coldframe construction question

[Nicos]

[fruit&vegvirgin]

scarey parsnip stuff....

have just lined one crate with bubblewrap and bargain turkey tinfoil (97p, huge roll! sainsburys). wouldnt you just know it though, the staple gun ran out half way through, and I cant find the staples anywere... but anyway, one is done and I've transferred my poor shellshocked cheapo woolies perennials to give them a bit of a chance.
now got to find staples and buy more tinfoil before I can get on with the other one.

[nick the grief]

Parsnip Juice

Andrews Right, I read in a mag last year someone who ahd cleared his lottie of old parsnip stems in the sun with no shirt.

The A&E dept thought he'd got 3rd degree burns on 50% of his body!!! I forget what the proper term is but the sap reacts with sunlight and causes the blistering same as Giant Hogweed which is the same family of course, luckily carrots don't do it .. I don't think

[fruit&vegvirgin]

'snappy' brand tinfoil at 99p for 20m is rubbish! tears like anything.
but bubblewrap and the bargain xmas turkey foil is wearing well.

question - my 'roof' for my frame is just a sheet of glass, so you cant prop it open - do I remove totally, or just slide it so its half on half off?

[Lesley Jay]

I don't know how big the sheet of glass is but half on and half off might fall off and smash!!

[fruit&vegvirgin]

no, I think its ok Lesley, coz its quite big and heavy (old sheet of double glazing from a window we replaced). we've had some REALLY high winds down here recently, and its been fine.

[sewer rat]

Ifr it's a sealed double glazing unit then it should be ok - they are pretty tough, though you could make a simple frame from 2x1 timber to sit it in.
Rat

[nick the grief]

you could try and fasten a bungee over it and stick a block of wood under the front, but I think I'd be tempeted to put it is a frame first like rat suggest. If you slide it down and it rains heavily, half the plants will drown

[fruit&vegvirgin]

ah no, I'm sliding it backwards and coz the top of the crates are level rather than sloped forwards, it means that half are exposed to the elements, and half are a bit more protected (having said that, we had a hard frost last night, and the pots inside the cold frame were more frozen than the surrounding earth outside...)

[nick the grief]

cover the frame over with some Old caret or bubble wrap, it will help. Or if your feeling really kind, you could put a little parafin frame heater in. The big one that Parasene do lasts about a 2 weeks on one filling.

[ups a daisy]

insulation

recycle/use polystyrene to insulate sides.absorbs any heat to make inside cosy and warm (good wombling tip)