Early Bloomer™ 8x6x8.ft Insulated Greenhouse Kit

This greenhouse is the best solution on my problem on how I will protect my plants on the winter season. It is a good greenhouse that allow my plants to bloom during winter up to early spring. This is also a good space to place my garden tools and equipment. Lastly when I have a new bedding plants I know that they are safe inside my greenhouse.

Today, my husband and I successfully assemble our brand new greenhouse. We were pleasantly surprised with the sturdiness of the structure, especially considering the lightweight material used in its construction. My husband had prepared a solid base and completed the pipe assembly prior to the installation, which made the process slightly easier. However, we did encounter some challenges with the assembly instructions, which were at times unclear and confusing. Overall, we are pleased with the appearance of the greenhouse

It seems a little silly to have a greenhouse in Florida, but some years we do get freezes. I have used cheap pop-up greenhouses for the past several years, but finally decided to bite the bullet and get a permanent one. I can't speak to its effectiveness or durability (since I just got it), but I thought I'd give it a preliminary review.

The GH is shipped as a kit, with rolls of Solexx, pipe framing and hardware. This model comes in two boxes, and although heavy, each box could be handled by one person (but it is definitely easier with two people.) I think I saw somewhere the shipping weight was 120 lbs. I was lucky enough to receive a complete kit, so no panicked phone calls were needed.

It took two grown men about 8 hours to assemble it. I recommend actually reading the instructions before you start, and then following them during assembly. I have to say, the instructions were pretty comprehensive and well-thought-out.

Pros:
Although lightweight, it feels pretty sturdy. I really like way Solexx diffuses the light. I am hoping the diffusal will eliminate any "hot spots" in the GH. The floor space for this model is just shy of 8ft x 8ft. The height is just over 6ft in the middle. I'm 5'10", and although I am tempted to duck when I step in, I don't need to. It is roomy enough for my needs.

Even though I plan to anchor it to the ground (which I highly recommend) - you could consider this thing portable. My son was able to carry it by himself by standing inside and lifting it by the interior rods. So, if you ever decided to relocate the GH, it would be pretty easy to do so.

I am pleased with the appearance (it has very simple, clean lines.)

Cons:
This thing ain't cheap! And, for the price, the manufacturer should do a lot more of the prep work. For example, you have to cut the curved pieces on the front and back yourself. Why don't they just use a template and cut them to the correct size for you?

The worst part of the whole job is the caulking. They recommend caulking the exposed ends of the flutes with silicone sealant. It seems that there should be a better way. I'm surprised that they can't use a cutting tool that cauterizes the edges. FYI: we used 3 tubes of caulk.

The door is more than adequate; the rear window... not-so-much. The door and window are similar in their design, so I'm not sure why the window is so "clunky." Plus, the manual PVC opener/closer is pretty cheesy.

Other:
Not sure of the details, but Solexx does not sell the GH. You can buy it from many different online dealers, and I think the price is fixed (it was pretty much the same price wherever I looked.) I think the dealer just takes the order, then forwards it to one central company (Adapt8, I think.) That company cuts the Solexx and the framing, and then packages it up with the necessary hardware and ships it to you.

Finally:
I ended up contacting Adapt8 because I was a few screws short (due to my spacing them too closely.) They wanted to charge me for a whole bag of 100 (or 200, I can't remember.) So, I declined. But, you'd think after I spent two grand on a greenhouse they could send me a few extra screws. I was not real happy about that.

This is my first greenhouse. Once I am familiar with how the greenhouse works I will absolutely buy a bigger one. I'm really in love with my new early bloomer greenhouse.