Southern CHICKENS

Basic Cold Frames

​List of materials
3 - 10 ft stalks of ½ inch or ¾ inch schedule 20 PVC
10ft x 15-20ft piece of row cover (reemay cloth) or plastic
10 Spring Clamps
2 - 4 ft pieces of 2x6 or something equivalent to hold down the ends

Construction steps
1. Push ends of pipe into ground about 6 -8 inches deep 3-4 ft apart side to side forming a semi-circle (hoop) about 10 to 12 inches behind desired planting location.
2. Place boards (or something heavy like buckets of water or rocks) over one end of covering against hoop to hold it down.  You will want 8-12 inches of covering on the ground all the way around the structure.
3. Position covering over hoop to determine location for other end’s hoop and mark.
4. Align ends of second pipe with first at measured distance and push into ground to make same width and height.
5. Place 3rdpiece of pipe in line with other two and centered between them.
6. Place covering over hoops making sure both ends have adequate covering on the ground to hold down in a wind storm.
7. Place boards or something heavy over second end.
8. Clamp ends using spring clamps.
9. Shovel dirt up over sides.

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IMPORTANT NOTES:
 

• Build cold frames two weeks or so in advance of planting.  They will help heat up the ground and shed some water from the planting area in a wet spring.
• Open ends of hoops on sunny days after planting, they will get extremely hot and cook the new seedling.
• Use heat source at night if temperatures are expected to drop below 40 degrees
• Dark containers of water inside the cold frame will heat up during the day and retain heat at night
• If using a heat source, make sure it doesn’t get too close to new seedling or edge of cold frame.