How to Make a Cold Frame Out of Pallets for Under $10

[@cottagemommy5116]

I actually like your honesty about the schoolboy mistakes. It makes it seem easier and more flexible for newby builders.

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Thank you! You definitely need a bit of flexibility, when you are making it up as you go along :) and that should be part of the video - highlighting where I have gone wrong or you can go wrong so you guys don't make those mistakes :) I really want you to be able to build these things and save money. It's definitely not about me looking good, I really want to help and inspire you to have a go at these things, just like i have.

[@cottagemommy5116]

@@TheOptimisticGardener I like that it leaves me feeling like I can make mistakes but still be successful. Thanks!

[@vikkivon5222]

I could listen to you talk all day! Great video with simple instructions. I also get to learn new phrases and words. Love it all! Many thanks from Arkansas, USA.

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Thank you Vikki for your kind compliments, am blushing here :)

[@vincentplag]

He really is an optimist, I think most of us would be sick of ripping pallets apart by now!

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Vincent Plag lol I have another 15 in the pile! I have a picket fence I am saving up for a nd a garden shed 😀

[@vincentplag]

@@TheOptimisticGardener Sounds great! Also it`s nice as a Sask Boy to see some gardeners in places where they have to deal with snow! Thanks for all the videos.

[@Mookiethedog]

Very nice Steve. I’m useless with stuff like this but you have given me some inspiration. I have access to tons of pallets so no excuses!

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Great stuff, just take your time and you will be fine :)

[@GardeningWithSkinnyBoyRandy]

Love you channel. Thanks for sharing the videos.

[@grrlgd3835]

I like. Nice. If it rains, water runs down to front of frame could collect and rot wood so maybe add something to allow water to run off. Nice one buddy

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Yes is a great idea, I either cuts some holes in the top frame, or drill some holes for the water to drain out :)

[@jim7smith]

You might think of adding a hinged slat on the inside attached to the center slat to use as a prop whenever you raise the lid. Looks good, those and cheaper than using glass and not as heavy to lift the lid, either.

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Good idea!

[@maryphillips864]

I think I could knock that together myself, so simple yet effective. I've tried to make a cold frame in the past without success, but I'm determined to give this a go! Thanks for sharing 😊👍

[@martina2]

Love your videos they give me the confidence to have a go👍

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

You couldn’t say a nicer thing. Thanks Martina 😀

[@GardeningforBeginners]

Just joined your channel from Huws nursery and look forward to watching more projects cheers Ray 🌽🥕🌶

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Rays Allotment Garden excellent and welcome aboard 😀

[@sararampton654]

Great idea!

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Glad you think so! It has served me well so far :)

[@spoolsandbobbins]

Great video, thanks neighbour!!!

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Heidi D hello there and thanks 😀 Fall River?

[@spoolsandbobbins]

The Optimistic Gardener that’s right!!! Trying to catch up on all your videos tonight. Discovered your channel thru Huw and love it. We homeschool our 5 and gardening is a big deal right now. Learning lots thru you! Thanks so much for all the tips!

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Heidi D excellent and welcome aboard! Hoping to get some proper gardening videos back up and running soon 😀

[@PrairieJournals]

Found you from Huw's channel. Good videos, thank you. Southern Alberta🇨🇦❄️

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Studio 96315 excellent and welcome aboard 😀

[@GrowingAGreenFinger]

looking very sturdy, i gotta find me a pallet or 12 to try some of your projects. I've been enjoying your videos, keep up the good work!

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Growing A Green Finger thanks 😊

[@jilladams1417]

Hi Charley, I hope you are going to show us how to make a birthday house feeder, so far all your projects have been very good. X

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Was thinking about that yesterday! It is on my list :)

[@katieg4410]

This is a very helpful video! Can't wait to try it this weekend. Thanks for going so in detail.

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Glad it was helpful!

[@flock_ness]

Brilliant, thank you!

[@aenorist2431]

Did my first before you guested on Huw's channel, expected something like this to come up. More solid than mine, but my climate is also quite a shot more forgiving :D

[@ellenorbjornsdottir1166]

A fellow immigrant to Canada? I'm from Hampshire originally (though if you heard me you'd think I was a Canadian who spent her childhood in Yorkshire(!)), now live in Prince George in BC. Said to be USz4, but realistically a zone 3 with about a 110 day growing season. I might see if I can secure pallets, then make a cold frame, and then see if I can grow "emergency carrots" (the "emergency" nature of them would just be a gimmicky joke).

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Go for it! You should be able to grow greens as well quite a way through winter, carrots definitely :)

[@athyvandenberg289]

Hi Steve, would the plastic give enough insulation? I have some left over pieces os acrylic sheets of an old greenhouse. I think I will use these instead. I will give it a try. Eveline in a frozen Scotland

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

I think the plastic will be enough, at the end of the day that is what my greenhouse is made of. You are mostly trying to keep the frost off and the sides will create a bit of a micro climate, but if you have access to some clear acrylic sheets I would go with them all day long. I just used the plastic because I had it and keeping it to the whole "just about free nature of the video :)

[@kikigamble4315]

Hi. Great job !! Will you use a random board to hold the lid up while moving things about inside? Peace to you and yours

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

There is always something I forget! I mention to add a length of wood to the side, on a screw, that you could put in place to keep the lid up when needed, especially as when Spring comes it can quickly get quite warm in there :)

[@waynereed219]

Dude, I have just acquired 2x huge thick panes of glass. Guess what this weekends project is! (Weather permitting)

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Excellent, I have a backlog of old windows, etc. to make some new cold frames. Need to finish the greenhouse first!

[@waynereed219]

@@TheOptimisticGardener nice one, I’m building a pallet bar in the garden but the pallets I have left over have different size planks that whats already throughout the bar so they will be used for the cold frames. Love a good pallet build 😜 lol

[@troustriehouse895]

I don't have a circular saw, and how did you do the corners of the lid? Looks good though. Thanks.

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

You don't need a circular saw for any of this, it just makes things easier on the arm! The corners of the lid are nothing special, I haven't made any angles, just cut two equal lengths for the top and bottom and two equal lengths for the sides, then screwed the sides to the top and bottom

[@dollyperry3020]

I love it! Thank you! What is the R value difference between plastic, plexiglass and glass?

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Ooh I will have to look that up! Glass best, plexi, then Plastic obviously. At the end of the day you are just using it for a short period in the Spring to give your young plants some extra protection, so it should really matter :)

[@dollyperry3020]

@@TheOptimisticGardener You can also use to extend the season in the fall

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

@@dollyperry3020 Yes good point!

[@MegaVrossi]

BZ shippers! Another classic video

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

MegaVrossi cheers shipmate, one tries 😀

[@cherylbolivar10]

Loving this idea Steve. Do you think you will need to hook down or tie down the lid in the front to keep it from blowing up in the wind?

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Cheryl Bolivar there is always something I forget 😊 yes a good idea that I meant to say. Especially my one as the wood was a bit twisted.

[@cherylbolivar10]

Steve you mentioned that you will put a bottom on the box. Is that a necessary step or would it still be as effective without a bottom and having the earth as the bottom? But then I guess that would only work well if the place it sits is completely level with no gaps to let in cold air underneath. Maybe I've answered my own question 🤔. I've not used a cold frame before.

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

@@cherylbolivar10 you are right though, although it is still useful without a bottom, as the frost will be prevented from forming on the plants. An alternative which I forgot to mention, is to maybe build a little shelf, maybe from a leftover pallet, to keep the plant off the ground :)

[@carolw4506]

Hi Steve, thanks for the tutorial. Can you share the dimensions? It's a project on my to-do list once the weather is slightly warmer.

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Apologies I will get them up on the description today :)

[@weightgain4000]

One idea to improve the thermal efficiency is to use bubble wrap instead of PVC! This is because it acts like double glazing and you can often get it free!!! :D

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

I am going to use this idea this winter, cheers!

[@lovelovinghorses]

Absolutely brilliant, thank-you 👍 Can you put the link in to your how to take a pallet apart video, which is excellent btw, you pointed to link but it isn't there 😉 Keep up the great work, really enjoying the videos 🙂

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

All done! I was in a bit of a rush yesterday and forgot :)

[@lovelovinghorses]

You did a great job, very impressed 👍😁

[@meaww7373]

Very nice..

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Thanks:)

[@robzaphy]

do you think i could do with with like 1 and half pallets as i just found that much in a skip. also only thing i point out is how could you change this to make the water run off so it doesnt rot the wooden frame? thanks

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

It depends if you can use all the slats from the pallets. It will be tight. I have since drilled some holes through the front of the lid, at an angle down, so any water that settles at the bottom drains out :)

[@HLHaidysh]

Where do you get your pallets from? The only ones I can find are out by dumpsters and are broken and in terrible shape.

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

Ask at your local hardware store, look in the local free ads, ask any friends who work in factories. Once you really start looking you will be surprised where you can get them from.

[@hkeenan1000]

Brill, really good, thanks very much but weird that you talk in $

[@TheOptimisticGardener]

But I live in Canada and 70% of my audience is from North America 😀

[@ryanalexander3088]

@@TheOptimisticGardener You're not allowed to live anywhere but Britain mon amie 😅🙈

[@jilladams1417]

Look forward to ‘the bird house’ please ask your wife to email me , have lost email, love from Exmouth. Xxx

[@lindamorgey6736]

There are many similar projects in woodglut's plans.