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If you are an admirer of nature, you would surely have a garden or lawn in your home. Whether a nature lover or not, having a garden or lawn in a house full of flowers and greenery is hated by none. If you have a garden, you might also have various plants, bushes, and trees. However, the more plants in the garden, the more care and maintenance are needed.
Each plant requires a different environment and atmosphere to thrive in. While establishing a garden or various plants on the lawn, we barely think about those requirements, especially about the weather conditions they can survive in. One of the most important aspects to consider before planting anything is the weather conditions. The reason is- it almost depends on the ambient environment, whether a plant will survive.
We often establish a few plants without knowing their conditions of survival. This leads to regret later when they go dead because of the changing weather. If you have ever faced such a situation, you are probably familiar with the term Cold frame greenhouse.
If not for the cold frame, you would have surely heard the term Greenhouse. Something called greenhouses is quite famous among the gardeners and nature-lovers when they wish to protect their garden from the unwanted changes in the weather.
Cold frame greenhouses are just the same as greenhouses; they differ slightly. Said, cold frame greenhouses are miniature greenhouses. So, if you are looking for a solution to protect your little buddies from weather changes, it is right here. Just make a cold frame greenhouse of your own and relax! Keep reading to know if you really need this and how you can make one.
What is a Cold Frame Greenhouse?
Before knowing the process of building a greenhouse with cold frames, the meaning and purpose need to be understood. As said earlier, a cold frame is a miniature greenhouse, that is, a small transparent house to protect your plants from excessive heat and wind. While a simple greenhouse also maintains the right temperature for your garden, a cold frame only gives protection.
Seedlings and plants can be protected from heavy rainfall, harsh, damaging winds, freezing temperatures, or hail. The construction of a cold frame greenhouse needs to be done by keeping in mind its purpose. Let us dig into the construction process.
How to Build Your Own?
Now that you know what a cold frame is, it will be a lot easier for you to build one. In general, greenhouses with cold frames are never too big; they are always low to the ground. But depending on your plants’ size, you can customize it. There are mainly three things you need to pay attention to; they are as follows:
The Top
Cold frames always have transparent tops or covers as they do not intend to block sunlight. A Plexiglas or glass can be used for this purpose. The plastic panel used in greenhouses can also be used here. If you are building a temporary one, consider reusing your old materials.
A shower door glass, old sliding glass, or even a plastic wrapping over the sides of your greenhouse would work great. Any transparent material can work for the top covering. You need to make sure that it is secured well against unwanted weather conditions.
Sides of the Greenhouse
The sides of your greenhouse with a cold frame need to be extremely strong and well-built. The sides need to be strong enough to hold the top covering and stay firm when the weather goes bad. A glass, wood, bales of hay, or bricks can be used to make sturdy sides for your greenhouse.
Another important thing to keep in mind while making the sides is that you do not include any material that has been chemically treated. For instance, if scrap wood is chosen for the purpose, make sure that it does not have chemicals that are not earth-friendly.
The Bottom
Creating a bottom or base in a greenhouse with a cold frame is optional. In both cases, the cold frame serves the same purpose. You can use soil with some fertilizer or organic potting material to create a stiff base. It is the most common way most people prefer.
Moreover, if you decide on creating a base to make your greenhouse portable, an important thing needs to be considered. Make sure that the base allows for plenty of drainages. Moisture should not be retained in these frames.
If constructed the right way, greenhouses with cold frames can serve efficiently for a long time. From your beautiful flowers to lush green plants and bushes, everything in your garden will thrive even in the worst of situations under the shade of cold frame greenhouses.
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