Do a search in this forum for

"HF Greenhouse"
and "HFGH" and you will find lot's of info.

READ the how to assemble ones in particular, as it apparently is a must, compared to the wonderfuly instructions you get with them.

This portable model is different from the twinwall polycarbonate model that so many have been posting about. Though there might be some discussion on the portable.

I'm afraid I have no experience with the portable model, Lynn, but monitoring the temps sounds like a good idea. Wish you a great growing season!

Diane

Blush,

see what I get for moving to fast.....

Here, in SE MI (zone 6), I'm using a Flowerhouse Starterhouse, which is a big portable coldframe (or little portable greenhouse). I heat it wih a little space heater but would not think to put out this early. I'll be putting plants out not before Apr 1, if then even with the heater. So IMHO is way too early for you to put out your plants. I'd say in zone 5 maybe mid-Apr or so. It's prolly way too early to start seeds even. I start tomatoes around last week of March, for instance.

But monitor the temp each day and pay attention to the weather forecast each morning after setting out.

soycandle,

I might not even ought to post because I am not in your climate zone (I am in zone 8B) and have no experience with the type of winter you have, but...that said...

I have had a portable greenhouse for 5 years. Its the same basic type as yours, from a different company. Mine is called a "Groenhaus" and it came from a company in I believe Norway (may have been Sweden, but its one of the Scandanavian countries where they have an actual winter with snow, ice and wind.) Mine has a steel frame in a hex design, air vents, and zipper door. Its made of 12 mil woven poly fabric, and conducts about 83% of available sunlight. The cover is thick and insulates very well.

I myself live in Northern Florida where there is no snow, no ice, but it does occasionally get down to 20F once or twice a winter.

I have had GREAT SUCCESS with my portable greenhouse. I have used it to overwinter tropical plants that were containerized (plants like heliconias, Ti leaves, gingers, aroids like anthuriums, orchids, bromeliads....) I have also used it one winter to cover a 6 x 6 raised pond that had tropical water lilies in it, I also stacked in a bunch of containerized plants in with the pond and they loved the humidity...currently, I leave the base of the frame on the ground year round, surrounding an outdoor inground planting of tropical plants that would freeze even in our relatively mild winters (Alpinia purpurata, Heliconia, bromelaids, Ti leaves, birdsnest fern, etc) and erect the cover over the bed in winter, then take it off in spring.

These little portables work GREAT. All you need is to put a portable ceramic space heater (the kind with a thermostat) inside the grennhouse. For your size house, 6 x 8, one 5120 BTU heater will make it toasty for all your stuff. I have the type that you can set the temp, the range is 55,60,65,70,75 and 80. The heater goes on and off automatically to keep the GH at the temp you choose. The heater has a built in fan and blows warm air out, and it oscilates to help distribute the heated air more evenly. Its also helpful to have a small oscillating fan that you can hang from the frame in the roof to circulate air and heat. This cuts down on consolidation and also on algal growth and pests.

I see you are in zone 5...it will of course take you more electricity usage to heat your greenhouse than it does me, but it also depends on what you are growing....I keep mine at a minimum of 60F, but the plants you are growing may only need above 32, or the 40-50 range. I would think you could go on and set the thing up and start using it now. The only advice I would offer additionally is, if your winter storms include WINDY CONDITIONS, be certain you use any tie down apparatus (stakes, guy wires etc) that they offered you. Without them you run a risk of the whole thing blowing over in a high wind. I think of mine as a big, almost clear TENT that my plants are camping out in.

Hi Soy candle
Looks like we are neighbors I live in Indiana near Wabash.
I'm in the process of building my wife a greenhouse this will be are first one other than the portable that we have that is exactly the same one that you have.
we used it last winter and will be using it again this winter. The wife has started from seed a lot of flowers and some tomato plants in small greenhouses in the house.
We will be moving them out to the portable in a couple of weeks. Last winter I used a 1500 watt electric heater and it was enough to keep it warm but I had it insulated with foam board and every night I propped the 4x8 sheets up against the sides and then removed them the next morning to allow the sun in.
I had no problem heating it in this fashion but when it got warm it will want to over heat because of no vents.
I bought a long strip of Velcro and cut a large opening in the back and close it with the Velcro. Also be very careful with the zipper on the door as mine broke.
The plastic will shrink and won't fit good after a year in weather.
I'm going to use the shelves that came with it in the new GH so not a total loss. You will get by with it for a year or two but will soon want something that you don't have to keep repairing and spending more money on all the time.
As far as keeping it warm if you buy several 4x8 sheets of foam board and use them every night you can put your plants in it now. As we get more into the spring someone will need to be their when the sun comes out to uncover it and open it up turn on the fan or it will cook all your plants.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that is the way it is. Plan on making some vents in that thing heating it is not nearly as hard as cooling it.
We did manage to grow from seed probably over a thousand plants in it last year so it can be done.

Wow it looks like there is a BIG difference in brands. Mine is very sturdy, and has 4 zippable vents in the ceiling and a large zippable vent in the back, as well as the large zippable door. I found that using WD40 on the zippers keeps them operating well. ALso, my covering may be thicker than yours at 12 mil. It has never shown any signs of shrinkage. I am pleased with mine and consider it a good investment. I hope that yours turns out better than as described for you. Good luck.

I have not measured the thickness of the covering but it is very thick at least 12mm with a reinforcing thread in it.
I used WD 40 on the zippers but that only makes them slid easy didn't keep them from breaking.
The thing that I didn't like the most was you have to baby sit it all the time. You have to be their in the evening to close it up and have to open it up in the morning, Then about one or two hours later you have to be their to turn on the fan.
Florida would be a more constant temp than Indiana.
In the spring the greenhouse will be freezing at night and 100 degrees in it before noon.

Next year I will have one that I can leave for the day and not worry about it. The heating and cooling will all be automated.
As far as the cost it all works out about the same. The greenhouse That Harbor Freight sells for $129 Homier in Huntington sell it for$99.00. If I bought a new one every year or buy a polycarbonate panel greenhouse with a thousand dollars worth of panels on it that are good for ten years then need to be replaced it works out the same.
Bottom line is if you plan on using that portable you will need to put some vents in it because it will really get hot without ventilation.

Thanks everyone for the great advice. Hey GardenerWantaBe, e-mail me! I used to teach at Northfield. Maybe we know each other/same people, etc. I still talk to some people in Wabash, at Northfield. e-mail is soycandle@earthlink.net