Cold frame was built early last year. It has worked very well this winter, allowing tomato starts to get full sun during the chilly months here in SC. The main problem is it efficiency. On a sunny 40 degree morning the temperature will soar to over 110 degrees if the lid is not opened very wide. I don't think an automatic opener would help very much as that would only open the frame about ten inches. So each morning I wait until about ten a.m., place the tomatoes inside, and open the lid about 30 inches. Here is a photo.
My one largest tomato that survived transplant problems now has numerous blooms which are yet to open. Some years I've only planted seeds by this date. Hopefully we will set an new early tomato record this year. The largest pant was up potted to a three gallon nursery pot, well ahead of any previous year.
- hendi_alex
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- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
- hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 3604
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
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- Greener Thumb
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- Greener Thumb
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It is amazing how much heat gain you can get from something like that. At our new/old house that we just bought, the front porch is open with old screens flapping in the wind on 2 sides; (no windows) the remaining 2 sides are the walls of the house. Even on cold days it's noticeably warmer in that area even though it's completely open to the elements on 2 sides. The low angle of the winter sun helps. (It has a roof and faces south) I hope to close that in with windows this year sometime before next winter and it will really help with the heating of the house as a sunroom.
Am replacing all the old windows of the house a few at a time; now I know what I could do with some of the old ones: possible cold frames! Great idea with the cold frames.
Am replacing all the old windows of the house a few at a time; now I know what I could do with some of the old ones: possible cold frames! Great idea with the cold frames.
- hendi_alex
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Box is about 40 inches by 60 inches by 30 inches tall. The face is made from the glass inset repurposed from a storm door. It is held in place with screws in the outer edge of the aluminum frame. The top is made from polycarbonate twin wall that was left overfrom our greenhouse construction. Cost was negligible since most everything came from scrap or repurposed material.
- Gary350
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We always called these Hot Beds because they get hot during the day. I have the same problem with plants cooking to death or freezing but it works great to start seeds for plants that don't freeze. I need to buy a servo motor to open the vent when the thermostat gets up to a certain temperature then close the vent at sun down.