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Alice's cold frame!
This discussion has been closed.
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Message 1.Â
Posted by Sourthistle (U13911839) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
Hahahahahahahahahahaha............
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Message 2
Posted by malanD (U7337386) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
Well, That is one way to have a cold frame. It is an option available to those of us who don't have a DIY skill. I use my old wheelbarrow and an old window for a coldframe as I am hopeless at DIY.
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Message 3
Posted by nooj (U13729031) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
I've got one like it and it works - which is the point!
and it's cheap...
They get told off for spending money and then they get told off for doing something cheap.
Poor beggars can't win, can they? -
Message 4
Posted by mole_man99 (U11249902) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
Thought it was great. In a small garden build it up when you need it, pile it away behind the shed during the summer giving extra plant space.
We romanticise about cottage gardens, and this captures true old cottage gardening absolutely. Does the job and costs nowt. -
Message 5
Posted by paperwhite (U6380063) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
The idea was good but perhaps if Alys had practised beforehand and got it just right and then showed us her placing the last two bricks would have looked better. I am liking Alys less and less but I am not sure why, come on producers give her something better to do, I am sure she is very capeable of so much more and not the butt of everyones jokes.
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Message 6
Posted by Sourthistle (U13911839) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
Oh well! if you need to be shown! but have you seen the price of bricks these days?
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Message 7
Posted by malanD (U7337386) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
Bricks are still lot cheaper than buying a ready made cold frame.
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Message 8
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
If you have bricks left over then that's fine but you could buy a small wall house with a plastic cover for £15.
I much preferred the plants in polystyrene fish boxes with string, shown a few years ago that you take in and out for a few weeks until hardened off.
I still don't get why they show hardening off you just need to ventilate your greenhouse better and then they can go straight out. -
Message 9
Posted by pootles magnet (U11709665) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
There's always loads of free bricks available on Freecycle! I thought it was a great idea.
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Message 10
Posted by TomBradbury (U3349234) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
I know this sounds daft, but don't bricks warm up during the day and give off heat overnight? So if you have a cold frame made out of bricks then the temperature in the "cold" frame is possibly going to be warmer than being in the greenhouse where the plants have been taken out from to harden up. Hmm?
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Message 11
Posted by Sourthistle (U13911839) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
If the plants have been grown in a cold greenhouse to start with, then they don't need to be hardened off.
Only if they are coming out of a heated greenhouse.
A cold frame is hotter than a cold greenhouse during the day.........they are also not big enough.
The size Alys was making would not have taken the produce of one pkt of marigolds.
They only give you half the information and are just laughable.
Just wait until your pile of bricks falls inwards!!!!! -
Message 12
Posted by nooj (U13729031) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
Sourthistle.
Interesting nickname.
How did you decide on thet particular one? -
Message 13
Posted by toonia (U4760062) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
I can see that it was a good idea for making a cold frame on the cheap but I also care how things look.
If I had a beautiful custom made greenhouse like theirs I wouldn't want a pile of bricks and an old window against it.
It wouldn't have cost much more to mortar the bricks and fix the lid to a batten with a hinge, then all budgets and styles would have been catered for. -
Message 14
Posted by welshcol (U2301689) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
I know this sounds daft, but don't bricks warm up during the day and give off heat overnight? Â
Although apparently a disadvantage I think that the heat retained in the bricks due to their mass will be slowly released at night when it is cooler smoothing out the temperature the seedlings and/or plants have to endure. I think the point is right however where cold frames can overheat if exposed to direct strong sunshine for long periods hence the need to open the glass or to shade.
On a slightly different concern every time I stack a load of bricks it immediately becomes the perfect home for slugs and snails in the damp gaps between the bricks. Unless Alys compromises her stance on organic garden by using pellets I think she will be losing a lot of her plants or having a busy time checking her bricks for slimies!!!.
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Message 15
Posted by Pumpkin (U13922940) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
Dammed if you do and dammed if you don't....
They just can't win with you lot. -
Message 16
Posted by Richid46 (U13969489) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
We used to make a cold frame with breeze blocks and an old window. That worked a treat and was all stored behind the shed when we finished. The bricks look much nicer though.
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Message 17
Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
I have used that type of cold frame many times. You can move the bricks around and use them for other things. You can make it as tall or shallow as you need. I thought it was the best bit of the program.
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Message 18
Posted by Seacarrot (U3012141) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
Now dont forget boys and girls.. last year Carol showed us how to make a cold frame using a cardboard box, sheet of glass and a big brick on the top to hold it all down
This cold frame from Alys was in my view...Progress, although I can imagine plants getting quite leggy after some time.
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Message 19
Posted by welshcol (U2301689) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
Dammed if you do and dammed if you don't....
They just can't win with you lot.Â
Meaning exactly what Pumpkin?. I think my comment
was a)clear enough to partly explain and make some sense of the comment as posed and b) makes the use of bricks a good idea for a cold frame providing suitable precautions are taken. As with most things in life there are always pros and cons but hardly "dammed"!. -
Message 20
Posted by Holly-Ivy-Mistletoe (U11766447) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
If they are going to make a cold frame someone should have shown Alys what to do
A crew member or someone who new what they where doing had built the first couple of rows because they inter-locked, using a half width brick at the start ALYS just placed the bricks directly on top of each other making it easy to dislodge them when removing the glass
GW Please tell Alys to do her research before attempting anything or give the job to the person who layed the frst few bricks -
Message 21
Posted by Carole911 (U2595780) on Saturday, 16th May 2009
There is nothing new about this, Monty did this a couple of years ago.
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Message 22
Posted by David K (U2221642) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
A crew member or someone who new what they where doing had built the first couple of rows because they inter-locked, using a half width brick at the start ALYS just placed the bricks directly on top of each other making it easy to dislodge them when removing the glassÂ
Brickies call it a 'stretcher bond' I think. Placing bricks directly on top of each other is definitely not a good idea. -
Message 23
Posted by pinktequila (U2803141) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
"If the plants have been grown in a cold greenhouse to start with, then they don't need to be hardened off"
Sorry but that is just not true!One shoujld harden plants off to any change in environment.
Haven't seen the programme yet but I use a brick cold frame and it serves me very well, only fits 6 or so trays in at one time and that is fine, I am very critical of the new GArdeners' World but it seems people are really nitpicking now. Alys does a 'thrifty' cold frame and everyone has a go, if Geoff Hamilton had done it everyone would think it was brilliant! -
Message 24
Posted by greeneddy (U6603838) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
I still don't get why they show hardening off you just need to ventilate your greenhouse better and then they can go straight out.Â
RowanCottage, some of us are not lucky enough to have gardens big enough to fit a greenhouse in. All my plants from seed go on windowsills indoors, and consequently they all need hardening off. -
Message 25
Posted by David K (U2221642) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
Alys does a 'thrifty' cold frame and everyone has a go, if Geoff Hamilton had done it everyone would think it was brilliant!Â
I think it's more a case of being given rubbish advice is the reason for what you call 'nitpicking'. It has to be remembered that newcomers to gardening will be trying this stuff and soon become disillusioned. -
Message 26
Posted by Richardf77 (U2391775) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
No need to be sarcastic, it is a good idea. If you have the bricks that is. I doubt though more than a few people have that many unused bricks just lying around. I have a few but hthey mostly have lumps od cement on them so wouldn't fit together very well (would make a pretty draughty cold frame!). You would have to buy new or used from a recaim yard which might cost nearly as much as a proper bought cold frame! (albeit a cheapo one). Good way of recycling old/unwanted bricks but not particularly 'thrifty' Alys!
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Message 27
Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
My original cold frame was an old wooden drawer and a pane of glass. It served the purpose fine until i was lucky enough to be given a free greenhouse. You can tell its raining this weekend because there is a lot of moaning going on. While my O H has been having a sleep i have changed the bed done the washing cleaned the oven put the rubbish out fed the birds and read last Sundays paper which i did not have time to read. Now i have to prepare the dinner and feed everyone. No time to be bored between the rain i have been popping out to check my plants. Next week i may apply to become an M.P so i can claim for all these jobs and also buy a second home and greenhouse to house all my excess plants. Trouble is i am far too generous to steal from my friends and neighbours. Gardeners should be running the country we would show them a thing or two.
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Message 28
Posted by Sourthistle (U13911839) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
"If the plants have been grown in a cold greenhouse to start with, then they don't need to be hardened off"
''Sorry but that is just not true!One shoujld harden plants off to any change in environment.''
Sorry but it is true.
I have been doing this for years and no problems...you would need a very large cold frame to take the contents of tender plants which have been grown in a cold greenhouse.
As long as they are not planted out before the end of May they are fine.
A cold frame will reach much higher temps because of it's small size and direct sunlight anyway.
It's a waste of time.
When I have times of no greenhouse, I have made allsorts of cold frames to grow plants in instead....then they can be useful but really shouldn't need to be shown how with bricks.....just takes a bit of imagination!!! Stacked bricks are a bad idea anyway. -
Message 29
Posted by pinktequila (U2803141) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
After many years I still think you get better plants if they are hardened off after being in an unheated greenhouse. I accept that you have got away without this and a cold frame can be hotter than a greenhouse I don't disoute such. An unheated greenhouse can get very hot from march onwards and plants growing in them do not do as well if they are pout straight out ithyout being hardened off first.
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Message 30
Posted by wheatpippin (U13970485) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
Geoff Hamilton did make one. See page 69 Cottage Gardens. How the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú can recommend getting a large pane of glass out of a skip, carrying it home and then using loose bricks to construct a total botch of a cold frame next to thousands of pounds worth of bespoke glass house totally baffles me. An accident waiting to happen, do not do this if you have toddlers or anyone else in your garden. I wonder what the budget for the new garden was?
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Message 31
This posting has been hidden during moderation because it broke the in some way.
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Message 32
Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
hmmm
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Message 33
Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
an accident waiting to happen? are you deing serious? kid gloves eh?
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Message 34
Posted by Sourthistle (U13911839) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
OH go on...tell us what you said!!!
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Message 35
Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
i was expressing my utter disbelief at some peoples shock at the coldframe... a very dangerous construction... could leap out and kill people!
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Message 36
Posted by Sourthistle (U13911839) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
Well, I agree with an accident waiting to happen!
If you need to be told how to build a cold frame in the first place...then you need to be told about the dangers. -
Message 37
Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
the dangers??? yes i can just imagine the local news..... ' be watchfull.... coldframes are everywhere' if you get on the underground and there is a coldframe.... ruuuun !
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Message 38
Posted by Sourthistle (U13911839) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
well how about..some-one falling on the glass and cutting an artery..............doesn't bare thinking about...........I suppose the stacked bricks would collapse aswell though and soften the impact.
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Message 39
Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
i cannot contrubute any further... you know what? if someone did fall onto my cold frame and wound themselves....well...perhaps i should cover my pond, it is 6 'deep, and i have a 20 year old cactus that is full of spikes, and a bunch of very well prepared hanging baskets that could- in theory- cause a nasty eye injury and my brick shed has a very dangerous 90 degree angle...the bricks are very abrasive. society is doomed. i am shellshocked by some people here. there is nothing to fear , my friends.
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Message 40
Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
I was right the rain has got to everyone. For goodness sake we are adults i hope. Maybe my greenhouse roof may blow in and kill me. I may slip on a slug and break my leg. How did we ever manage during the war or after playing on bombs sites. How do we breathe unless someone does ot for us. We all need to be careful but get real. Don't do stupid things and you should be fine. We all have accidents and of course we need to protect our children but i have never heard such a boring lot of comments about why not to do something.
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Message 41
Posted by Sourthistle (U13911839) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
just hope you are well insured
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Message 42
Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
londonplantmad- thankyou! thankyou! i could kiss you! (germs) sometimes, i see this big orange thing in the sky... it scares me so... anyway.. why is everyone so scared these days?
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Message 43
Posted by Sourthistle (U13911839) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
yes I know..I know, but it is raining and the online scrabble is off!!!!!
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Message 44
Posted by wheatpippin (U13970485) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
Just don't think placing a loose brick on a large sheet of glass nicked from a skip is an idea to recommend to the nation. Or getting into skips to look for large bits of glass then then transporting them home. The Geoff Hamilton one is made from a window frame, where the wood acts to cushion the glass, and is a lot less likely to end you up in casualty. It's quite a lot easier on the eye too.
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Message 45
Posted by nooj (U13729031) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
Who on earth would have thought that a little bit of brick and glass _(or plastic) could inspire a punch up - sorry, I mwant a heated debate, didn't I?
I thought all the H and S people would be moaning about the conical hanging whatits. -
Message 46
Posted by roseaholic (U13922482) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
I think the new format of GW is sending people loopy, it used to be something to wind down to, it seems to be doing the opposite!
It should be an antidote to the stress in our lives but it seems to be creating stress!
I dont think it was explained brilliantly on the programme. But then most of the info is so vague now because they dont seem to want to explain how things should be done and why for some reason. We are obviously supposed to work that out for ourselves by experimenting. Which makes the programme abit redundant really but hey ho thats another argument.
but It did gave me an idea of what to do with some glass shelves I have in an old fridge I've had in the cellar for the past few months. -
Message 47
Posted by welshcol (U2301689) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
...the Summer will soon be here and all the real gardeners will be too tired to rise to the bait.
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Message 48
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
Pinktequila
Unheated greenhouses get very hot if they have no shade and no ventilation. The one I use has a tunnel to the south side of it that provides it with plenty of shade. It also has about 40 % ventilation, it has lots of roof vents and upper and lower side vents. So everything goes from there straight outside. We are at about 1,000 feet anyway so they are pretty hardened off by being in there.
If you just have a greenhouse with one roof vent then you are asking for trouble. Half the price of any building I buy is additional ventilation as it gives you flexibility without having to have additional places to harden off plants.
I have also found from experience that cold frames mounted to the north of buildings are better than those to the south when propagating cuttings. -
Message 49
Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
i find spring is the busiest time.... i am looking forward to seeing my labour come to fruition in summer and autumn then the work starts again- and i love it.
i guess one (wo)mans coldfame is another mans death trap!!! hahahahahahahaahahaha ok ok - no more from me! -
Message 50
Posted by pinktequila (U2803141) on Sunday, 17th May 2009
I use a well ventilated and shaded greenhouse but maybe not as good as other peoples, I guess most people will not have a pro greenhouse with the ability to diminish the difference between ouside and in somewhat like the new Wimbledon centre court. I find plants thrive better if a few days is used up in hardening plants off before they go out proper. This is what I have been taught and experience has shown me to work. It is great that some people don't need to do this, absolutely smashing.
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