clear Plastic Upright Greenhouse most Popular choice
This greenhouse is the same as the walk-in greenhouse above just about 1/4 of the size. It is about the size of a pantry or large dresser. With multiple removable shelves, it can be used to grow a limited number of plants rather largely. This would be perfect for starting seeds, growing out propagations, sizing up plants, and containing some humidity-loving plants until they outgrew it. There is plenty of room for grow lights and cords.
The same cons as its sibling greenhouse previously mentioned. The floor is not sealed so humidity and water can leak. Adjustments will have to be made if you are looking for 85% or higher humidity to protect your floor.
These are the most common and widely used indoor greenhouses and their specific styles. Assess your own individual situation and needs for your plants. These greenhouses are all fabulous choices but not all of them will work for everyone in every situation. Hopefully, this helps you to narrow down your choices instead of scrolling overwhelmed through the millions of options. Greenhouses are amazing tools for growing plants and can really enhance your plant-growing experience.
