Look, I started this thread because I wanted some advice about a particular structure that I seen in a Farmtek catalog. AT THE TIME, I wasnt thinking about actually purchasing equipment labeled as "cold frame equipment", or any other thing else that can be used permanantly and for several years. I had my eye on a particular structure that can be disassembled annually. I wanted to use this in an area of my property that I have used for hardening off. However, after talking with several people here, who have enlightened me here, I have seen where I can spend just a few more bucks and get a more permanant structure, and POSSIBLY learn how to do it myself. Okay---INSTANTLY, my brain went into overdrive. I HAD NOT PLANNED ON DOING THIS SO EARLY. When the time came for me to build any permanant structure, it was going to require tearing down a rather large dilapetated shed, building a large greenhouse, and rebuilding another shed. A very daunting task that we are not ready for yet. I never planned on having any kind of gh/coldframe this soon. Now, I am planning on building this on a separate part of my property. And since I have made this decision, I am all excited with nervous energy about every detail. When I started this, I wasnt thinking "cold frame",and I can guarantee that because,in my neck of the woods, no one refers to as it as a cold frame. It is simply "an unheated greenhouse". Mentioning the word cold frame around here is referring to those flat boxes with windows on top, barely 3 foot above ground. Once I understood what you all were explaining to me, I then realized that we all were talking about the same thing, and yes there are other posts about cold frames, but I did not START this one with the same thing in mind. Cactusfrak, first off, I swear I had no idea that you were a woman, none of what I said about "average women" is directed at you. Okay, maybe where you are from, a large number of women are skilled at carpentry, but around here there are NOT. I swear I did not mean to offend, I was simply trying to explain myself, and make it clear that I am the average woman. Cactusfreak, second of all, I am VERY sorry that I made you feel like people are attacking you via email. I SWEAR TO YOU THAT IS NOT HAPPENEING. Though, I can see why you would feel that way by my stupid "thank you for the private emails". I swear, I wrote that as a sincere thank you for those who took the time to let me get to know them better (rather than typing out all personal information on the thread). Cactusfreak, no one is attacking you, I was defending myself against what you said ON MY THREAD about how you feel about a few things. How could you not expect me to get my own feelings hurt? I have read your name on dozens and dozens of posts with basic questions, and never once did you feel the need to say that you dont feel you should give out information anymore because you have invested years into your research. You even shared a story about a woman who will not tell anyone anything, they must "pay her" for her hard work and years of research. You never shared such a thing before, yet you did it one MY POST. And I was supposed to just take that with a grain of salt? PLEASE REREAD what you wrote, and try to veiw it differently. Have you ever said such things to anyone else before? Will have to finish in 30 minutes..........

The resident population here also ignored a new Hummzinger for two months, but once one adult female figured it out, the others learned from her. It's become a useful feeder, so I've changed about it, but I don't think any single brand of feeder is the best thing to have during migration if it's the only one in the yard. The birds passing through are apparently accustomed to different designs of feeders or have no experience with feeders at all. I've watched new arrivals pecking at different parts of the feeders, including the hanging chains, ant traps, bottles, and bottoms. When they hang back and observe other hummingbirds, they figure it out in just a minute. However, if there are no other hummers around, they fly off. Although someone has suggested not giving hummingbirds a choice between a Hummzinger and others, I think doing just the opposite is the best strategy if you want them to stop in and stay a while. Peoples' priorities differ: easy vs. laborious for human or easy vs. laborious for bird.

Daniel, Sorry about the damage caused by your learning experience. Another suggestion: Replace your clear lid with a shade cloth lid or row cover lid when the danger of heavy frost has past. This will keep high temperatures at bay, provides a frost blanket on a rare chilly night and provide shelter from a cloudburst (the rain drops breaks up on the cloth and sprays gently into the box or runs down to the wall) You have electric heat (lightbulbs) and your ground temperature will be warm enough to survive a few cold nighttime hours just using a shadecloth lid. I built a light shade cloth lid that I mount on top of the clear lid in the few weeks of in-between weather and then use as the only lid in warmer spring weather. It is still opened with the automatic opener and activates the fan within. Once it is warm enough to plant out, my coldframe is done for the season. Hope this helps, Rick

Darla, blight is a general word that's used to usually describe a sick tomato plant but it doesn't describe a specific disease. IN a cold frame I'd be thinking primarily of a foliage disease of which the most common are Early Blight ( A. solani), Septoria Leaf Spot, both fungal, and Bacterial Speck and Bacterial Spot. Could you share with us what symptoms you saw with your plants as in any spots on the leaves, if so how big, what shape and color, did they have yellow halos around them and were there any spots on the stems? And any other symptoms you saw would be a help in trying to Dx what happened. And you're sure that is wasn't the frost that did them in? Carolyn