in need of cloche/cold frame advice

[LizzyM]

Hi there

I want to purhase a large cold frame that i've seen advertised at Two Wests, it is one of those like a mini tent shape with side vents etc. It is reinforced with green nylon and i'm concerned that this will allow less light through, so the inside will not heat up as well as if it were clear plastic. They also advertise a large tunnel cloche with either a clear or green reinforced cover. Could anyone please tell me the advantages/disadvantages of either of the two covers and which would be the best to go for? I want to start off early veg and probably late veg in autumn aswell. The reason i'm looking at these two items is that the growing area is a lot larger than most normal cold frames on the market.

Thanks in advance for any help on this matter

Lizzy

[andrewo]

Would be happy to do so, is there any links to the Two Wests products in question? I have a tall coldframe/mini-greenhouse from them and have no complaints.

[LizzyM]

Hi there, no it's not really a question about the quality of their goods, it's more that i'm not sure which cover to go for. I've never used a cloche or cold frame before and I just want to make sure I get the right one. I'm not really sure what the differences are for using either a clear plastic cover or one that is green coloured.

[Jaxom]

Hi LizzyM. When most people buy their first greenhouse the first thing they think of is will this keep my plants warm enough.
The real question they should be thinking about is how will I ventilate my new green house and give it some shade to stop my plants cooking in the garden rather than in my kitchen.
During winter most people do not heat their greenhouses. There is so little light that all plants would grow leggy if they had too much heat with out the light to match.
During spring all you need to do is raise the soil temperature to 10 degrees or above for germination of seed. Most Cloches and plastic constructions will do this as well as a glasshouse.
Later in the year those of us with green houses will be investing in shading cover to stop the house over heating.
If the item you want to buy is anything like my last plastic mini green house which had a green mesh woven into the plastic to add strength then fear not. The plastic greenhouse will provide enough heat for anything that needs extra protection or heat. I grew Tomatoes and Peppers in mine last year as well as starting off all my seeds earlier in the year. during the summer I had to keep the door open to stop my plants from over heating.
I also used my plastic mini greenhouse to over winter slightly tender plants.
the only real problem you will have is stopping the plastic taking off with the wind.
Jax

[LizzyM]

Thanks Jax, thats just the advice that I needed

Lizzy

[nick the grief]

With all but the hardest frost anything that you put between the plants and thesky will help Lizzy. If its really cold you can always put a parafin coldframe heater in as they are only afor 4" igh and the heat is difused