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Define Cold Frame
There are lots of different
definitions when describing a cold frame – this gives us an
idea of how many different types are available. Here are just a few
examples:
‘an unheated,
boxlike, glass-covered structure for protecting young plants
outdoors’
cold frames do not have to be glazed
with glass, cold frames are also available glazed with
polycarbonate, polythene or acylic
‘A cold frame is
essentially the smallest of greenhouses and is one of the most
common do-it-yourself gardening projects. It provides a simple way
to grow plants throughout the winter months by harnessing the power
of the sun. Cold frames can be used to extend the growing season,
to protect semi-hardy plants such as herbs or to get a pre-season
start on flower and vegetable seedlings’
‘protective
covering consisting of a wooden frame with a glass top in which
small plants are protected from the cold’
traditionally cold frames would have had
a wooden frame, but it is now possible to buy cold frames that have
aluminium frames or frames made from tubular steel
‘a large box with
glass sides that you keep young plants in before you plant them
outside’
‘In agriculture
and gardening, a cold frame is a transparent-roofed enclosure,
built low to the ground, used to protect plants from cold weather.
The transparent top admits sunlight and prevents heat escape via
convection that would otherwise occur, particularly at
night’
‘a glass-covered
frame without artificial heat used to protect plants and
seedlings’
normally used without heat, if needed
you can often add a small heater to the cold frame to lift
temperatures on especially cold nights
‘A low structure
with a translucent top, used for protecting plants from the weather
and for hardening-off young seedlings’
‘A four-sided
structure with a glass or plastic covering used to shelter young
plants or transplanted seedlings from cold
temperatures’
‘Low structure
with solid sides in timber, brick, concrete steel, aluminium or
sometimes plastic with a removable clear top (known as the 'light')
in glass or transparent plastic. Provides protection from the most
severe weather and used especially for hardening
off’
‘Refers to a
structure which is built to trap heat and help the strong growth of
seedlings which have been germinated before the soil has warmed
in’.
What we’ve learnt from
the above definitions is that a cold frame is usually low to the
ground, has clear glazing in the top, is a shape designed to act as
a suntrap, is used to protect plants from harsh weather conditions
and is a place to harden off plants raised in your home or
greenhouse prior to planting out. In addition we know that there is
a wide range of cold frames available depending on the material
used to make their frame and the type of glazing. To help you
choose the correct cold frame for your garden, we can look at the
benefits of the different types available.
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