Topic: Building a cold frame

[AndrewB]

I have some plastic windows from a greenhouse which became a pile of twisted metal over the winter.  I am sure I can make one or more coldframes with the plastic windows but have no imagination and have very poor DIY skills.  Any suggestions, pictures etc to give me some idas?

[sandersj89]

I built a large cold frame a couple of months ago, marine ply and plastic sheeting for the lid. I will post a picture later so you can see.

Jerry

[sandersj89]

I would post a picture, indeed I took a few pitures last night, but my darling daughter has broken my PC at home. After 4 hours of fighting with it last night I gave up.

I cannot even boot it up but bear with me, I have to get it fixed and once it is I will put up a picture.

Jerry

[Svea]

hello andy,

apart from building a permanent cold frame, you can also make 'tempporary' ones in the spring when you actually need them. people on our site do it all the time because our plots are quite small. all you need are a few planks of wood, some short timber 'pegs' (or metal, whatever is to hand to hammer into the ground and stabilise the planks to form the sides). arrange four planks so they form an area which you can cover with your plastic, then drive in the 'pegs' to stabilise, e voila :)

and when it gets warm, and you no longer need the frame for your seedlings, you take it all down and use the bed space as you would normally.

just an idea :)
svea

[AndrewB]

Svea, thanks for the idea, I think I understand and will give it a go next year.

jerry - hope you get your pc working,look forward ot the picture

Andrew

[sandersj89]

Andrew

Here are some pictures of the cold frame I knocked up a few weeks ago, now mainly empty but for Melons over the summer in grow bags.







Jerry

[SpeedyMango]

I built mine from old plastic-framed secondary double glazing panels (i.e. windows).

I screwed the panels (through the plastic frames) to four square posts (actually tree stakes), and pushed the stakes into the ground. Then laid other panels on top as a lid. I might make up a 'proper' lid one day, but it works well enough at the moment.

[AndrewB]

Cheers, I'll have a go at replicating those

Andrew