The automatic lid lifter works as designed. Here’s a link to where I bought the cylinder www.horticulturesource.com
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25 Responses to Automatic cold frame lid lifter
you should have shopped around, i got my auto vent from ebay… £5.99
Yep, although it stopped at 1/2 inch last night. I may have to put more weight on the lid. It’s still an experiment and it may take a little tinkering to get it totally right.
Today I’m going to install a grow light on a timer, to give the early spring sun a little help, and see if I can get my garden started off right this year.
johnny102marvin
When the winter came it’s production slowed down and then when a big hail storm hit I ran out and dragged it inside. I setup a grow light and the rest of the green tomatoes ripened over a few weeks but my attempts at manually pollinating the blossoms failed. Eventually the plant just sat there doing nothing, so I gave up and cut it down. Next year I may try again.
johnny102marvin
I grew an awesome cherry tomato plant in that bucket last year. The secret was raw kitchen scraps. Tomato plants can actually absorb nutrients from green compost. In spring I planted it in the bottom of the bucket with only a little dirt. Then I’d throw in kitchen scraps, covering the scraps with a bit of dirt to keep the flies off. More scraps and dirt filled the bucket over the course of the summer and fall. That tomato plant grew and produced like crazy with that method.
torkjoy1
If things get real bad and fresh salad greens become expensive before I get my dream home, the garden will still come in handy. It should add a certain amount of fresh produce that I can add to my beans and rice. I’ll add sprouted wheat, alfalfa and mung beans to the mix. I can grow and juice wheat grass and if things get desperate I can run normal grass through my wheat grass juicer (after blanching the grass) and get some amount of nutrients and enzymes that way.
torkjoy1
That’s true I can’t grow much with just a deck garden. Still the main reason for the garden is to become more familiar with gardening. I’ll have my mortgage paid by november and then I’ll have 2800 each month after all expenses are paid. I’ll save it in a safe form and watch the market. When the time is right I’ll get a real house, free and clear with room for fruit trees and a garden. By the time I make my move I’ll have the knowledge I’ll need to grow a real garden.
I notice that you have a 5 gallon bucket with a tomato plant inside. I have never had any luck growing tomatos this way. I know some people who do really well with the container 5 gallon bucket for tomatos. What is the secret?
you should have shopped around, i got my auto vent from ebay… £5.99
KAREN Morris
July 19, 2012 at 4:27 pm
There’s a link in the “more info” area. I bought it through a website called horticulturesource.
vention4wh
July 19, 2012 at 5:10 pm
where did u get the cylinder and how much are they?
jude1c9v
July 19, 2012 at 5:42 pm
that’s a great set up for sure! Isn’t it fun to see an invetion work!! 😉
jihadacadien
July 19, 2012 at 5:58 pm
Very nice! Applauding! Well done!
Zarthalad
July 19, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Yep, although it stopped at 1/2 inch last night. I may have to put more weight on the lid. It’s still an experiment and it may take a little tinkering to get it totally right.
Today I’m going to install a grow light on a timer, to give the early spring sun a little help, and see if I can get my garden started off right this year.
vention4wh
July 19, 2012 at 6:50 pm
nifty……..
skybirdbird
July 19, 2012 at 7:09 pm
johnny102marvin
When the winter came it’s production slowed down and then when a big hail storm hit I ran out and dragged it inside. I setup a grow light and the rest of the green tomatoes ripened over a few weeks but my attempts at manually pollinating the blossoms failed. Eventually the plant just sat there doing nothing, so I gave up and cut it down. Next year I may try again.
vention4wh
July 19, 2012 at 7:52 pm
johnny102marvin
I grew an awesome cherry tomato plant in that bucket last year. The secret was raw kitchen scraps. Tomato plants can actually absorb nutrients from green compost. In spring I planted it in the bottom of the bucket with only a little dirt. Then I’d throw in kitchen scraps, covering the scraps with a bit of dirt to keep the flies off. More scraps and dirt filled the bucket over the course of the summer and fall. That tomato plant grew and produced like crazy with that method.
vention4wh
July 19, 2012 at 8:16 pm
torkjoy1
If things get real bad and fresh salad greens become expensive before I get my dream home, the garden will still come in handy. It should add a certain amount of fresh produce that I can add to my beans and rice. I’ll add sprouted wheat, alfalfa and mung beans to the mix. I can grow and juice wheat grass and if things get desperate I can run normal grass through my wheat grass juicer (after blanching the grass) and get some amount of nutrients and enzymes that way.
vention4wh
July 19, 2012 at 8:49 pm
torkjoy1
That’s true I can’t grow much with just a deck garden. Still the main reason for the garden is to become more familiar with gardening. I’ll have my mortgage paid by november and then I’ll have 2800 each month after all expenses are paid. I’ll save it in a safe form and watch the market. When the time is right I’ll get a real house, free and clear with room for fruit trees and a garden. By the time I make my move I’ll have the knowledge I’ll need to grow a real garden.
vention4wh
July 19, 2012 at 9:08 pm
Looks nice and a good idea to grow your oun crops…but, I can eat all the crops you have in there in one sitting and have nothing for tomorrow
torkjoy1
July 19, 2012 at 10:04 pm
Congrats Hannibal!
veritasfiles
July 19, 2012 at 10:35 pm
I notice that you have a 5 gallon bucket with a tomato plant inside. I have never had any luck growing tomatos this way. I know some people who do really well with the container 5 gallon bucket for tomatos. What is the secret?
johnny102marvin
July 19, 2012 at 11:10 pm
Very Nice!!!
forestlight5
July 19, 2012 at 11:44 pm
pretty slick bud
beast12101
July 20, 2012 at 12:00 am
I want to make a cold frame soon I know its to late for one now but at least we will have it for next winter.
adb024
July 20, 2012 at 12:26 am
That was awesome.
5 stars
negroallstar
July 20, 2012 at 12:56 am
LOL! You pegged it. That’s where I got the expression.
vention4wh
July 20, 2012 at 1:10 am
I love it when a plan comes together lol-A team. And looks cool
vonhismean
July 20, 2012 at 1:41 am
hunt1803
LOL! I love a good pun.
vention4wh
July 20, 2012 at 2:13 am
Wow!! How cool is that! (lol pun intended)
hunt1803
July 20, 2012 at 2:15 am
★★★★★
Thanks for the link.
liabatud67
July 20, 2012 at 3:13 am
Super, That’s about the lowest cost of one of those I’ve found.
GoatHollow
July 20, 2012 at 4:09 am
GoatHollow
My bad. I forgot to include a link to where I bought it. I put it in the more info area.
vention4wh
July 20, 2012 at 4:57 am