Discussion forum for the various methods and structures used for getting an early start on your growing season, extending it for several weeks or even year 'round.
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January 10, 2009
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#1 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 96
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My New Cold Frame!
Just got my cold frame yesterday. Its 8ft long. I cant wait to try it out. Never used one before so I guess this will be a trial and hopefully not too many errors learning experience. I am hoping that I can start putting seedlings in it sometime in March
I have it sitting where it will get a good Southern Sun early this Spring  An inside shot 
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January 11, 2009
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#2 |
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Tomatoville® Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: The Bay State
Posts: 3,207
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Very nice. Did you buy it locally or order it?
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January 11, 2009
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#3 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 96
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I bought it locally. Probably paid too much for it but with work and all I just dont have time right now to build one. Still I think its a good investment. I will have to experiment until I can figure what and what not to do. Hopefully I wont kill plants before I figure this all out LOL!
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January 11, 2009
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#4 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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With work and all just make sure your not too busy to prop the lid open a little to let out hot air.
These things can reach way over 100 temps with the out side air at only 40 or so. A thermometer is a must as far as I'm concerned. Also maybe a heat light for those cold nights. Worth |
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January 12, 2009
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#5 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Medbury, New Zealand
Posts: 1,881
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A light in side on cold nights would work or cover with woolen blanket,i don`t need to now days but i used to use straw bales set in squares with clear plastic on the top and then on heavy frost nights i would throw over two or three blankets, but it worked well.
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January 13, 2009
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#6 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 96
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I obviously need to insulate it better. I set a pot in it with lettuce seeds just to experiment but every morning the soil has been frozen lol
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January 13, 2009
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#7 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Medbury, New Zealand
Posts: 1,881
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Some thin sheet polystyrene on this inside of the timber will help also
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January 14, 2009
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#8 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 948
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Looks great, good luck with it.
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January 14, 2009
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#9 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 2,618
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I would definitely insulate with ½” foam board all around. Not very expensive to do.
Looking at the shape, It doesn't look like much sunlight can get to the seedlings/plants. You may want to put reflectors or mirrors on the back wall. If you really want to make things work, try using clear corrugated panels to cover the soil outside about 24” all around. The solar heat will warm up the soil and the clear panels will insulate. This will keep the soil from getting frozen. Insulate the aluminum frames will also help. None of these will cost you too much money or too much work, and you only need to do it once for many years’ use. Will make a big difference. dcarch
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tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato |
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January 16, 2009
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#10 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 96
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Good ideas dcarch. We are really in the deep freeze now! Its 10F this morning. As soon it gets past the freezing mark and I can stand to be outside to work on it lol
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January 18, 2009
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#11 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Saumarez Ponds, NSW, Australia
Posts: 946
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Looks good. What wood was used in construction? And is that polyflute on top?
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Ray |
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January 20, 2009
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#12 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Z8b, Texas
Posts: 657
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This an Idea to insulate your cold frame:
 You could also put bales of hay that are still tied together inside to Lift your seedlings up to a new height, so they could get more sun.
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It's not how many seeds you sow. Nor how many plants you transplant. It's about how many of them can survive your treatment of them  .
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January 21, 2009
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#13 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 948
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What a great idea using the hay!!
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January 23, 2009
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#14 | ||
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 96
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Quote:
Quote:
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January 23, 2009
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#15 |
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Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Z8b, Texas
Posts: 657
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Sssssiiisss allllrite.....
~* Robin
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It's not how many seeds you sow. Nor how many plants you transplant. It's about how many of them can survive your treatment of them .
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