Finding clean and healthy food today is a major challenge. A lot of sellers claim to be selling organic produce, but not all of them can be trusted. Today, people are more health-conscious than they ever were, which brings them out in search of fresh, organic, and healthy fruits and vegetables.
If you have pledged to go organic and want to disengage yourself from the chemically-influenced foods, we suggest you grow your own food. No, we aren’t kidding. Growing your own food is no more an impossibility. Thanks to the development of portable greenhouses that you can now grow your own fruits and vegetables at home!
Portable greenhouses function as well as full-sized greenhouses. The best thing about these compact greenhouses is that they take up only a little outdoor space and can be used to grow fruits, vegetables, flowering plants, and absolutely any plant variety that you like. If you’re into greenhouse farming, you may be more than willing to invest in the best portable greenhouse. Portable greenhouses come in a variety of designs and types, and choosing one can be a tough choice. This blog post lists down some of the best compact greenhouses for you to pick from. Let’s have a look at what the market has to offer.
Table of Contents
What To Look For In A Portable Greenhouse?
Before you can invest in any greenhouse for the outdoors, you must be aware of the factors that should be taken into consideration. The most important factors that you should look for in a compact greenhouse are listed below:
Size
The first consideration when buying a compact greenhouse is the size. You need to see the amount of space that’s available and the scale of planting that you’re planning on doing. If you’re just a beginner, we suggest you opt for a starter greenhouse that gives your plants a kick start, after which you can transfer them outdoors.
Compact greenhouses come in different sizes. If you’re short on space, you can invest in a mini greenhouse that is only big enough to fit on your balcony. It’s small in size and light in weight, which makes it easier for the user to lift it when they want. Other sizes include a portable walk-in greenhouse that is big enough to allow you to walk inside. It’s also quite light in weight and can be easily lifted by two people. Large portable greenhouse or tunnel greenhouses are larger than walk-in greenhouses but still quite portable. All of these sizes aren’t equipped with wheels. If you’re planning to move the greenhouse around often, you should opt for a portable greenhouse with wheels that are usually smaller than the walk-in greenhouses and may even be a tad bit heavier.
Type
The next important factor that you must consider when buying a portable greenhouse is the type. The types of greenhouses vary, depending on the temperature level. You can’t just buy the first compact greenhouse that you like. Also, you need to consider the temperature of the region you live in and base your choice on it. You can opt for any one of the following types: hot greenhouse, warm greenhouse, and cool greenhouse. The temperature levels and features of each type are different, and you must choose the one that is best according to the outdoor temperature of your region and the plants that you’re planning to grow in your greenhouse.
Ventilation
Ventilation is a very important factor when it comes to greenhouses. If there’s too much heat inside a greenhouse, the plants will soon wither and die. An ideal greenhouse should have adequate ventilation so that it can retain the right temperatures, regardless of how hot or cold the temperature outdoors is. Make sure that the greenhouse you’re planning to buy has enough air vents. Exhaust fans are a bonus!
Insulation
If you reside in a region where the winters are long and cold, you should buy a greenhouse that has thicker insulation so that it can retain the warmth inside. The type of greenhouse cover that you choose will also have an effect on how efficient the insulation is. For example, twin-wall polyethylene offers greater insulation than a single-layered one. A polycarbonate fiber cover will offer superior insulation over the glass. So, be careful about what you opt for.
Clarity of Panels
Some people prefer to have see-through panels, while others prefer their greenhouse panels to be opaque. You’ll find both varieties in the market. Make your choice depending on what your preference is.
UV Protection
Plants in a greenhouse with no UV protection won’t last long. Make sure that you invest in a greenhouse that has some sort of layer over it to protect the plants inside from the harmful UV rays of the sun.
Material
The material that your greenhouse is made of will decide how portable it is. You can choose between a wooden, steel, aluminum, or plastic frame. Each material comes with its own set of pros and cons, so make it a point to look into the details.
The covering material, as we mentioned earlier, makes a lot of difference. You need to make your decision wisely so as to make sure your plants in the greenhouse stay healthy and fresh at all times.
6 Best Portable Greenhouse Solutions
Now that you know what to look for in a greenhouse, let’s dive into the list of some of the best compact greenhouses that are available in the market today.
1) Ohuhu Walk-In Portable Greenhouse
The Ohuhu Walk-In Portable Greenhouse is one of the finest quality greenhouses that you can invest in. Featuring a metal frame makes it strong and durable. It is large and spacious, with 6 shelves divided into 3 tiers, allowing you to grow plenty of plants at the same time. The walk-in feature enables you to look after your plants closely.
This greenhouse is ideal for outdoor spaces, including garden, deck, patio, backyard, and balcony. The durable, transparent cover offers excellent insulation, ensuring that your plants don’t get affected by the cold temperature.
- Durable
- Walk-in type
- Large and spacious
- Stable and anchored – comes with two anchor ropes
- No tools required for assembly
- Comes with a transparent cover that offers excellent insulation
- Super-easy to assemble
- The plastic cover isn’t very durable
- The shelves don’t lock in place, and the slightest bump can topple the shelves down
Our rating: 
4.4 / 5
2) Gardman R687 Mini Greenhouse
If the available space in your yard is small, the Gardman R687 can be a great option for you. It is 27 inches in length, 18 inches wide, and 63 inches in height, featuring 4 tiers that make its design ideal for small spaces like a small yard, balcony, deck, or patio. It comes with a transparent polyethylene cover that gives you a clear view inside the greenhouse and also offers adequate protection to the plants from direct sun exposure. The cover features a zipper, so you can roll it up any time you like, as per your convenience and need.
The best part about this mini greenhouse is that the assembly is super-easy and quick, with its strong push-fit tubular steel frame.
- Ideal for small spaces
- Features 4 tiers
- Made of durable steel
- Comes with a clear, zippered polyethylene cover
- Easy to assemble
- Weather-resistant
- It’s not sturdy enough to hold a lot of weight
- It doesn’t have any vent
- The shelves aren’t very rigid
Our rating: 
4.3 / 5
3) House Complete Walk-In Greenhouse HC- 4202
Are you looking for a portable and compact greenhouse that you can place both indoors and outdoors? You can place it in your yard, patio, deck, and even in your garage or basement. It features 8 shelves, so you can grow all your favorite plant varieties. It comes with a clear PVC cover, which means you don’t have to worry about your plants getting damaged by snow or insects. In short, the House Complete Walk-In Greenhouse provides an ideal growing environment for your plants.
The best thing about this portable greenhouse is that it comes with zip ties for each shelf, ensuring that the shelves don’t trip over under the weight of the pots and planters. Further, the ropes and anchors provide additional stability to the whole setup.
- Durable steel frame
- PVC plastic cover protects the plants from insects and snow
- Highly spacious with 8 shelves
- Can be used both indoors and outdoors
- Shelves are supported by zip ties
- Secured by anchors and ropes that reduces the chances of the setup toppling over
- Easy to assemble
- The PVC cover doesn’t hold up against strong winds and tears away
- The shelves bend under the weight of the pots
Our rating: 4.3 / 5
4) Quictent Waterproof UV-Protected Reinforced Mini Greenhouse
The Quictent Mini Greenhouse is made of heavy-duty powdered-coated steel frame and comes with two greenhouse covers; one green and one transparent PVC cover. Having a width of 71 inches and depth and height of 36 inches, it provides a lot of space for plant lovers to plant different types of plants in their yard.
The green cover features 2 zippered doors that can be rolled up to provide the plants inside the ventilation they need during hot days. The transparent PVC cover has a single zippered door on the side that ensures the air keeps flowing freely. You can change covers depending on the amount of sunlight you want to expose your plants to.
- Made of heavy-duty steel
- Durable
- Spacious
- Comes with two different greenhouse covers
- Allows adequate ventilation
- Comes with 50 t-type tags so that you can label each plant
- The green cover doesn’t withstand too much sun deteriorates sooner than later
- Some users complained about excessive heat build-up inside the greenhouse
Our rating: 
4.2 / 5
5) Worth Garden Walk-In Greenhouse
The Worth Garden Walk-In Greenhouse stands apart from other portable greenhouses listed above. It features an automatic irrigation system. The 10m long hose and irrigation sprinklers are ideal for keeping the plants inside the greenhouse cool and providing them with much-needed humidity when the weather is extremely hot outdoors.
It is equipped with a durable steel frame and comes with a PVC cover to protect the plants inside from insects and snow. As far as the capacity is concerned, the Worth Garden Walk-In Greenhouse offers an excellent capacity with 12 sturdy shelves. You can now grow all your favorite plants at home!
- The sturdy steel frame makes it durable
- PVC cover protects the plants from snow and insects
- Equipped with an automatic irrigation system
- Spacious with 12 shelves
- Walk-in design
- No-tool assembly
- Versatile can be used both indoors and outdoors
- The quality of the PVC plastic cover is inferior and poor
- The sprinkler set up doesn’t come with any instructions manual
Our rating: 4.2 / 5
6) Homewell Mini Walk-In Greenhouse
If you’re looking for a portable greenhouse that keeps your plants fresh and healthy all year long, the Homewell Mini Walk-In Greenhouse is what you should get. Made from heavy-duty powder-coated steel, it’s sturdy and durable.
Its 6 wired shelves provide ample space for you to grow plenty of plants. It is 56 inches wide, 29 inches deep, and 77 inches high. It comes with a zippered polyethylene cover that protects your plants from direct exposure to weather elements and easy access for you to walk-in and look after your plants. The best thing about the walk-in design is that it serves as a gateway for ventilation for larger plants. It’s quite easy to assemble and needs no tools to set it up. It’s portable and light in weight that allows you to move it from place to place with the changes in weather.
- Sturdy and durable
- Spacious
- Walk-in design
- Adequate ventilation
- Comes with a zippered cover
- Can be moved around easily
- No-tool assembly
- The plastic cover isn’t durable and tears soon
- Shelves are flimsy
Our rating: 
4.1 / 5
Closing Word
A portable greenhouse is an excellent way of extending the growing season. It gives plant lovers an opportunity to grow their favorite plants, fruits, and vegetables at home, even if they’re short on space. A greenhouse for outdoors provides plants with an ideal growing environment throughout the year, so you can rest assured that you’ll have a fresh supply of all the seasonal fruits, vegetables, and flowers all through the year!
