If I put a pvc sheet over a bell trough planter will it be like a cold frame

Joined
Mar 6, 2018
Messages
121
Reaction score
32
Location
County Antrim
Hardiness Zone
9-10a
Country
United Kingdom
My greenhouse got trashed last year with all the wind, had to dump the frame but I kept the pvc sheets so I'm wondering if I could put them to good use and start some seeds in trough containers, pic attached (I was going to trim them down to fit over them properly but just wanted to see if it would work first)
 

Attachments

  • 20180405_171138.jpg
    20180405_171138.jpg
    135.1 KB · Views: 280
Joined
Mar 6, 2018
Messages
121
Reaction score
32
Location
County Antrim
Hardiness Zone
9-10a
Country
United Kingdom
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
1,466
Reaction score
1,106
Location
Oakville,Ontario
Hardiness Zone
5A
Country
Canada
You have a semi cold frame. Usually a cold frame encloses the soil underneath and around the plant in the soil or in a pot. There is no insulating air around those planters so you may have a problem there. Putting the planters in a cardboard box and then covering them with your twinwall pieces would greatly help.

As it is now, the walls of your planters won't provide any insulation in cold conditions. Even a cheap plastic bin would also help and be weather proof to boot :)

That said, you are in a much warmer zone than me but this weather lately is a real game changer!
 
Joined
Mar 6, 2018
Messages
121
Reaction score
32
Location
County Antrim
Hardiness Zone
9-10a
Country
United Kingdom
I made this one using plexiglas but you could do the same with your twinwall. I have another that I made using an old glass door :)

They look smashing! Do you need to put something beneath the soil also or just on the sides and top? I'll give that a try thanks for the info
 
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
1,466
Reaction score
1,106
Location
Oakville,Ontario
Hardiness Zone
5A
Country
Canada
Just the sides and top. The ground will absorb heat during the day and it moderates the temperatures overnight. I just took some pots of strawberries out of there the other day and hung them in the greenhouse. They survived in there over a very bitter winter. We were down to -20F - so that really shows what these cold frames can do :)

Let me see if I can find a picture of the one I made using the old door...
DSCN1725(1).JPG

As you can see, the backside is actually the side of my raised deck but if I didn't have that, I would have just put another sheet of plastic back there. :)
 
Joined
Mar 6, 2018
Messages
121
Reaction score
32
Location
County Antrim
Hardiness Zone
9-10a
Country
United Kingdom
Just the sides and top. The ground will absorb heat during the day and it moderates the temperatures overnight. I just took some pots of strawberries out of there the other day and hung them in the greenhouse. They survived in there over a very bitter winter. We were down to -20F - so that really shows what these cold frames can do :)

Let me see if I can find a picture of the one I made using the old door...
View attachment 34542
As you can see, the backside is actually the side of my raised deck but if I didn't have that, I would have just put another sheet of plastic back there. :)

That's awesome I'm going to get some lumber soon and give it a go :)
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
27,865
Messages
264,594
Members
14,598
Latest member
cryptomaniaks56

Latest Threads

Top