[noshed]

They work the same really - a staging post between a heated house and the great outdoors or just somewhere to start stuff off. Or somewhere for cats to sun themselves

[Trillium]

When you don't have any cold frames (as I don't), mini greenhouse helps to get plants going until they're a reasonable size. Mine bask in luxury (wish I could!) in theirs, protected from the cat, until I think they're ready for the big bad world. Rather than a cold frame (which I'm building this year) I take my flats of things outside in the morning and back in in the afternoon to slowly adjust them to stronger daylight and cooler night temps. You could do this with the mini greenhouse as well if it's outside by simly removing the plastic cover. Only catch is that prowling animals could easily knock it over, or gusty wind, or pigeons could do full buffet off them.

[paintedlady]

I suppose if you did remove the plastic cover you could put netting over to stop the cats from using the seed trays as toilets and pigeons from attacking the fresh greens

[Trillium]

You'd keep pigeons out, but never cats  

[paintedlady]

... we could always try the Olbas oil theory (a much earlier post) and see if it would deter cats

[mashauk]

I know the plastic greenhouses get extremely hot, dunno about coldframes as I haven't used one yet.

[Noah'strolly]

I used my three tier mini greenhouse for seedlings but found the ones at the bottom weren't getting enough light. So I lay it down with the open bottom against a wall and popped them in. I grew some great cucumbers in it the year before last in large rectangular planters and hooked up to a micro irrigation system.  Its down the side of the house storing seed trays and plant pots at the moment and doing such a good job I may have the get another one!

[Noah'strolly]

Went and did it - got the £12 Aldi one!