Thanks for the advice! I will put your tips to work this weekend, and
now that I know what I want is called a cold frame, I can find out even
more info!

Thanks again!
Heidi




Jan Flora wrote:

In article , wrote:



HI all,

I am considering making (er...commissioning my husband to make) a mini
greenhouse. I would like a small home to nuture cuttings outside,
without having to invest in special lights, heating units, etc...
Here is my general plan for the greenhouse, can anyone comment if they
see anything wrong with this:



Do a web search for "cold frame." And go to the library -- see if they
have Eliot Coleman's book, "Four Season Harvest." He's way into cold
frames. (Any good gardening book will have something on cold frames.)

They're cool, handy little units, and a really good project for you to learn
how to build your own garden gidgits on. Commission your DH to teach you
how to use a tape measure, a pencil, a handsaw, a t-square and a hammer.
(You can advance to Skilsaw later.) Help him build the first cold frame, then
build the others yourself. (You *will* want more than one, trust me.)
If you paint the inside walls white, it'll reflect light to your cuttings.

Don't put a floor in it. Find a used window somewhere for between cheap
and free. You'll want the top to slant, to take advantage of lower sun angles
early in the spring. If you're a good scrounge, you can find the lumber you
need for cheap/free. You might have to buy the hinges at the hardware store,
and the nails. (Use galvanized nails, so they won't bleed rust when they get
wet. Or use screws and a screwgun instead of nails.)

My DH and I just built a 7' wide x 12' long x 9' tall lean-to greenhouse with
a reinforced visqueen cover, for free. We used lumber, hardware and visqueen
we had laying around. It took about 4 hours total, at a *very* laid-back pace.
( He played with the dog while I came up with the dimensions I wanted. I
cleaned
the woodshop while he was kicking through the lumber pile, talking to himself.)

The old trick of burying fresh horse or cow manure under soil, in the bottom of
the cold frame works. The manure produces heat as it decomposes and heats
the cold frame. Any horse owner would be more than happy to give you all of
the road apples you want.

Have fun with your project : )

Jan