Cold Frame Plan: Building with Polycarbonate

[@t.b.a.r.r.o.]

Looks great! If you ever do a build using that wax fill cylinders again, you should be able to counterweight the door so the cylinder only sees 10lbs of weight. The trick would be dialing the counterweight so it gives the right lift weight while keeping it from protruding and becoming a bump hazard.

[@Evasunny111]

I absolutely love your sun flower garden!!!❤ Hi from UK ....hoping to use your ideas to build my own coldframe with polycarbonate sheets I just bought. I have small South facing garden and want to grow own vegetables 😊

[@keyboardwarrior2812]

really nice job. gonna build one like this. in the spring.👍👍👍👍👍

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

Thanks! Good luck 👍🏻

[@The_Scatterbrained_Idiot]

I'm a new subscriber. This build is exactly what I need for my situation, and you did a fantastic job at explaining things for dummies like me. Much appreciated.

[@alinapatricia8639]

Wow - great work! Thanks for sharing.

[@lucky13farms99]

Really nice cold frame. Totally going to steal your idea, :) Building one in the next couple of days. Thanks for making the video.

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

Thanks! Hope it turns out great!

[@We_are_the_light]

Super cool

[@40ny]

You did a very nice job. Definitely better than what you would have gotten for $175 at a garden center or online! It should last you quite a while.

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

Thanks! It’s holding up great

[@papparocket]

Hello from the Cleveland area. I really like your design. I need to get at least one cold frame built before spring so we can move seedlings from our indoor grow shelves outside to let them grow some more outside as well as "harden off" so that they can be transplanted into the raised beds when the danger of frost is past. And I think your design will be perfect for that.

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

It will be great! Good luck!

[@RichWoods23]

Those metal sidings are going to be a major source of heat loss, especially when as you say the wind comes across from the east and the west. Given all the other lengths you've gone to to build a heat-retentive structure, I'd suggest filling in those side gaps with insulating foam or rockwool (I forget the American term) and holding it in place with more of that aluminised expanded polystyrene.

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

Great observation and I agree. I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. I will likely use rigid foam insulation covered by the reflective bubble wrap. Cheers!

[@uzohf11]

Cleaver design!

[@uzohf11]

What if in summer heat you'd want to leave the cover doors fully open? how would they stay safely and stably open?

[@ripdinecola4755]

Nice job! Thats a great garage space to work from! Keep up the good work!

[@jimovergaard1254]

I like what you have shown me. I live in Indiana and the use of farmers of heavy 2,4-D and DIcamba is killing my Mellons and squash. I need protection all year long.

[@ontheotherhand7627]

A windbreak along that garden would help a lot.

[@johnandleighs.9193]

I have been using cold frames for a long time. Two ideas first set a foundation of block capstone to keep it above grade. Second dig a 2 foot pit under it and fill with manure caped with 6 in of soil for bottom heat. John S.

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

Hmmmm.....I like those ideas! Thanks for sharing!

[@stephanieserblowski2092]

How do you use this in freezing/frozen temperatures? When it opens to vent does the frigid/frozen air hurt the plants? But if you don’t vent you’d have mold issues. I’ve wondered about this in the colder zones.

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

A cold frame is not intended to create a greenhouse growing environment and only on very sunny and mild days would the inside become warm enough for the vents to open. Cold frames mostly serve as a extra layer of insulation for cold hardy plants to stay alive during the winter period. They can also be uses to start plants prior to your last frost. To answer your question, there should rarely be a time when freezing air rushes in to a warm cold frame causing damage.

[@HeSSheS]

What kind of tape for top and bottom? Would need it to be uv resistant

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

The tape is sold by the company that makes the plastic. It’s designed specifically for it

[@vickifletcher4651]

Good job grandpa. Do your research is excellent advice. Tractor supply is a big box store. The chicken feed my Tractor Supply has is party flock, Drummond , and a couple others. none are made by tractor supply. Sunlight molting cold temperatures are more than likely why hens are not laying. The proteins needs to be higher in the winter so supplementing hens with meal worms( affectionately called gummy worms), and greens . So if you can get feed that has 20% or better for the winter you hens will produce more eggs and it is good to have higher proteins feed when they are molting to help them grow their feathers back. Remember Chickens are born with a certain number of eggs just like a female human . After 2 years your ladies will start laying less. Sorry but not sorry hope this helps educate your viewers a little bit.

[@johnjones4643]

Our garden was the poorest in many years, too much rain.. We too are in northern Ohio..

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

We have struggled here too with certain parts of the garden

[@vortexpilot5096]

Opulent build. You're obviously a craftsman. Probably cost $250 today. Poly sheet at Home Depot or Lowe's is around $100 today, with tax.

[@ThisOhioFarmhouse]

Thanks! The price increase is steep indeed