How to build a Cold Frame For FREE!! in the Alberta Urban Garden
Tips, Tricks
Cold frames are a great way to get a jump start on your season and extend well into the fall when the snow arrives. Follow this How-to video on building cheap effective cold frames! I decided to build two cold frames with all recycled material. The windows I received from a home renovation, the lumber was reclaimed and the hinges were re-purposed. The only thing that cost me anything was the screws I had from a previous project. Essentially this cost me nothing to build. Cold Frames are simple to construct. you will need three lengths of 2x8 or 2x12 and one 2x6 or 2x4. Cut 1 length of the 2x8 the length of the window you want to use as the back. Cut 1 length of the 2x4 the length of the window you want to use as the front. Cut 2 lengths of the 2x8 the length of the windows side - 3 inches. the reduction in length will account for the front and back panel width. the two sides will then need to be cut to angle towards the front. Use the frond board to set the final height of the side boards. Using a straight edge draw a line from the front mark to join up with the back corner. Use the saw and remove the remainder. You will want to keep the scrap to wedge the frame open during sunny hot days. Dry fit everything together to make sure no measurement errors exist prior to assembly. Place the corner of the frames together ensuring they are flush. Once flush use a drill bit that is slightly smaller then the 2 1/2 inch screws you are going to use. Pre-drill the holes to prevent cracking. drive 2-3 screws in each corner. Once the frame is complete place the window on top. to attach the hinges you will want to position the hinge facing out. Pre-drill and screw the hinges on the back board. Thats it! your done! Make sure to tune into our next post for some helpful tips in using the cold frames ! Some of my favorite childhood memories are of gardening with my parents and brothers. This channel is about low cost organic urban gardening in zone 3. I am by no means an expert gardener however I love to share my experiments and journey garden year round. Please feel free to join the conversation and if you think you might like this channel subscribe. Have a great day! Check us out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/stephenlegaree14 Webpage: www.albertaurbangarden.ca Google +: google.com/+StephenLegaree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlbertaUrbanGarden Twitter: https://twitter.com/northern1485 Pintrest: http://www.pinterest.com/ABurbanGarden/
Comments
-
Oh your cute
i loved your cold frame, im going to try and find some old windows and make one.
thanks -
Thank you for the tutorial. I'm going to build one for my small cacti collection.
-Roger from Calgary -
Some great woodworking there Stephen, I love your cold frame. I wish I could find some windows like that, it seems like in my area, re-purposed windows are extremely hard to find. So having to make cold frames out of PVC pipe was still fairly cheap and worked okay. I think the box and windows would keep the plants warmer and with the snow at your house, I think you needed that. Great video.
-
great info! Building soil is like putting money in the bank!
-
I'm so glad I was able to come back to this video on cold frames.
Stephanie and I are starting to plan ahead for the fall and cold-frame construction is on our list. Very well done video, +Stephen Legaree! -
That's interesting. I've yet to build my own and I was wondering what the diff would be. I'm impressed too. I've got a watermellon project going on in my yard and cold frames are part of it.. btw, Apache Seeds see on stoney and 149 carry Gaia Greens rock dust too. I just ordered 2 50 pound bags at $35 a bag
-
Really nice! I was planning on moving my cold frame from the deck to the garden to get a bed started early, but its just sooooo heavy. lol. it also needs some fixing on the frame.
-
Love using salvage materials! This is a great idea and will try to do next winter to prolong some greens!
-
i think i need to build me a could frame lol. even if i live in zone 8a still would be nice
haha! -
This was a great way to quickly build some cold frames! I will be building some in a week or two and I hope they work just as well :)
-
Free is good! I like how these look. Here in Michigan its really hard to find free materials like that.
-
Nice hat doppelganger. I have brassicas to put in there if you want. You need to figure out how to keep stuff from frying in there. I've had 45C in my MGH at -5C ambient. I've been to that zoo. World class facility.
-
Well done, Stephen! My dad had some windows like that; I should have grabbed them!
-
Sweet Hat! Hey, I know those cold frames are going to give you a little more growing time in your cold seasons.
-
60 degrees! It's almost like a tropical paradise up there! :) I'm still hovering in the 40's and 50's...can't wait for it to warm up a bit. Great build, and I love all of the recycled materials!
-
Nice ones!
They really work well. They are often in use here in Norway at this time of the year.
Nice presentation of the work making them, Stephen! :)
All the best.
Halvor. -
Well thought out cold frame! The hat suits you!
-
Great video,I've been toying with the idea of using cold frames in my garden. And i just might,at the ranch, this fall. Thanks
-
Great video,I've been toying with the idea of using cold frames in my garden. And i just might,at the ranch, this fall. Thanks
-
Nicely done! A project for my dad;)
7m 29sLength in seconds