June 2015 (2)

I have used this simple cold frame to protect my seedlings and cuttings from the cooler weather in late autumn, winter and early spring for several years now.  Its done a great job, but keeping the right amount of water up to the plants has always been a challenge.

Since spring last year, I have used 2 mini Ecobeds to improve my success propagating seeds and cuttings, but when I brought out my cold frame for winter, I couldn't fit both of them into it.  So I have been using one of them to start my seedlings in the cold frame, and the other to harden off the more advanced seedlings.  It has worked very well, but its a little inefficient.

Now I have replaced both mini Ecobeds with a larger box big enough to accommodate all my seedlings and cuttings.  The box is a good fit in the cold frame and I am calling the combined box and cold frame an Eco-propagation bed.  In summer the polycarbonate clad lid will be replaced by a Vegenet clad lid to keep flying pests off without cooking the plants inside.

I am hoping this will do everything I expect of it, but I will build a more integrated unit if this one is found wanting.