Looks great Josh.

I noticed you purchased PVC clips. I found a way to make mine for just the cost of some pipe plus make them any length i want. Basically the next size up from the pipe your use can be cut length wise and clip onto the pipe, 3/4 fits 1/2, 1" cuts 3/4. cutting them is a bit of trial and error to find the right amount so that its not to tight and not to loose. I used these on my cold frame over my palm tree. I use electrical pipe because im an electrician and have a bunch on hand, i assume white pipe would be the same. Plus electrical pipe is treated for UV unlike the white. The duck tape helps avoid holes in the plastic and im sure it can be done a bit prettier if one wishes.

{{gwi:650302}}

Mike

Thanks, Mike! That's a great tip.

Josh

Hi Josh: Looks good!I tried PVC clips on my cold frames but couldn't get them off easily, so I had to return them. My trees are all in-ground, so as you can imagine, my materials cost is much higher.

What are your temps like up there? Today, here in the desert, is 43 degrees with 0.75" of rain. We even got 0.5" of rain yesterday! The desert wildflowers should be great this year.

Given that this is holiday season, perhaps you should hang some colored lights on your frame .

Happy holidays,

Peter

Ha! Some lights might not be a bad idea! ;-)

No rain for us lately, but the temps have been cool.
Basically, we swing from 30F at night to 60F by day. This morning the temperature was 26F when I got up (6:00am).
Right now (2:34pm) the temperature is 53F. I have the door open on the cold-frame, so the temp inside is 65F.

Seldom do we drop below 20F, but we do enjoy a few snows every winter.

I can tell that the clips are going to be a pain to remove....

Josh

Interesting, Josh. Do you put some heat source inside, like a light bulb? Do you take it off during the day?

John

Good morning, John!

Last year I didn't bother with a heat source, and the citrus seemed to do fine (no cold damage).
I also was using the plastic wrapping from when my mattress was delivered, so the quality of the frame
was much lower (holes in the plastic, et cetera). The frame was half the size, too, which meant that
some of the branches were touching the inside walls.

This year should prove better. Now that the shell is sealed along the seams, I should be able to capture
more of the heat from the concrete slab below. Something else I do that doesn't cost me any money is to fill up
dark-colored buckets/jugs of water and let them warm by day and release heat by night. It's more of a regulator
than anything, but it also allows me to make use of stored rainwater. If temps hit 20F or below, I'll plug in a
small heater and a string of Christmas lights.

I leave the citrus in the cold-frame all winter.

Josh

Josh

Extremely brilliant buddy!

Wow, is what I have to say. Now if you can find a way to keep humidity in there, stable temps, and constant airflow with the aid of a bucket full of water that can dissipate while throing humidity in the air, a space heater with a temp control setting with a timer, and a small fan, you are GOLDEN and so are your plants!

Pests will surely find that type of environment hostile!

Hey, you are getting so good at this that maybe the next time around you could build one twice bigger and have a place for you to sleep or sit and read a book in there, while your plants toil around you with the whiffs of awesome fragrance and color surrounding you.

Josh, my hats off to you for this hard work and what a Mom you have to be a part of it. Beautiful stitching there too.

You must be thrilled with the prospect of not having to worry about the colder temps, and the wind once you have taken care of that. Please let us see the top and the system you have for keeping it from blowing away once you are done. Looks roomier in there too.

Magnificent!

Mike

Good morning!

Peter, I adjusted the pvc clips yesterday and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
To remove, just start at one end and they pop off easily without destroying the plastic sheeting.

Mike, hello! So glad you stopped in! Thank you for the compliments, Sir!
Well guess what? This morning we had rain! But I was comfortable knowing that the roof is finished ;-)
It was pleasant listening to the pitter patter of rain on the plastic below my bedroom window this monring.
I will take some pics as soon as possible. I think I'll make a short video as well, so stay tuned.

I haven't secured the roof yet....but I will before the winds roll in.

Thanks for all the tips, Mike.

Josh

Update....here's the unsecured roof that I devised.....

I checked the roof this morning and no rain made its way in! So I'm stoked. Now to windproof....

{{gwi:650305}}

Josh

Hey Josh,

I just wanted to say that you did an awesome job on your cold frame..

Looks wonderful!!!

Thanks for all of the pics..

i hope you have a wonderful Christmas Holiday!!!

Take care,

Laura

Cheers, Laura!
A very Merry Christmas to you, too!
Thank you for stopping by and having a look :-)
I'll post more pics as I put the finishing touches on the cold-frame.

Josh

Cheers to you as well!!!

I will look forward to seeing them!!!

Thanks : )

Take care,

Laura

Sounds like you have the same type of weather we do - might try this for my citrus (which are laden with flowers and tiny lemons BTW). I have a brick unused porch off of the garage I could use! Great pics. Fortunately my husband is very handy and would love this challenge.

Thanks for the idea! Hope it's ok if I steal it....:)

Please do! ;-)

It ought to be a fun project and not too expensive!

Josh

Hi Josh!
Thought I'd stop in. :-) The frame looks great!! I need a new cover for the greenhouse, if you were closer, I"d talk you into it. lol... Tree's look great too!
JoJo

Hey, JoJo! Good to see you!
Stay in touch....we've worried about you....

Did you notice that I re-potted my variegated Lemon? ;-)
Totally the wrong time of year, but I didn't want it wintering in that damn nursery mix.
Probably won't have any blooms as a result, but I'm a patient fellow.

Josh

Josh, blooms shouldn't be affected and great work buddy!

Jojo???? I am with Josh on this one. It's soooo nice to see you and you have been on my mind along with Mom's too a lot lately.

Hello Laura! Good to see you too!

Mike:-)

Josh, looking back at your pics, I notice the mix remarkable better than the one before! Beautiful!

Mike

Hey, Mike, thanks!

I really tried for a much more gritty mix for this variegated Lemon.
The container is smaller, though, so I probably will have to water more often this Summer.
No problem. I don't mind watering every two or three days.

I'll see if I can dig up some pics of the re-potting and mix.

Josh