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Location

Message

Date Posted

New Brunswick, Canada

The weather is warming up so I'm getting ready to remove the coldframe. Do I need to harden the plant off gradually like when you transplant from inside to outside? Or can I just take the coldframe away and hope for the best?

5/25/2011 7:49:19 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

I am thinkin, that you have probably been opening the coldframe, when sun is out...which prbly has helped it to harden itself to more natural environment. I take em off, and watch em close. If they struggle, then try & shade em a lil. I would certainly put up some type of wind protection, once the hoops come off!!! Peace, Wayne

5/25/2011 11:30:29 PM

Muddy Waters

yeah I put a wind break to south & west of Plant!80% of wind comes from there!!Plus the wife & kids our On Wood Chuck patrol 24/7 & live traps are set,If you put trap on there trail they will walk right into cage!!

5/26/2011 7:36:23 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

use silt fence!

5/26/2011 8:00:10 AM

Ashby, MA

I usually wait until the plants start to out grow the cold frames. Is this too late to remove them? The tops to my cold frames completely open allowing the sun in. I open them every day and the close them at night for protection.

5/26/2011 8:04:19 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I don't support babying the plants. Give them full sun as soon as temps permit.

5/26/2011 11:50:48 AM

Clayton, Ohio, USA

Removing that cold frame is nothing to be taken lightly. Doing it right is one of the most important tasks of the season.
Put some serious wind protection up before you remove the coldframe - not after. These young plants fresh out of the house are very fragile. They have no well developed taproots yet.
Make sure you are well rested, sober, have a helper if needed, and not in a hurry. Dropping a cold frame on a tender vine tip can set you way back.
Try to do it on a calm day with minimal wind.
Make sure your young vines are well staked and/or buried first.
I've damaged plants in the past through careless, poorly thought out cold frame removal and I've seen others do the same.

5/26/2011 6:46:09 PM

Buffalo, New York

I keep my hoop house frames up all season long. The pvc pipe stays and I just remove the plastic so no harm to worry about.
But yeah, put some wind protection up from there on. I use the black conservation fence from The Pot with the wooden stakes. 100' for like $23

5/27/2011 7:35:41 AM