Brilliant! Thank you so much. I am going to make these as i make each deep bed on my newly acquired allotment plot. It does look as if I might be able to make these myself with the aid of some power tools. Hopefully they will help me produce nice strong crops from the outset as I begin to plant up my plot :-) Happy gardening! 😃
I shall also make frames like this next year and small greenhouses, it was a good idea. This year was the badest ever in Sweden. In july and aug was only 15 celsius and night time only 7-9. Nothing grew, even the farmers lost 30% of the harvest.
Since you probably have a lot of snow in Sweden - unlike me - I'd advise adding an additional cross batten or two to help support the snow load, without stretching the polythene : All the best - Steve
yes, I'm never sure how powerful the effect is though, I think it depends a lot on ground water levels, so it works well in winter, not so much in summer : All the best - Steve
Hey Steve, I use plywood triangles for the corners and centre that I cut from 4mm plywood just cut a 10 inch square piece then cut corner to corner bit of glue and screws makes a really strong corner joint I put the tape over the edges of the ply before covering it with the plastic. Costs nothing compared to those brackets. Cheers
Great DIY video Steve, thank you. Love the idea to cover all staples and screws with polytunnel tape, it never entered my head so I have a lot messy and rusty screws and staples showning.on my frames.
Simple but effective coldframe tops,, another alternative would be to put 2 centre bars at equal distance apart to stop the pooling effect, it would only be a few £ more for a piece of battern but might improve the run off and would certainly help with support for frost and snow if you are unable to get to the plot to brush off any snow build up.
That's definitely a worthwhile upgrade, if you live in a snowy location. I never really think about snow myself, but a heavy snow load would stretch the polythene and then water would collect in it. I've added a callout to the build instructions in my book, recommending an additional batten for people who live in snowy places : All the best - Steve
I am going to attempt to make some of your covers this autumn Steve. At the moment wasps have built a nest right in the middle of where I was going to build my polytunnel, compost bays and more raised beds so I'm having to work on other parts of the plot while I wait for them to die off!
Hi Steve thanks for this. Can you show me how to make a hoop cover for my new made and rather small raised bed. I need the extra clearance for winter crops. Keeping cabbage whites out needs netting which I have. Thanks very much DB N. Yorks
Most of my old ones used T backets, then I ran out and used an L bracket instead and it worked just as well, so now I just use L brackets. My written instructions still show T brackets though : All the best - Steve
Brilliant! Thank you so much. I am going to make these as i make each deep bed on my newly acquired allotment plot. It does look as if I might be able to make these myself with the aid of some power tools. Hopefully they will help me produce nice strong crops from the outset as I begin to plant up my plot :-) Happy gardening! 😃
This is such a useful video Steve. I've want to make some big coldframe lids for a couple of raised beds for ages.
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I shall also make frames like this next year and small greenhouses, it was a good idea. This year was the badest ever in Sweden. In july and aug was only 15 celsius and night time only 7-9. Nothing grew, even the farmers lost 30% of the harvest.
Since you probably have a lot of snow in Sweden - unlike me - I'd advise adding an additional cross batten or two to help support the snow load, without stretching the polythene : All the best - Steve
Capillary action draws the water in .. thanks Steve good tips here 👍
yes, I'm never sure how powerful the effect is though, I think it depends a lot on ground water levels, so it works well in winter, not so much in summer : All the best - Steve
Thanks for showing your construction methods for the cold frame lids Steve - great video
ATB
Woody
Hey Steve, I use plywood triangles for the corners and centre that I cut from 4mm plywood just cut a 10 inch square piece then cut corner to corner bit of glue and screws makes a really strong corner joint I put the tape over the edges of the ply before covering it with the plastic. Costs nothing compared to those brackets. Cheers
Nice, good idea
That's a great idea.
Absolutely loved the new style monthly sowing and planting guides in the newsletter. I love all the detail AND that it's printable.
Thank you so much
Thanks, not sure why it took me so long to get around to doing them! : All the best - Steve
Great DIY video Steve, thank you. Love the idea to cover all staples and screws with polytunnel tape, it never entered my head so I have a lot messy and rusty screws and staples showning.on my frames.
Stainless steel stops them rushing Lynn, you can't keep the water out with tape, the tape is just for strength : All the best - Steve
Simple but effective coldframe tops,, another alternative would be to put 2 centre bars at equal distance apart to stop the pooling effect, it would only be a few £ more for a piece of battern but might improve the run off and would certainly help with support for frost and snow if you are unable to get to the plot to brush off any snow build up.
That's definitely a worthwhile upgrade, if you live in a snowy location. I never really think about snow myself, but a heavy snow load would stretch the polythene and then water would collect in it. I've added a callout to the build instructions in my book, recommending an additional batten for people who live in snowy places : All the best - Steve
Diolch o Gymru!! Thanks Steve!!
Amazing, thank you so much.
Clear instructions, it could be scaled down for smaller gardens
Absolutely, the first cover I made was fairly small
I just built a cold frame.
I am going to attempt to make some of your covers this autumn Steve. At the moment wasps have built a nest right in the middle of where I was going to build my polytunnel, compost bays and more raised beds so I'm having to work on other parts of the plot while I wait for them to die off!
We used to have wasp nests all the time in my family orchard, we usually poured paraffin in them and set them ablaze : All the best - Steve
@@SteveRichards That's interesting, I think I'd be too scared to try that but I'll look into it, thanks.
You do it at night
Hi Steve thanks for this. Can you show me how to make a hoop cover for my new made and rather small raised bed. I need the extra clearance for winter crops. Keeping cabbage whites out needs netting which I have.
Thanks very much
DB
N. Yorks
See the link in the description of this video for hoop cover : All the best - Steve
Steve a T bracket might be better on the centre joint
Most of my old ones used T backets, then I ran out and used an L bracket instead and it worked just as well, so now I just use L brackets. My written instructions still show T brackets though : All the best - Steve