I have been looking about for ideas how to make a simple cold frame
(not very talented DIYer) Quite a few sites that sell wooden cold
frames have ones with solid sides and only the top is clear. Would this
not make it so that the plants would be shadowed? I am presuming it is
done for ease? Would it be better to make the front and top clear? If
it is not going to be moved would making the north side brick to allow
heat retention?

Thanks in advance
amber

Amber wrote:
I have been looking about for ideas how to make a simple cold frame
(not very talented DIYer) Quite a few sites that sell wooden cold
frames have ones with solid sides and only the top is clear. Would this
not make it so that the plants would be shadowed? I am presuming it is
done for ease? Would it be better to make the front and top clear? If
it is not going to be moved would making the north side brick to allow
heat retention?

Thanks in advance
amber


You'd be surprised how heavy a frame lid gets the larger the area of
glass there is! The front is usually angled downward so the surface
catches the slightest bit of sun and the brick or solid front gives good
support to the front lip of the frame.

If you're using some sort of polythene then the weight is not a problem
but the plasticiser in the material breaks down and the whole lot turns
to a brittle mess up by the end of the year so needs replacing
repeatedly. That and birds dropping things through it! Then again, you
can add the polythene replacement to your yearly chores!


Richard.

--
Celebrate Diwali safely!

Keep an eye on those naked flames.

Richard Brooks wrote:
Amber wrote:
I have been looking about for ideas how to make a simple cold
frame
(not very talented DIYer) Quite a few sites that sell wooden cold
frames have ones with solid sides and only the top is clear. Would
this not make it so that the plants would be shadowed? I am
presuming it is done for ease? Would it be better to make the
front
and top clear? If it is not going to be moved would making the
north
side brick to allow heat retention?

Thanks in advance
amber


You'd be surprised how heavy a frame lid gets the larger the area
of
glass there is! The front is usually angled downward so the
surface
catches the slightest bit of sun and the brick or solid front gives
good support to the front lip of the frame.

If you're using some sort of polythene then the weight is not a
problem but the plasticiser in the material breaks down and the
whole
lot turns to a brittle mess up by the end of the year so needs
replacing repeatedly. That and birds dropping things through it!
Then again, you can add the polythene replacement to your yearly
chores!

There's no need to use perishable polythene for lightness: there's a
choice of UV-resistant roofing sheets which last well.
Single-thickness flat, single-thickness corrugated, and twin-wall.
There's no need to have clear material on front or sides: wood,
block, or even metal will do (though metal will need some
insulation). You can use whatever's lying about -- my first was just
a cut-down plywood packing case, and it worked well, but it didn't
last long.

Bear in mind that full sun isn't always the best aspect for a frame:
a north-facing one won't cook tender seedlings such as primulas.

--
Mike.

If you are building a wooden sided one, paint the interior white so that it
reflects the light ...

In message .com,
Amber writes
I have been looking about for ideas how to make a simple cold frame

There was an article in the rather good, Kitchen Garden magazine in a
recent issue about making wooden cold frame.
--
Chris French

Thank you for all the replies!

I have a site setup its the south side of the greenhouse running down
the east west direction that the greenhouse also runs. So its getting
as much light as it can. I was presuming that because of this I could
do things like have a more solid back (the north side) and maybe even
sink it down slightly maybe this would help with keeping in the heat? I
guess you could also put over bubblewrap like used in the greenhouse on
colder nites?

There was something on TV once about someone using a white base to
their polytunnels and the differences in the plants was massive. The
ones that were on the 'normal' capillary matting were taller and less
bushey.

I have also found that if you can remove the top of the frame it makes
cooking less likely. I am also going to have another one in another
aspect later on for other types of plants.