Howw safe are those plastic greenhouses/coldframes?

I mean is it okay to put seedlings in them and keep them outside? Will it be too cold?

I ask because I'm trying to plan ahead. We're going on holiday on 24th March for 2 weeks. My Mum has offered to water my seedlings, but sadly she has no room inside to keep them. So I got a plastic coldframe from Homebase. I set it up at the weekend and today I noticed the condensation on the inside had frozen. Will I come back to dead seedlings if I leave them in there? Failing that I could leave them at home but I'm worried they would dry out and die :(

Thanks
Tracy

 

I definatly would not be putting anything in it yet! I don't know about the 24th March probably a bit early, it depends what the weather is like, the other thing you have to be slightly weary of if we have a paticularly warm spell and they are in direct sunlight that they don't get too hot or humid, you will need to ask your mum to ventilate during the day if that's the case.

 

I agree with ellie I think it is much to early to put your seedlings in nthe cold frame/cold greenhouse I have a plastic one from b+q quite big and I have got my sweet peas in but not anything else yet anyway they are ok for overwintering your baskets but to early for seeds

 

Tracy, what plants are we talking about?

 

Tracy, the weather hopefully will be better in a month's time. Its certainly too cold now. As long as you are growing hardy plants, and not half hardy, they may well do OK - thought I have no direct knowledge.

Sometimes plants are tougher than you think. I have been looking round my garden - there is really nothing much to see. But there are buds shooting up from a number of plants, and the foliage of my Foxgloves looks very healthy even though it was -8C last night. I keep asking myself how do they do it? Oh! and my beds are covered by seedlings (source unknown - probably weeds) which are thriving.

 

I have only got my sweetpeas just like Nathan and a few cuttings that I took last year in my cold frame of which all have got climatised to the cold weather.

I think it would be far too early to risk putting any seedlings out yet but I know if you're eager it's really hard to wait.

My foxgloves are also going from strength to strength Peter this cold snap doesn't seem to bother them in the least.Hel.xxx.

 

Well I have sweetpeas (I take it that those will be safe in there), then it's the hollyhocks and wait for it....2 mirabilis that have just germinated! These are the only ones I've done (prematurely but I now, know better!)

I was going to do lupins, more hollyhocks and those Astrantias (thanks Peter). I've been thinking that I might just do the rest when I get back in the 2nd week of April. I kinda thought that this may be too late to get flowers in their first year, but I think its probably not that important in the long run.

My sister has offered to babysit my seedlings on her windowsill - I just can't trust my Mum with my babies lol!

 

Hi Tracy,
i think i have the same sort of 'greenhouse' as you. earlier this year i put some sweetpeas in there that i had been growing indoors. We had such strong winds that the gh was knocked down. we quickly put the dirt back in & quite a few were still sprouting. then came the rain and then the frost.

The plastic sheeting split in loads of places. we think the rain must have frozen, maybe in the seams, and weakened the plastic.

We have managed to find a new cover for it so it will go out again this year, but not yet. I was so looking forward to be out by now with lots of seeds, i'm sure i was last year.

However, i suspect this is something gardeners have to put up with. it's only my second year so i'm trying to be patient. Half my pots have cracked too

Never mind we'll all get there won't we - in varying degrees

Good luck


cheers

 

borrowers, it sounds we have the same g/h type of thing. I know i got the same one has helen did last year. It certainly hasn't bared well in this harsh winter we've had, with all the rain and wind.

Hello again all fellow gardeners! Not been around for a couple of months.