Since my greenhouse has rotted apart, I'm looking for something that I can put seedlings into and harden off stuff before it gets planted out. This is just for use in Spring/early summer, not to grow toms & peppers in over August etc.
Ideally it would be one of those "upright" propagators with one or two shelves, say 2-3 feet wide and 4-5 feet tall. I've seen a few wooden ones that look ok (but presumably need as much wood treatment as a wooden greenhouse). Aluminium ones seem less common. The ones with a frame and plastic zippered covers don't look very durable.
Can anyone recommend any models or suppliers?
Suggestions for a large upright Cold frame
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Hello Colin
I have several Access frames. I can highly recommend them.
http://www.garden-products.co.uk/customer/home.php
My oldest frame is nearly 30 years old and as good now as it was when it was new, though some glass has been replaced because of breakages. I have the 4ft wide ones which you can see in their 'value range'. The frame is aluminium, on these the glass is standard hort glass (toughened glass supplied now) either 2ft x 2ft or 2ft x 18in and slides in channels in the frame. The frames are very rigid and bolt together like a greenhouse and really they are more like mini-greenhouses. They are the Rolls-Royce of the frame world and unfortunately come at a price. There are lots of other designs, including some upright types in the range.
I use mine for raising seedlings in spring, very early potatoes and grow bush toms, melons and mini-cucumbers in the summer. In the Autumn and Winter I them use them for salads and greens.
John
I have several Access frames. I can highly recommend them.
http://www.garden-products.co.uk/customer/home.php
My oldest frame is nearly 30 years old and as good now as it was when it was new, though some glass has been replaced because of breakages. I have the 4ft wide ones which you can see in their 'value range'. The frame is aluminium, on these the glass is standard hort glass (toughened glass supplied now) either 2ft x 2ft or 2ft x 18in and slides in channels in the frame. The frames are very rigid and bolt together like a greenhouse and really they are more like mini-greenhouses. They are the Rolls-Royce of the frame world and unfortunately come at a price. There are lots of other designs, including some upright types in the range.
I use mine for raising seedlings in spring, very early potatoes and grow bush toms, melons and mini-cucumbers in the summer. In the Autumn and Winter I them use them for salads and greens.
John
Last edited by John on Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
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garden_serf
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Colin wrote: "The ones with a frame and plastic zippered covers don't look very durable".
Hello Colin, I do use these flimsy looking ones as you described.
They last me about 3 years without maintenance. They have served me well and are very cheap. I imagine there are loads of styles around with differing price tags attached. My thinking was, well they cost me about £12 (or less if you buy them when they sell them off at certain times of the year). I figure that is pretty good value.
My husband has just taken up woodwork though
as a new hobby, which has got me thinking (and designing). There are soooooooo many things you can make out of wood to use in the garden 
.
Hello Colin, I do use these flimsy looking ones as you described.
They last me about 3 years without maintenance. They have served me well and are very cheap. I imagine there are loads of styles around with differing price tags attached. My thinking was, well they cost me about £12 (or less if you buy them when they sell them off at certain times of the year). I figure that is pretty good value.
My husband has just taken up woodwork though
as a new hobby, which has got me thinking (and designing). There are soooooooo many things you can make out of wood to use in the garden .Maybe a person's time would be as well spent raising food as raising money to buy food - Frank A. Clark.
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AnneThomas
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Hi Colin - I use one of the flimsy polythene covered frames as you mention, and as with garden serf I find they last quite well. Last year the cover split in the Cornish winds we get so I replaced it for about £12 I think it was. I don't have the space for a greenhouse - well I might if I put my mind to it but as we live in rented that we are going to have to leave in a year or so I haven't gone that route. I find it very useful and can move it around the garden according to the weather. This winter I have put it in a more protected space and so far the covering is holding good. The shelving is quite strong and will eventually go into a greenhouse!
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Colin_M
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John wrote:Hello Colin
I have several Access frames. I can highly recommend them.
http://www.garden-products.co.uk/customer/home.php
...they are more like mini-greenhouses. They are the Rolls-Royce of the frame world and unfortunately come at a price. John
Thanks for the info John. Whilst they look good, the price for the 5 foot high one is £299. This is a bit above what I was expecting to pay. I've seen a few wooden ones at £49 which is more the price range I was hoping for.
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garden_serf
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Hi Colin_M, I just laughed out loud 
at one of your gallery pictures.
2008 - Olive production.
My production looked very similar, I had 1 that actually ripened!! .
Its a youngish tree though.
I used to live in southern Portugal (Bouliqueime) and we had 30 huge productive Olive tree on our land (picking them and selling them on for processing by the hundredweight!!). Seeing your harvest and mine here in the uk, just made me have a proper giggle fit.
Good effort!
at one of your gallery pictures.2008 - Olive production.
My production looked very similar, I had 1 that actually ripened!!
.Its a youngish tree though.
I used to live in southern Portugal (Bouliqueime) and we had 30 huge productive Olive tree on our land (picking them and selling them on for processing by the hundredweight!!). Seeing your harvest and mine here in the uk, just made me have a proper giggle fit.
Good effort!
Maybe a person's time would be as well spent raising food as raising money to buy food - Frank A. Clark.
Hello again Colin
The price is also in the Rolls-Royce bracket as well as the quality as you've noticed.
Access frames do occasionally come up on ebay and sell for low prices. I picked up some new 6 x 4 frames without glass for £15 each last year. You will probably have to collect from the seller if they include the glass which does limit things a bit. Nothing on there at the moment but plenty of other types of frame - just search for 'cold frames'.
John
The price is also in the Rolls-Royce bracket as well as the quality as you've noticed.
Access frames do occasionally come up on ebay and sell for low prices. I picked up some new 6 x 4 frames without glass for £15 each last year. You will probably have to collect from the seller if they include the glass which does limit things a bit. Nothing on there at the moment but plenty of other types of frame - just search for 'cold frames'.
John
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
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Primrose
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I also use one of those cheapo £15 four shelved zippered greenhouses. The main problem I find with them is that they are very vulnerable to blow over in the wind, even if you place a heavy weight on the bottom shelf to try and stabilise them. I lost four shelves of veggie seedlings on one occasion.
My husband solved the problem by drilling two wall bolts into the house wall against which it is situated, with the protruding ends shaped like cup hooks, about two thirds of the height of the structure. We then threaded a long nylon luggage strap (from Halfords) through the two cup hooks which are about 18" apart and around the whole greenhouse structure. The strap is high enough not to impede the front flap being zipped and unzipped and this has worked a treat. I don't use the greenhouse in winter though as frost causes the plastic cover to go brittle and tear. I just relocate it from it's car port winter storage location in March when it's time to get sowing again.
My husband solved the problem by drilling two wall bolts into the house wall against which it is situated, with the protruding ends shaped like cup hooks, about two thirds of the height of the structure. We then threaded a long nylon luggage strap (from Halfords) through the two cup hooks which are about 18" apart and around the whole greenhouse structure. The strap is high enough not to impede the front flap being zipped and unzipped and this has worked a treat. I don't use the greenhouse in winter though as frost causes the plastic cover to go brittle and tear. I just relocate it from it's car port winter storage location in March when it's time to get sowing again.
hello all
i use old shower doors the glass ones are ideal .i have 3 sets 1 glass and 2 polycarbonate .they are easily put together using aluminum strips i will try and send you a photo .as a photo is as good as a 1000 words
regards nemo
i use old shower doors the glass ones are ideal .i have 3 sets 1 glass and 2 polycarbonate .they are easily put together using aluminum strips i will try and send you a photo .as a photo is as good as a 1000 words
regards nemo
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AnneThomas
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Primrose - I like that idea. Sometimes mine gets blown over so often I give up 
I currently have mine in a sheltered corner with a shed behind it and a fence propping it up from the winds and a large bin full of ash on the other side. So far this winter it hasn't moved. Oh - it also has a weight on the bottom shelf.
Nemo - that sounds like a good idea too. Would love to see a photo.
I currently have mine in a sheltered corner with a shed behind it and a fence propping it up from the winds and a large bin full of ash on the other side. So far this winter it hasn't moved. Oh - it also has a weight on the bottom shelf.Nemo - that sounds like a good idea too. Would love to see a photo.
