Outsunny 71" Aluminum Vented Cold Frame Mini Greenhouse Kit - Silver/Transparent

This review takes place over the course of two winters. From the first night, my honest opinions based on actual use and experience are displayed. br>br>Last night, I combined two. Because the instructions are so bad, putting them together is a pain. I've put together a lot of IKEA furniture (Tables, Chairs, Bookshelves), and while they can be a pain at times, this made me want to curse. Sharp parts make it dangerous without gloves, but gloves make it almost impossible. I chose to simply be more cautious. When putting connectors and bars together, I strongly advise using a mallet. If you slide them on, the plastic buttons inside the clips are likely to break. Laying the bars over the top of the plastic brackets and tapping them in with the mallet was a lot easier. You'll need a screwdriver or a drill to complete this task. I went with a drill, but I kept the speeds and torque low. Putting it together with two people is highly recommended. For one thing, you can work on things, but you can also flip the frame parts over to screw things in, which reduces the risk of the bars bending and warping. It's extremely light, making it ideal for transport (two people are required to transport it to avoid warping and bending). Because of the box's light weight, I recommend using Tent pegs or landscaping fabric u-shaped nails to secure it to the bottom plastic brackets. The wind is something I'd be concerned about. br>br>I'm thinking about applying sealant to the panels. If you live in a colder climate, I strongly advise you to do so. I'd also remind gardening legends and novices alike that putting mulch in the bottom around your plants will provide more protection (never cast seeds in mulch; they will not grow), as well as building mulch up around the bottom on the outside to block the space that will be left after the box is placed. br>br>I'll have to see how well this cold frame performs for my vegetables. For cold-hardy plants, I believe it will suffice. I'm hoping that planting early in the spring will yield good results. Let's see how things turn out. (Update: My cold hardy plants are still alive despite a night at 29 degrees and another at 19 degrees). br>br>I'm worried that the box will only last a year or two. We'll have to wait and see. I believe the aluminum will hold up well, but I'm not so sure about the panels. The panels are made of corrugated plastic, similar to what you'd see on political signs, but they're clear rather than white. br>br>Update: These are a waste of time. Only made it through the first season. It's all very flimsy. I had some inexpensive plastic totes on hand that were both inexpensive and durable. This is a swindle. This winter, I wasn't even able to use it. These are easily blown away by the wind. We tried shoring it up, but it's still too flimsy.

Octavia Donnelly

| Jun 05, 2021

Overall, the product is satisfactory and well worth the money. it works. I was able to plant my lettuce on January 1st, once I had it assembled and in place. The seeds germinated in 10 days in a zone 7 area. We've had several nights with temperatures in the teens, and the sprouts have been safe thanks to the greenhouse. I'm a regular IKEA shopper, and this was extremely difficult to put together! Furthermore, because the plastic screens are delicate, even placing one on top of a screw on the floor caused a puncture.

Melissa Strickland

| Jul 22, 2021

It only took me two days to receive this! The contents had been carefully wrapped. Great! So, at 7 p. m. that night, I made the decision to put it together myself. Reading reviews is very helpful to me, and while there was a lot of talk about how difficult it was to put this together, I like the size and shape of it, and the price is reasonable. A challenge doesn't bother me. On this Saturday night, I'm a youngish 72-year-old woman with nothing better to do. lol. br>br>Someone mentioned that the channel rods should be inserted all the way over the connectors' little nub. They'll snap into place if you look in the channel. So I had to redo it a couple of times, and I can see how if it wasn't done properly, the thing would be flimsy and not hold together well. The panels stay in place much better now that the channel rods have been snapped in. br>br>Another important point that someone mentioned is to make sure the sun side of the panels is facing outward, as indicated by the writing on the panels' removable plastic wrap. If it hadn't been pointed out to me, I would have certainly missed it. Having said that, it took me about 5 hours to complete this, and I'm still not finished. I took everything out of the box and sorted it first, then I just looked over the instructions to see if I understood them. It was easy peazy once you got into it. It turned out to be quite enjoyable. I still have two joints to lock in in the morning before I'm done, but I figured I'd write this review while it was still fresh in my mind. br>br>I gave it a 4 because I believe the channel lock instructions could have been written more clearly. The illustrations were helpful, and all of the parts were well marked, but the feature and the sun facing side were lacking. There were no gaps. br>br>Oh, and the base has stake holes. You could also screw in 2 x 4 s to make it heavier, or simply screw it to a deck if you want. However, the fact that it is light makes it easy to move around. br>br>I like it and am looking forward to getting my broccoli and kale in there before it gets too cold. It's my hope that it will keep the slugs and white flies away. I believe it will function properly, and I will provide an update in the spring. So, if some assembly isn't a problem for you, go ahead and get it. It appeals to me as well. br>br>Recent changes: br>br> After a few more hours in the morning, I was finally able to complete it. After I put the lid on, two of the top T joint fasteners in the back did not click in. Even with a hammer or mallet, they were simply too tight to fit together. I eventually unscrewed the top lid, but left the top lid's three metal lid attachments attached to the main unit. The only way to get to those problematic T joints was through this method. Because they are very hard plastic, I was able to soften the openings with a hair dryer, being careful not to touch the window part, and the T fasteners snapped into place as a result. The top windows were simply screwed back on after that. I'm thinking of caulking around the windows, as suggested by the manufacturer. But, on the whole, it's pretty well put together, works well, and looks good. br>br>So, first make sure your frame is fully assembled, including the Top Hinge piece, and then add the top windows. I'm hoping to get another one in the spring, and I'm confident it'll be much easier to put together.

Dorian Graves

| Feb 27, 2021

BUYING THESE IS NOT A GOOD IDEA! It took me two hours to assemble this thing, and I had to use 40 zip ties to keep it from falling apart. I bought two of them and will be returning them.

Sarai Duffy

| Oct 07, 2021

Yes, it's a shaky foundation. But, for the price, isn't it a good deal? The procedure for putting everything together is a little overlooked. They do a good job of explaining where each piece goes, and the majority of them are well marked and accounted for. However, I had to disassemble some sections three times before they fit together properly. After putting together the bottom frame and adding the verticals (which are held in place by screws that run through the bottom of the frame), it's time to add the verticals. ) For added rigidity, I attached it to a 5/8 plywood base. br>Make sure the panels are facing outward toward the sun; this is printed on the panel protector plastic, but it is not always the case. It's easy to overlook this. Using a putty knife, I was able to ensure panel seating in the aluminum channels and coerce some of the verticals into the plastic brackets. Because locking the entire upper frame together as a unit was impossible, I chose to put the hinge lid extrusion on first and then assemble the lid around it, as well as the two front to back middle upper supports. best of luck! Ps. Because of the slanting front, keep an eye on the upper corners, which are angled differently.
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Hayden Raymond

| Nov 20, 2021