This past winter, a sudden and drastic need to pull our plants indoors hit for the first time. We were now living in Chicago with an insatiable cat — and when I say insatiable, I mean it. This furball has a penchant for anything green and plant-like, even pineapple tops! So if you’re in a dire situation like ours where the plants would die without immediate action or simply looking for the best indoor greenhouse for keeping your family in fresh herbs and bell peppers year-round, these options should do the trick for you.
Table of Contents
5 Best Indoor Greenhouse Comparisons
| PRODUCT | FEATURES | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | Best Choice Products 4-Tier Greenhouse |
| Check The Price! |
 | Nova Mini Walk-In Greenhouse |
| Check The Price! |
 | GoOutdoor Lab Pop Up Portable Greenhouse |
| Check The Price! |
 | Worth Garden 5-Tier Narrow Greenhouse |
| Check The Price! |
 | Eagle Peak Mini Greenhouse with Casters |
| Check The Price! |
Why You Can Trust Us
I’ve been gardening for as long as I can remember – hanging out with my vegetable and fruit farmer grandparents and gardening dad. As an adult, I’ve grown into indoor gardening, thanks to my cold winter climate in the north. I know what makes a good greenhouse — the ability to trap moisture and heat, portability (as needed), quality build, and more.
Best 5 Indoor Greenhouses
These top-ranked choices are great for almost any indoor gardening situation.
Best for Herbs and Seed Starting
Why We Like It: The wide, long design of this greenhouse is great for growing herbs, flowers, and starting seeds out. Why? Because the width and depth of the shelves allows for plenty of room for growing as many as you like of these smaller plants.
The extra wide shelves provide you with 40-inches of growing space, while trapping humidity into the greenhouse and providing plenty of air circulation within for any space where you’d like to keep them. The greenhouse also has the unique option of two different access points via four zippers, making it easier to access for watering, cleaning, pruning, and more.
Who Should Buy It: Anyone looking to get their outdoor garden started well or grow an indoor herb garden or smaller plant garden will find this one perfect, thanks to the long and wide shelves.
Best for Walk-In Spaces
Why We Like It: This sturdy, well-built greenhouse is perfect for folks with a bit more space for an indoor greenhouse. It’s definitely on the larger side, but you can easily grow semi-tropical and tropical plants in it with ease.
The Nova Indoor Greenhouse is built to last with a high-quality metal frame, durable beating net on each layer, and a clear, waterproof PE cover that protects against rain and UV light. The greenhouse may be used indoors or outdoors and is easily set up and moved without tools. The product also comes with anchors so you can easily affix the greenhouse to the ground or walls.
Who Should Buy It: This indoor growing house is perfect for folks who’ve got a little more space to grow those veggies and even fruit trees year-round.
Best for Tabletop Use
Why We Like It: The GoOutdoor Lab pop up greenhouse is great for keeping smaller plants protected and hydrated more easily than open air. These are perfect for small apartments or bedrooms and offices where just a few plants need a little extra love.
The durable PVC material in this design makes it a high-quality option for indoor or outdoor use. The PVC protects plants and increased humidity and allows plenty of light. It’s a pop-up as well, so no assembly is required – simply open up and secure into place with the provided stakes or weigh it down with rocks.
Who Should Buy It: This one is great for anyone who needs to protect or boost humidity for just a few smaller to mid-sized plants and is especially ideal for small apartments or tight spaces.
Best for Indoor Mobility
Why We Like It: Having built-in casters is a must in a household that needs some space flexibility – and this is one of the few narrow but tall greenhouses with that option.
The product is easy to assemble, and thanks to the casters, easy to move around, even with plants installed inside. The odorless, non-toxic PE cover is water-resistant and UV protected to keep your plants safe in whatever space you keep it. There’s also a roll-up door with a zipper and ties for easy access to plants and cleaning whenever needed.
Who Should Buy It: Anyone looking for some flexibility in the placement of their indoor plant sanctuary will find this one useful, thanks to the casters.
What to Grow in an Indoor Greenhouse
If I’d discovered the concept of indoor greenhouses back in 2014 when I moved to Chicago, I would have had an apartment full of these things – growing my own veggies and herbs, producing edible flowers, and adding some much-needed clean oxygen to my stuffy studio apartment.
Since discovering this product, I’ve researched quite a bit and learned what anyone can grow indoors with these, depending on the equipment used and the room climate in which they’re kept.
Specifically, you can grow any of the following:
- Tomatoes – these need tall racks and plenty of space.
- Orchids – they also need tall racks.
- Herbs – practically any herb can be grown in one of these, including on short racks.
- Cress
- Bell peppers
- Hot peppers
- Edible flowers like violets and marigolds
- Other flowers
- Ferns
- Succulents
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce
- Other leafy greens
- Cabbage
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Other root vegetables
How to Pick the Right Indoor Greenhouse
Before buying your small indoor greenhouse, I highly recommend considering these factors :
Space Required
When it came time to choose my own indoor greenhouse, I admittedly didn’t think so much about space as I should have. I was more about getting in enough shelves to get things protected in a hurry. Winter was coming fast and my cat likes to nosh on plants – all plants – and I needed to keep them safe from each other.
I regret not thinking through the space better – it’s been a bit of a challenge adapting the office space to accommodate.
So I highly recommend determining ahead of time where you’ll keep the greenhouse and taking some measurements. Is there enough ceiling space for a tall but narrow greenhouse? Do you have enough room to spare for a walk-in for growing veggies year-round? Do you have a tight corner where a greenhouse might fit without taking up valuable floor space? Measure, compare, and explore before buying!
Rack Height
If you’re planning to grow herbs and short flowering plants, rack height won’t matter much. But if you’re looking to keep your family in tomatoes year-round or have a thing for orchids, you’ll need to check rack height. Too short and your tomatoes will be stunted.
Portability
This was another big thing for us. We wanted a greenhouse that we could easily move around for cleaning and because we’re always in transition in the space where we keep it.
If you’re not likely to move your greenhouse around much, you won’t need a portable one, though.
Price Tag
One of the main things we were concerned about when we bought our greenhouse was the price tag. We didn’t have much of a budget for it, so we looked for the top-rated, low-cost choice that had wheels. If you’ve got some more flexibility than we did though, we recommend this is only one of the things you take into account rather than the main thing.
Additional Equipment Needed
In partnership with your greenhouse, you’re going to need a few pieces of equipment to keep those plants healthy and thriving indoors, especially if you’re just learning how to use a greenhouse.
- Grow lights – Windows and standard LED or fluorescent bulbs just don’t do enough.
- Plant food – Make sure it’s the right kind for the plants you’re growing, and aim for organic only for edible plants.
- Watering can – I recommend a 1 to 2 gallon watering can to make it easier.
- Thermometer – Your plants need to be kept to a certain temperature to keep thriving in winter.
- Heater – In some cases, you’ll need more than just grow lights to keep the plants warm enough.
How We Picked
For each type of greenhouse, I considered several things, including different scenarios if I was buying one for myself at this time. First, I thought of which one I’d replace my current greenhouse with if needed – meaning tight space and durability against the cat’s insanity. Next, I asked which walk-in I would buy, knowing what I know now about indoor gardening. I considered price tags, portability, differing space requirements, and rack heights as well.
For each choice, I looked through reviews from real-life users as well, to see what their praises and complaints might be, knowing that real-life reviews are going to be one of the best ways to determine a high-quality product versus paid promos from a company looking to bump up their sales.
Consider, Collect, and Purchase Your Next Indoor Greenhouse With Care
Before you hit “buy now” on any greenhouse option, you’ll likely want to consider the space requirements, rack height, and other notable qualities mentioned above. You’ll also want to order other supplies like grow lights or a full greenhouse kit, watering can if you don’t have one, and, of course, those all-important plants or seeds you’re ready to grow indoors this season.
For getting seeds started or growing shorter plants, we highly recommend the Best Choice Products 4-Tier Greenhouse. It’s great for almost any planting situation indoors, save for taller plants like orchids and tomatoes.
