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Cold Frames

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greenmonster714

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Late last year I constructed this cold frame reusing a walk in shower door. I was wondering at what stage can I put young tobacco plants out in this. I plan on moving this thing to another location which catches sunlight all day instead of where it is now which is only about half a day of exposure.
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Thought I'd throw in my pallet compost piles as well. I usually have plastic over them when they are loaded with grass clipping and all the wonderful rotten things that go in there.
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Smokin Harley

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Not sure what town you're in . my mom and dad are in Guntersville. If I were you I'd get some plastic milk jugs and paint them black and fill them with water . Set them to the north side of you cold frame for a heat sink during the day so they will give off the heat at night in case of cold spells, the change of temperature will at least be gradual. might even help to set some hay bales around it to insulate it.
BUT, you're probably out of the winter mode now and well into Bama spring . Last time I talked to dad the G'ville lakes were full of grass that hadn't died back as usual in the winter.
Painting the insides of the cold frame white will help plants grow straighter with light being reflected .
I would say once those plants get 3 sets of true leaves you could set them out in there.
 

deluxestogie

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If you've got your tobacco going well indoors, I wouldn't bother with the cold frame for them. As the time for transplanting approaches, give the plants at leas some small hours of direct sunlight per day, then pitch them out of the nest.

If it's warm enough in your cold frame, then you could get your peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and okra started in there. But nearly all of Alabama will be frost free within 4 weeks.

Bob
 

Charly

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Cool cold frame !
I would love to have something like that in my garden... maybe I'll have to build one ... one day...

If your tobacco plants do not have enough sun light in your house, maybe you could put them in this cold frame a few hours a day ?
 

greenmonster714

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Not sure what town you're in . my mom and dad are in Guntersville. If I were you I'd get some plastic milk jugs and paint them black and fill them with water . Set them to the north side of you cold frame for a heat sink during the day so they will give off the heat at night in case of cold spells, the change of temperature will at least be gradual. might even help to set some hay bales around it to insulate it.
BUT, you're probably out of the winter mode now and well into Bama spring . Last time I talked to dad the G'ville lakes were full of grass that hadn't died back as usual in the winter.
Painting the insides of the cold frame white will help plants grow straighter with light being reflected .
I would say once those plants get 3 sets of true leaves you could set them out in there.

I see what your saying Harley. Painting the insides white is a great idea as well as the jugs. Once I get it moved I'll get on it. Thanks

If you've got your tobacco going well indoors, I wouldn't bother with the cold frame for them. As the time for transplanting approaches, give the plants at leas some small hours of direct sunlight per day, then pitch them out of the nest.

If it's warm enough in your cold frame, then you could get your peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and okra started in there. But nearly all of Alabama will be frost free within 4 weeks.

Bob

Oh yeah, I plan on starting some veggies in there and just about any other hardy plant I'm putting out. Not totally sure what I will grow this year other than tobacco but as always I do put out some tomatoes, cucumber, corn, and this year I want to set out some pumpkins over on the hill next to my Smoker project. Thanks for the input.

Cool cold frame !
I would love to have something like that in my garden... maybe I'll have to build one ... one day...

If your tobacco plants do not have enough sun light in your house, maybe you could put them in this cold frame a few hours a day ?

It was pretty easy to build. Just some 2x6's cut to length and of course I did have to move a small amount of soil to get it level but it was pretty easy. Thanks
 
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