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

[Panda]

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)

 

[marlingardener]

What you have is a cold frame--great for starting seeds and even growing vegetables in cold weather. Here are some photos of cold frames. You'll note that they have vents to keep too much heat from building uphttps://www.bing.com/images/search?q=cold+frames+for+gardening&qpvt=cold+frames+for+gardening&FORM=IGRE.

You have a great idea there!

 

[Panda]

What you have is a cold frame--great for starting seeds and even growing vegetables in cold weather. Here are some photos of cold frames. You'll note that they have vents to keep too much heat from building uphttps://www.bing.com/images/search?q=cold+frames+for+gardening&qpvt=cold+frames+for+gardening&FORM=IGRE.

You have a great idea there!

Oh great thanks! Now that I know it will work I'll get some veg sowed this weekend

 

[CanadianLori]

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!

 

[CanadianLori]

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

 

[Panda]

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

 

[CanadianLori]

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...

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.

 

[Panda]

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