diy coldframes

lethal0r

im knocking one together from some old wooden cut offs, there will be the odd gap between each piece. will this let the frost in and render it useless?

stilernin

lethal0r wrote: »

im knocking one together from some old wooden cut offs, there will be the odd gap between each piece. will this let the frost in and render it useless?

It won't be useless - any protection is better than none.

Before the worst weather, you could line the sides with one or two thicknesses of cardboard. You could begin to ask on freecycle; if anyone has had a kitchen delivered they would be only to pleased to get rid of the packaging.

Even better, I have seen sheets of polystyrene insulation which can be cut to size too; but that would cost money:(

Whatever you do to the sides, you could also use fleece over the plants during the worst weather.

Davesnave

No more than the gaps around fleece when it's used, and of course you could use bubble insulation over the frame in really bad weather.

No cold frame is going to do more than raise the temperature a few degrees above its surroundings on really cold nights. The primary advantage of a frame is to prevent cold + wet, which is often the lethal combination. In winters like we've just had a garage or outbuilding attached to the house would be better than any cold frame.

However, for over a decade, I successfully used a 25' cold frame built from wood and polytunnel plastic to shelter some of my marginally tough plants - things like salvias, agapanthus and arum lillies in pots. This was entirely open to the air at the rear, just covered with windbreak netting, running on monofilament line, like curtains. This kept the plants dry and allowed air circulation, which many seemed to appreciate.

Most people use frames to protect seedlings and this can be a bit hit & miss. If you have intentions along these lines, a bit of fleece over the plants inside the frame would be advantageous. The frame + the fleece would be better than either on their own.

ukbill69

Use some clear mastic that will fill the gaps!