Cold Frame/Cloche

[clarelouise4]

Hi
Having spent the morning digging out yet more couch grass (will it never end!!) I have decided to start a less back breaking project for the rainy days. I want to make my own cold frame/cloche ready for next year. Does anyone have a tried and tested method I could use or can recommend a book or website that might be of help?

Thanks everyone
Clare

[mandyballantyne]

Hi,

I think there was an article in the mag in June/July maybe someone has a copy?

I just bought 2 of off ebay yesterday, 1.5m long and got both for £5.

Let you know if they are any good when they arrive,

Mandy

[nick the grief]

Depends what you want Clare.

I use a lot of temporary cold frames at home, they sit on beds & are taken apart come spring. one has 3 sides made of wood & the front plastic the other is all polythene. If you don't mind loosing a bit of space I would seriously consider a brick built one (well conblock) as this retains more warmth than the wooden ones.

You can also build a hotbed in them to raise early crops in a brick one as it won't rot.

Alternativly you can go for the cloche answer & make hoops out of plastic water pipe & cover with polythene - Cheaper and you can move them around the Garden/Plot

[andrewo]

I tend to use old bricks and stack them up to the size I want, then I cover with old window frames or plastic. That way, you get the size you want.

The cheapest version is as nick points out or if you place the coldframe against a south facing wall, you can build your own by fixing a wooden batton to the wall with polythene secured behind it and then weigh down the other end to form a loose tent.