Cold frame - balcony / terrace

Krone

Shohin
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Hey!
I have south-east facing balcony with roof (sun from morning until around 2PM) and a south-west facing terrace (afternoon sun).
In first winter i have put my three small trees inside styrofoam box and i have placed the box on the balcony by wall.
Now that my collection is started to expand, styrofoam box is not a solution anymore, i am considering a cold frame that i could assemble in the winter and place it on the terrace or balcony.
Does anyone have any experiences or advice regarding this?
Thanks!

P.S. I have the tools and enough know how to build it myself, given the right amount of info.
 

Forsoothe!

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When home remolding starts in your area, keep a sharp eye out for discarded older storm windows. I don't know anything your trash pick up system, but if you people put stuff like old storm doors and storm windows at the curb, they can be useful. If you can locate a company that does that kind of replacement, their trash bins can be gold mines, too. Those kinds of items have solid frames of wood or aluminum, are dimensionally similar, especially from a single house, so you can scrounge some that can be barbered to useful oblong lengths to be screwed together to form either a 5 sided or six sided box (if you want one with a peaked top). For example, if you find six oblong storm windows that are the same size (upper & lower ~square~ panes in one unit), You can form a front, top, and rear panel with 1/2 of each of two other units that you make ~square~ by removing one pane and cutting the frame so that it only surrounds that one pane. The two ~square~ units become the end pieces. The top can be hinged on either long dimension, the hinge screwed to either the front or rear panel. The long front & rear panels screw into the square end panels with just four screws, one at each corner making the four sided box, and the hinged top sits and ~seals~ on all four vertical walls and disassembles with two hinge pins. It does not have to seal well, just mate with a coach-joint. Everything can be leaned against a wall to save space over the disassembled/storage period. If you use stainless screws, the whole unit will last for many years. This is really a greenhouse/coldframe.

You can see an earlier discussion example here (post #36), but it is all aluminum (5th or 6th generation) and storm doors are used. You need to carry a tape measure with you at all times and do some mental calculations on the spot when you find candidate materials to make sure you can recombobulate the stuff into usable common members of the five sided box (a six panel box with two oblongs forming a peaked top needs triangle upper end panels which you make out of plastic or wood), otherwise you can collect an incomplete set that needs "just one more piece...", that you never find.
 
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BobbyLane

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my trees are kept on a roofed balcony, ive never had to use a cold frame. sometimes in the worst of winter i put them on the balcony floor. bear in mind your building will give off a small amount of heat, dont think cold frame is necessary, but if you like building stuff it will be fun?
 

Krone

Shohin
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I like building stuff, but most of all, due to my inexperience, i am a bit paranoid when it comes to stuff like this. :D
@Forsoothe! Really like your idea, the only issue is, that where i live, we don't really have storm windows :)
 

BobbyLane

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what species do you have? i

i never really worry about any of mine over winter, most are hardy native trees, sometimes i take the trees over the edge closer to the window or under decks
i like my trees to feel the brunt of winter, it helps to give them character, ages deadwood/bark etc...
 

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Krone

Shohin
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European hornbeam, Metasequoia, Potentilla fruticosa and Chinese elm.
 

skaukatt

Seedling
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Hi All,

I was going to start a new thread but this thread illustrates my exact situation, growing on a balcony and facing my first winter. I’m in Queens, NYC, so from my research, I’m a zone 7B.

Let me say that I have done much research both in all my books and online without really finding anything that gives me a level of comfort to a great degree. I’m not at all new to Bonsai having begun in the mid 1980’s but since I’ve lived in apartments and never really having any access to the outdoors, I’ve always kept tropicals under lights in doors and without much success might I add. Now I’m in an apartment with a balcony so this spring I bought a bunch of suitable outdoor varieties which are still in their nursery pots, none larger than 3-5 gal pots. My goal was to see If I could keep them alive, which I have! They are doing great!

But now, as October wanes and Halloween approaches the nights will eventually begin to cool down, I’m left worrying. Before I list my species, let me say that from my research, I found that I think my best shot at winter survival is twofold: my selection of plants and my latest purchase. Let me talk about my cold frame purchase first. I’m completely unsure if this is going to work out but I searched and searched for what I thought was the most appropriate size and type for my specific fit for my balcony. I decided upon the Giantex Garden Portable Wooden Cold Frame Greenhouse Raised Flower Planter Protection: (35.4"X31.3"X23.0") https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4JI27T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This will fit all of my plants comfortably. I also purchased two other items: bubble wrap and burlap. My plan is to place the bubble wrap on the floor of the cold frame, wrap the bubble wrap around the plants and then wrap it all with burlap. I’m hoping this will provide enough coverage and protection from the cold and the wind while inside the cold frame. My fingers are crossed.

My species include:

Dwarf Jack Pine, Variegated English Boxwood, Kingsville Boxwood, Dwarf Mugo Pine, Blue Star Juniper, Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Heavenly Bamboo, Cotoneaster, Japanese Holly, Azalea, Rosemary, Shindeshojo Maples

From what I could find researching, all but the Rosemary should have a fighting chance inside the cold frame, and maybe they too, but I’m not certain.

I would never put the burden on you for what I can research myself but I cannot find definitive answers for my particular situation. There was a time I could easily speak to my friends at Jiu San Bonsai on Long Island but sadly, very sadly, those days are past as the shop is long gone unfortunately.

I realize this is way long so I’ll end it here to ask if anyone could offer some advice on my approach to the impending winter and my plan to confront it. Much appreciated!
 

Forsoothe!

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Begin with adding your compass orientation and building floor level.
 

penumbra

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I am running a couple weeks behind but I will be building a new cold frame in the next couple of weeks. Rather than the wood frame I have planned I am now going to use 2 inch thick foam insulation panels. It will be lighter and cheaper, will require almost no tools and have a tremendous insulation factor. I will use double wall lexane (or similar) for the top. This will allow for diffused light and it will be light enough for an automatic lid opener. Most of these openers will lift about 15 pounds so a sliding glass door panel and many double pane windows would be too heavy.
When I get started I will take pictures.
 

skaukatt

Seedling
Messages
5
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Location
Queens, NYC, USA
USDA Zone
7B
Hi All,

I was going to start a new thread but this thread illustrates my exact situation, growing on a balcony and facing my first winter. I’m in Queens, NYC, so from my research, I’m a zone 7B.

Let me say that I have done much research both in all my books and online without really finding anything that gives me a level of comfort to a great degree. I’m not at all new to Bonsai having begun in the mid 1980’s but since I’ve lived in apartments and never really having any access to the outdoors, I’ve always kept tropicals under lights in doors and without much success might I add. Now I’m in an apartment with a balcony so this spring I bought a bunch of suitable outdoor varieties which are still in their nursery pots, none larger than 3-5 gal pots. My goal was to see If I could keep them alive, which I have! They are doing great!

But now, as October wanes and Halloween approaches the nights will eventually begin to cool down, I’m left worrying. Before I list my species, let me say that from my research, I found that I think my best shot at winter survival is twofold: my selection of plants and my latest purchase. Let me talk about my cold frame purchase first. I’m completely unsure if this is going to work out but I searched and searched for what I thought was the most appropriate size and type for my specific fit for my balcony. I decided upon the Giantex Garden Portable Wooden Cold Frame Greenhouse Raised Flower Planter Protection: (35.4"X31.3"X23.0") https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4JI27T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This will fit all of my plants comfortably. I also purchased two other items: bubble wrap and burlap. My plan is to place the bubble wrap on the floor of the cold frame, wrap the bubble wrap around the plants and then wrap it all with burlap. I’m hoping this will provide enough coverage and protection from the cold and the wind while inside the cold frame. My fingers are crossed.

My species include:

Dwarf Jack Pine, Variegated English Boxwood, Kingsville Boxwood, Dwarf Mugo Pine, Blue Star Juniper, Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Heavenly Bamboo, Cotoneaster, Japanese Holly, Azalea, Rosemary, Shindeshojo Maples

From what I could find researching, all but the Rosemary should have a fighting chance inside the cold frame, and maybe they too, but I’m not certain.

I would never put the burden on you for what I can research myself but I cannot find definitive answers for my particular situation. There was a time I could easily speak to my friends at Jiu San Bonsai on Long Island but sadly, very sadly, those days are past as the shop is long gone unfortunately.

I realize this is way long so I’ll end it here to ask if anyone could offer some advice on my approach to the impending winter and my plan to confront it. Much appreciated!
Regarding my compass orientation, my balcony is south-south east facing, sun almost all day from early to mid morning to just about sundown. I am on the second story of a three family home, only my level has the balcony, no balcony above mine.
 
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