how to make a cold frame

1. What can I use instead of a cold frame?
2. How deep does a cold frame need to be?
3. What is a cold frame and how does it work?
4. Can I start seeds in a cold frame?
5. How do you keep a cold frame warm at night?
6. Do cold frames need to be airtight?
7. Do cold frames need to be in the sun?
8. What is the best position for a cold frame?
9. When should I plant in cold frame?
10. How do you insulate a cold frame?
11. What is the difference between a cold frame and greenhouse?
12. Why is it called a cold frame?
13. How much does a cold frame Increase temperature?
14. Can you grow strawberries in a cold frame?
15. Will seeds germinate at 60 degrees?
16. At what temp do seeds germinate?
17. How do you make a cold frame for a raised bed?
18. How do you keep a cold frame warm?
19. What is the difference between a cold frame and a hot bed?
20. Can you start tomatoes in a cold frame?

What can I use instead of a cold frame?

Alternatives. As coldframes and mini-greenhouses can be costly to buy and make, many gardeners use ingenious makeshifts. All these are inexpensive and, if care is taken with ventilation, often prove good enough for most purposes.

How deep does a cold frame need to be?

The ideal size for a cold frame is 3 by at least 6 feet, about 12 inches deep along the front sloping to 18 inches at the back. You can build a cold frame out of 1×12 pressure-treated lumber, assembled with nails and screws for permanency or prefabricated corners for easy dismantling and storage.

What is a cold frame and how does it work?

At their simplest, cold frames are bottomless boxes that are set over plants in the garden to protect them from adverse weather. They are usually built low to the ground and have a transparent roof to let in light and a hinge for easy access.

Can I start seeds in a cold frame?

The answer is a resounding yes, cold frames for spring seedlings is a great idea. ... With a cold frame, you can start seeds as much as six weeks earlier than you would put them in the ground. You can control the soil content more easily in a cold frame than in an outdoor bed.

How do you keep a cold frame warm at night?

Use a birdbath heater or a crock pot to warm up a small cold frame, extending your growing season even further. The warm water in this ceramic pot keeps the cold frame warmer on chilly nights.

Do cold frames need to be airtight?

When its COLD, you want your cold frame to be as air tight as you can get it. That means filling any gaps between the wood or windows. ALSO, it gets super hot in a cold frame when the sun is blazing, even when its not hot outside.

Do cold frames need to be in the sun?

The whole idea of the structure is to gather sunlight and warmth so the best position for a cold frame will be one that offers full sunshine and will shelter your plants.

What is the best position for a cold frame?

Where is the best place to put a cold frame? To maximize warmth, light exposure, and weather protection for plants, cold frames should be sited in a south-facing position.

When should I plant in cold frame?

At least two weeks before you sow early vegetables like spinach, radishes or peas in spring, put your cold frame in place. This will help to gently warm the soil within the frame to temperatures that are more suited to growing cool-season vegetables.

How do you insulate a cold frame?

When a sudden cold snap occurs, a simple way to insulate the cold frame is to place a burlap sack filled with leaves over the sash at night to prevent frost damage. If night temperatures drop too low, extra insulation can also be achieved with a layer of tarpaulin or a blanket tossed over the cold frames covering.

What is the difference between a cold frame and greenhouse?

The biggest difference between a cold frame and a greenhouse is that a cold frame does typically use a heat source and might only stand a few feet tall; whereas a greenhouse is a tall structure that has heating and ventilation systems for a year-round controllable climate.

Why is it called a cold frame?

Historically, cold frames were built to be used in addition to a heated greenhouse. The name itself exemplifies the distinction between the warm greenhouse and the unheated cold frame. ... Cold frames are similar to some enclosed hotbeds, also called hotboxes. The difference is in the amount of heat generated inside.

How much does a cold frame Increase temperature?

It has no artificial heat added. The temperature difference between the inside and outside of the frame is generally not more than 5 to 10 degrees. A mat or blanket may be placed over the frame on cold nights to conserve heat, but this increases temperature by only a few degrees.

Can you grow strawberries in a cold frame?

Strawberries are versatile plants that can be grown in a number of different ways: in the open ground, in cold frames and under glass, in raised beds, pots and containers and hanging baskets. ... Cold stored runners (supplied bare root) can be planted from late spring to early summer and fruit in two months.

Will seeds germinate at 60 degrees?

In most cases an interior temperature of 60-70 degrees is not warm enough for quick germination, but seeds usually will germinate eventually (lack of supplemental heat is especially detrimental to peppers and eggplants, both of which are REALLY SLOW to germinate when left at room temperature).

At what temp do seeds germinate?

Most seeds germinate when the soil temperature is between 68(and 86(F. Once germination occurs, the optimum growing temperature for theseedling is about 10(F cooler than the optimum germination temperature. Moisture is critical for germinating seeds.

How do you make a cold frame for a raised bed?

The easiest way to turn a raised bed into a cold frame is by using recycled storm windows, doors or other glass windows placed on a frame over the cold frame bed to create a miniature greenhouse. You can find old windows at salvage yards or junk shops.

How do you keep a cold frame warm?

To capture more heat, leave room for a few black painted one gallon water jugs. Once filled with water, they will absorb heat during the day and release it slowly during the night, raising the temperature inside the cold frame.

What is the difference between a cold frame and a hot bed?

Hot beds and cold frames are identical in construction; the only difference is that hot beds are heated and cold frames are not. Hot beds are generally used to start seeds. Cold frames protect young plants and harden them off until they can be transferred to a vegetable garden.

Can you start tomatoes in a cold frame?

Tomatoes, planted in many home gardens, are typically a warm-weather crop. ... Planting tomatoes in a cold frame allows you to start your seedlings six to eight weeks before the danger of frost is past.