Cold Frames

pumpkins@mallorn.com wrote:
> 
>      I have a question.  How do this little greenhouses keep things warmer?
> If it is cold outside wouldn't it be cold inside?

  It wonderful what one can do to keep plants from freezing. I have
never needed more than an ordinary lab bunsen burner to keep plants
alive in 24 x 12 feet greenhouse. Temperature drops to 28F. The big
secret is lots of water vapor as it goes to the roof and freezes on the
plastic releasing huge amounts of heat (vapor to solid). If you can
devise a way to surround a plant with a wall of water it can't freeze
until after the water is frozen. A candle will give off lots of water
vapor. 
  I often make the wall of a cold frame from dirt and gallon milk jugs
of water inside plastic. Little plstic and glass have little R value,
the value for carboard and shreded newspapers is very high. Therefore
coveringing coldframes with old blanket, papers, cardboard are
important. 
  Market gardneres here use bushel baskets over tomatoes.  

> 
> >From: GBPUMPKIN@aol.com
> >Reply-To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
> >To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
> >Subject: Re: Growing THE big one
> >Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 07:48:39 EDT
> >
> >In a message dated 8/1/99 2:17:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> >clarion500@earthlink.net writes:
> >
> ><< Subj:     Growing THE big one
> >  Date:  8/1/99 2:17:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time
> >  From:  clarion500@earthlink.net (clarion)
> >  Sender:    owner-pumpkins@mallorn.com
> >  Reply-to:  pumpkins@mallorn.com
> >  To:    pumpkins@mallorn.com (pumpkin list list)
> >
> >  Everyone who writes in to this site seems to have tips and advice to
> >others
> >on how to grow the biggest pumpkin. I wonder how many good troubleshooters
> >can help with this question. I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The
> >state
> >record was set in Wheatridge Colorado {elevation 4500} of 746 by Joe
> >Scherber. Area growers here have a best of 352. With an elevation of 6700,
> >is
> >it possible that we just are too high up to match a 700 pound plant? I have
> >been an Atlantic grower since 1990, and my bests are 325 and 322. I have
> >sandy soil {yes...have added compost and cow manure each season] , Low
> >humidity 90% of the time, Cloudy afternoons during the summer 80% of the
> >time, seldom any nights above 60 degrees, frost in mid May and mid
> >September,
> >TONS of hail each season, Heat of 85-95 from July through August almost
> >daily. These are the main things I battle each season. Who can lift my
> >spirits and help me out towards getting to somewhere near a 746? I really
> >would appreciate any of your comments!
> >
> >
> >"Clarion"
> >   >>
> >
> >You will need to start early to have as many months as possible to grow a
> >big
> >one.
> >
> >Try these links for ideas.
> >
> >  Direct Start Method of Pumpkin Growing by George Brooks
> >(http://www.athenet.net/~dang/OPP/brooks/earlpump.html)
> >  Compost Feeding Your Pumpkin - by George Brooks
> >( http://www.athenet.net/~dang/OPP/brooks/compart2.html)
> >  Compost Feeding Your Pumpkin Pictures - by George Brooks
> >(http://www.athenet.net/~dang/OPP/brooks/mound/index.html)
> >
> >Hail:
> >I saw an article about how a grower survived in a high occurrence hail area
> >in the Red River Valley of Texas.  They erected a hail screen over the
> >garden, looked like a berry growing cage, if you have ever seen one of
> >those.
> >  The top was covered with 1/2 square hardware cloth, (square hole wire
> >fencing).  Rather extreme but it stopped large hail and deflected or slowed
> >down much of the smaller hail.  It needs good support in the middle to hold
> >the weight of the hail.
> >
> >Some people in Canada grow under those pipe hoop plastic covered
> >greenhouses
> >to get an early start.
> >
> >Hope that gives you some ideas.
> >
> >George
> >
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-- 
Harold Eddleman Ph.D. Microbiologist.       i*@disknet.com 
Location: Palmyra IN USA; 36 kilometers west of Louisville, Kentucky
http://www.disknet.com/indiana_biolab = Agriculture, science projects
and info for amateurs, gardeners, farmers, teachers, kids
http://wwbbs.otherside.com/PUBLIC/HOMEPAGE/haroldeddleman_303/INDEX.HTM
  Home Science Projects: fun for parent and child, Computer programs 
http://ibl.webjump.com/ger.htm <== Simple german for beginners.




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