Coldframes

Ok....so what are these really for?

Are they areas to keep pots protected during winter? Is a greenhouse any different?
Are they a solid base , gravel, or earth so you can grow straight into them.

I'm growing ranunculas ( I know I may have told you already ) I don't want them taking up space in my greenhouse, they get damaged by the weather.

Is a coldframe my option? What kind of thing would you make?

As you say they are to give protection for over wintering plants or early showings of things like salads. I have two which are directly on the ground. I built them before I had a Poly tunnel. Mine are 1 meter x two meters and built of wood with double skinned plastic tops. They are also very useful for hardening off plants before planting out, saves all that okey cokey with plants in and out of the green house. In winter when I have plants in pots to protect I cover the soil with land scape membrane. Hope that helps.

So is yours gravel based Roitelet? Have you covered the soil?

I have a cold frame on top of an old plastic garden table. I use it to harden off seedlings. Being off ground keeps the slugs away.

So is yours gravel based Roitelet? Have you covered the soil?

No mine is directly on the soil, only covered with landscape membrane when I put things in pots in it to over winter. In the spring I remove the membrane so I can use the soil for planting other things. If you make one you will find lots of different ways to use it.

My small aluminium/glass coldframe say 3ft x 2ft (very approx as I've never measured it) is standing on concrete slabs at ground level. It's an overflow for more hardy things from the gh in spring and I put a few cuttings in there in the winter which I promptly forget about and wonder why they don't survive.

I'm thinking of making one out of a couple of pallet collars (need more of them!) where I can cut out the second layer's front part, so it lets more light in, and build a lightweight lid for it. Shouldn't be too hard, right?

I'm thinking of making one out of a couple of pallet collars (need more of them!) where I can cut out the second layer's front part, so it lets more  light in, and build a lightweight lid for it. Shouldn't be too hard, right?

I've a long sheet of polycarbonate roofing that I've kept from my old porch...a couple of house bricks on top and I'm done  

Then when the weathers warmer I can just take the lid off completely.

If you are going to use polycarbonate sheeting make sure you can tie it down well. The wind sucks as well as blows and I have had mine blown/sucked off several times and they have wooden frames. I now use stretchy Bungie cords with eyelets in the wood and that keeps them on. Being stretchy you can always prop up one edge of the lid with wood or such like for ventilation.

Thank you Roitelet! Perfect.