Collapsible Greenhouses for Overwintering Herbs

[Chris Hennes]

I've got a very large potted Hoja Santa plant that I'd like to nurse through the winter to give it a good headstart next year. Winters here in Oklahoma are generally pretty mild, so I was thinking I might give one of those plastic collapsible greenhouses a shot. Does anyone have any experience with these? I was looking at the Homewell Mini Walk-In Greenhouse because I think it would actually be big enough for both the Hoja Santa as well as my rosemary and thyme plants.

[AlaMoi]

...potted.... 

dump that idea - bring it inside

 

it's (semi-)tropical - it does not do 'dormant'

 

the cheap&flimsy 'greenhouses' (if you can call it that....) do not do wind well.

 

both rosemary and thyme (a bit dependent on variety) do mild winters well.

[dcarch]

Buy some Twinwall plastic sheet and make your own. You can actually use packing tape to assemble in minutes and disassemble in minutes. Very strong against wind.

 

Here is my bigger one which I have been using for many years.

 

dcarch

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzDqDBw_F54

 

[sparrowgrass]

You might try stacking hay/straw bales around the plant and adding an old glass window to top off your little cube. On really cold nights, cover it with another bale of straw. Conversely, if you get one of those lovely warm winter days, remove the window so the plant doesn't cook.

 

I am not familiar with the plant, so I really don't know how hardy it is, but it is worth a try.

[hummingbirdkiss]

I bought one of those a few years ago and it lasted exactly ONE season a windstorm took it out and I put in in a protected place on our deck..the plastic ripped and the poles bent and all my plants were smashed ..one storm in one winter season  …good thing the "box stores"  are great at taking crap back…they are lousy ..and I know you have wind in OK I used to live there…l I would say don't buy it…do what I do and dust bring it in the house or porch ?  or take cuttings ..or let it go dormant in the garage (I disagree many semitropical plants have held for me dormant over the winter they die back and come back that is dormant to me? ) … put it on the sunny side of the house and protect it as mentioned above with a straw bail ? make a tiny cold frame and put it in there ? anything but wasting your money like I would have if they did not take returns.  (my inclination would be to take cuttings and start them in the house over the winter just in case you loose the plant in whatever method you try at least you would have a back up ) ..I think you can cut it back put straw on it and save it for sure if you do not have a hard winter. 

Edited November 14, 2015 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[Deryn]

Unless you have a very rough winter (which does happen and you cannot really predict it unfortunately), your thyme and rosemary SHOULD survive. I planted a tiny rosemary bush in western NC one year (late in the fall) and figured it was not long for this world. I didn't do a thing but stick it in the ground and walk away. 4 years later its 'trunk' was 3 inches diameter. And it just got bigger from there on - till last winter when it died (though, at that size, it still left me with wonderfully fragrant stick branches to use for BBQ'ing chicken on).

The thyme planted the same way and at the same time didn't ever get that large but it came back year after year as well. I plant rosemary up north as well and it is more hit or miss to whether it will survive and prosper, but, even when the temperatures get to minus 20 quite often for long periods, sometimes they do. These are very hardy plants.

The other plant you have I doubt would do as well so I would bring it in the house too as others have suggested.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Deryn (log)