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The Coldframe A Tool For Getting Seed Flats And Pots Ready
March 18, 2010
This is the month when the greenhouse operator must be constantly on the alert to any change in weather conditions. Greenhouse temperatures must be carefully watched, especially night temperatures, which should be kept as nearly constant as possible for the plant material you grow. Greenhousemen speak of “rose temperature,” which means a night temperature of 58 to 60 degrees; “carnation temperature,” which is 48 to 50 degrees, and “violet temperature,” which is 40 to 45 degrees. These temperatures are subject to a daytime rise of 10 to 15 degrees.
Maintaining required temperatures in February may sometimes prove difficult, depending upon your heating equipment. In cold, windy weather proper ventilation can be a problem if your ventilators face into the oncoming wind. The ideal solution, of course, is to install double ventilators which can be opened on the side away from the wind. Dull, cloudy days bring up another problem. Heavy watering or feeding under such conditions may be dangerous. In such a case it might be necessary to increase the heat slightly in order to dry out the foliage and prevent diseases from developing.
Prepare Your Coldframe
It will soon be time to get your cold-frame ready for a head start on an early crop of vegetables and flowers. If you wish to increase your growing facilities, plan to install an electric heating cable in at least one frame. You’ll see what a difference this makes in raising plants successfully under the sash. Manufacturers have made it possible to obtain a heating unit complete with thermostat control.
Now is the time to make any necessary repairs to your coldframe and get seed flats and pots ready. With unsettled world conditions and rising food costs, many gardeners are planning to raise more vegetables this year. And early plants mean earlier crops. Get your orders for plants, seeds and fertilizers in now. There may be shortages of some items. Also, many seed firms and nurseries are short on help, and this will mean delays in shipping material when the real spring rush begins.
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