Cold-frame for Citrus - 2011 edition

12 years ago

Hello, fellow growers!

Well, I finally have my citrus in the cold-frame (for the past two nights), although they've been exposed to freezing

overnight lows for nearly a month now. Prior to that, I simply had my citrus beneath the deck against the woodpile,

which helped protect them from freeze/frost damage. This frame should prove much better! For one, it's twice as big.

I used half-inch pvc with slip-joints so that I can easily pull it apart and store it beneath my house during the Summer.

I had to purchase about $5 of new pvc, $8 in silicone, $9 in pvc cold-frame clips, and $25 worth of 6mil plastic sheeting.

I started by assembling the basic frame, with each side (sans slip-joints) measuring four-feet. Then I cut the plastic, pinned

the pieces, basted the seam, and took my mother up on her offer to sew the main seams with her sewing machine (Thanks, Ma!).

Once the plastic was fitted over the frame, I siliconed the stitching on all the seams.

Here's the cold-frame during the first fitting of the plastic sheeting, before the silicone was applied.

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An example of the seams. I left the basting intact for extra support. The silicone ought to reinforce the seam, too.

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This is a simple vent that I added to the side opposite the door. I siliconed a piece of aluminum window-screen to the inside

of the wall, then siliconed and gorilla taped a flap of plastic to cover the outside.

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Finally set in place and open for business. I used a double-flap for the door and I will be adding a more secure closure soon.

Now, you're probably saying to yourself, That flat-top is just going to fill with leaves and rainwater! And you're right!

Which is why I'll be adding a slanted top to shed the rain. New pics once I've finished the roof.

{{gwi:650293}}

A closer look through the door - a black garbage bag lines the concrete slab to absorb even more heat.

The bricks are holding the plastic flaps flat, but the frame itself will be anchored to the wall of the house

and to the ground, as well. Otherwise, it might fly away as it did last winter!

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The residents - Moro blood orange and variegated pink lemon, both with tips of new growth despite the cold.

Enjoy your Winter resort! ;-)

{{gwi:650299}}

Josh

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Comments (19)

mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
12 years ago
Looks great Josh.

I noticed you purchased PVC clips. I found a way to make mine for just the cost of some pipe plus make them any length i want. Basically the next size up from the pipe your use can be cut length wise and clip onto the pipe, 3/4 fits 1/2, 1" cuts 3/4. cutting them is a bit of trial and error to find the right amount so that its not to tight and not to loose. I used these on my cold frame over my palm tree. I use electrical pipe because im an electrician and have a bunch on hand, i assume white pipe would be the same. Plus electrical pipe is treated for UV unlike the white. The duck tape helps avoid holes in the plastic and im sure it can be done a bit prettier if one wishes.

{{gwi:650302}}

Mike
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks, Mike! That's a great tip.

Josh
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Patty, the stuff I used is 10 foot, 3/4-inch PVC electrical conduit pipe. It's grey, more flexible, and less brittle than the white PVC used for water lines. This pipe also has male and female ends so you can fit two pieces together without glue. I used it several years back to make arches over my fig tree to support bird netting. Drive a smaller diameter stake (like steel re-bar) into the ground and fit the ends of the pipe over the stake for support. Some of the folks up north may have to wait for a warm day if they need to bend the pipe in a tight curve for smaller trees. You might want to measure the length of the pipe once you get it to the length you need to arch over your tree...that's about how big your tarp or plastic will need to be to reach the ground on both sides :>) Thinking out loud here but I suppose you could buy some 3mil thickness clear plastic and wrap it around, leaving the top open. That could be left up through the winter and you could throw a cover over the top on really cold nights.
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pgde
12 years ago
Hi Josh: Looks good!I tried PVC clips on my cold frames but couldn't get them off easily, so I had to return them. My trees are all in-ground, so as you can imagine, my materials cost is much higher.

What are your temps like up there? Today, here in the desert, is 43 degrees with 0.75" of rain. We even got 0.5" of rain yesterday! The desert wildflowers should be great this year.

Given that this is holiday season, perhaps you should hang some colored lights on your frame .

Happy holidays,

Peter
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
Original Author
12 years ago
Ha! Some lights might not be a bad idea! ;-)

No rain for us lately, but the temps have been cool.
Basically, we swing from 30F at night to 60F by day. This morning the temperature was 26F when I got up (6:00am).
Right now (2:34pm) the temperature is 53F. I have the door open on the cold-frame, so the temp inside is 65F.

Seldom do we drop below 20F, but we do enjoy a few snows every winter.

I can tell that the clips are going to be a pain to remove....

Josh
johnmerr
12 years ago
Interesting, Josh. Do you put some heat source inside, like a light bulb? Do you take it off during the day?

John
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
Original Author
12 years ago
Good morning, John!

Last year I didn't bother with a heat source, and the citrus seemed to do fine (no cold damage).
I also was using the plastic wrapping from when my mattress was delivered, so the quality of the frame
was much lower (holes in the plastic, et cetera). The frame was half the size, too, which meant that
some of the branches were touching the inside walls.

This year should prove better. Now that the shell is sealed along the seams, I should be able to capture
more of the heat from the concrete slab below. Something else I do that doesn't cost me any money is to fill up
dark-colored buckets/jugs of water and let them warm by day and release heat by night. It's more of a regulator
than anything, but it also allows me to make use of stored rainwater. If temps hit 20F or below, I'll plug in a
small heater and a string of Christmas lights.

I leave the citrus in the cold-frame all winter.

Josh
meyermike_1micha
12 years ago
Josh

Extremely brilliant buddy!

Wow, is what I have to say. Now if you can find a way to keep humidity in there, stable temps, and constant airflow with the aid of a bucket full of water that can dissipate while throing humidity in the air, a space heater with a temp control setting with a timer, and a small fan, you are GOLDEN and so are your plants!

Pests will surely find that type of environment hostile!

Hey, you are getting so good at this that maybe the next time around you could build one twice bigger and have a place for you to sleep or sit and read a book in there, while your plants toil around you with the whiffs of awesome fragrance and color surrounding you.

Josh, my hats off to you for this hard work and what a Mom you have to be a part of it. Beautiful stitching there too.

You must be thrilled with the prospect of not having to worry about the colder temps, and the wind once you have taken care of that. Please let us see the top and the system you have for keeping it from blowing away once you are done. Looks roomier in there too.

Magnificent!

Mike
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
Original Author
12 years ago
Good morning!

Peter, I adjusted the pvc clips yesterday and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
To remove, just start at one end and they pop off easily without destroying the plastic sheeting.

Mike, hello! So glad you stopped in! Thank you for the compliments, Sir!
Well guess what? This morning we had rain! But I was comfortable knowing that the roof is finished ;-)
It was pleasant listening to the pitter patter of rain on the plastic below my bedroom window this monring.
I will take some pics as soon as possible. I think I'll make a short video as well, so stay tuned.

I haven't secured the roof yet....but I will before the winds roll in.

Thanks for all the tips, Mike.

Josh
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
Original Author
12 years ago
Update....here's the unsecured roof that I devised.....

I checked the roof this morning and no rain made its way in! So I'm stoked. Now to windproof....

{{gwi:650305}}

Josh
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
12 years ago
Hey Josh,

I just wanted to say that you did an awesome job on your cold frame..

Looks wonderful!!!

Thanks for all of the pics..

i hope you have a wonderful Christmas Holiday!!!

Take care,

Laura
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
Original Author
12 years ago
Cheers, Laura!
A very Merry Christmas to you, too!
Thank you for stopping by and having a look :-)
I'll post more pics as I put the finishing touches on the cold-frame.

Josh
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
12 years ago
Cheers to you as well!!!

I will look forward to seeing them!!!

Thanks : )

Take care,

Laura
gardenscents
12 years ago
Sounds like you have the same type of weather we do - might try this for my citrus (which are laden with flowers and tiny lemons BTW). I have a brick unused porch off of the garage I could use! Great pics. Fortunately my husband is very handy and would love this challenge.

Thanks for the idea! Hope it's ok if I steal it....:)
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
Original Author
12 years ago
Please do! ;-)

It ought to be a fun project and not too expensive!

Josh
jojosplants
12 years ago
Hi Josh!
Thought I'd stop in. :-) The frame looks great!! I need a new cover for the greenhouse, if you were closer, I"d talk you into it. lol... Tree's look great too!
JoJo
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
Original Author
12 years ago
Hey, JoJo! Good to see you!
Stay in touch....we've worried about you....

Did you notice that I re-potted my variegated Lemon? ;-)
Totally the wrong time of year, but I didn't want it wintering in that damn nursery mix.
Probably won't have any blooms as a result, but I'm a patient fellow.

Josh
meyermike_1micha
12 years ago
Josh, blooms shouldn't be affected and great work buddy!

Jojo???? I am with Josh on this one. It's soooo nice to see you and you have been on my mind along with Mom's too a lot lately.

Hello Laura! Good to see you too!

Mike:-)
meyermike_1micha
12 years ago
Josh, looking back at your pics, I notice the mix remarkable better than the one before! Beautiful!

Mike
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
Original Author
12 years ago
Hey, Mike, thanks!

I really tried for a much more gritty mix for this variegated Lemon.
The container is smaller, though, so I probably will have to water more often this Summer.
No problem. I don't mind watering every two or three days.

I'll see if I can dig up some pics of the re-potting and mix.

Josh

Cold-frame for Citrus - 2011 edition

Comments (19)

mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma

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