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Weezie, depending on how big your raised beds are the plans for a PVC coldframe can be modified to fit the whole bed or made to fit one section of the raised bed at a time. Look at this page for an idea.Cold Frame Hinging it should be fairly easy.
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"He who sees things grow from the begining will have the best view of them" - Aristotle Plants: 788 | From: SW Oregon | Registered: Jul 2003
| Seeded: 207.14.166.120
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Lefse, I had a whole long post ready to post and I must have hit the too many thumbs up and when I posted it ate my post!!! This will be the short version!!!!!!!
That was quite the plethra of information at that site! We have been thinking of the same for quite awhile. Of course, $buckage$ is always the factor around here. But that's exactly what I need for those raised beds, but I've got alot of raised beds. I gotta win the lottery. Got any connections?
Thank~You Again!!!!!!! Weezie
But I would love something like that, The hubby and I were just talking about it, Would have to make it in sections for the 2 beds that are 4 ft wide by 20 ft long and 18" high. The other 3 are 4 ft wide 10 ft long and 18" high. They would have to be made in 5 ft sections...... 2 ends for the long ones with 2 middle sections and the shorter ones with just 2 end ones. What a green house that would be... I wouldn't need a real seperate one, because the raised beds would be used as the green house. And oh, it would extend my growing season into the frosts, instead of having to tarp everything down...... What a pain in butt that is.......... We have been thinking about it, just trying to bounce ideas around!!!! *(Copied from my answer to Nikkal)
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
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Did you look at the "row covers"? Black plastic pipe is pretty cheap. I think the last 3/4" I bought was about $9 for 100 feet. Using that and the clips (I just bought some from a local nursery for about 80 cents each) to hold the plastic on would be pretty inexpensive. More effective than tarping, as you can set the height and just lift the edges during the day. You can use rebar in the ground inside the raised beds to hold the pipe, or just push it in the ground (the wider the bed and the higher you want the arch, the farther you have to push the pipe into the ground). I get too much wind to "not" use the rebar.
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"He who sees things grow from the begining will have the best view of them" - Aristotle Plants: 788 | From: SW Oregon | Registered: Jul 2003
| Seeded: 207.14.166.122
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Weezie, the top half of the plans Lefse gave is almost exactly the design I was working on for you!!
Lefse, you saved me alot of drawing! I had it in my head, but sometimes have trouble getting my ideas on paper! I'm so glad you found that site!
Weezie, with the raised beds, you wouldn't need the base (the beds would be the base), for hinges you could use strips of thin metal, (I don't know what they're called, but they come in strips, they already have holes in them, I'll bet the guys here or your DH could figure out what I'm talking about ) bend these around your pvc at the back of the frame (they'd make an upside down U) and attach with screws to the inside and outside of the raised beds. These would hold down the back side in case of strong wind, and could easily be unscrewed when it's warm enough to remove your little greenhouse for the summer. Your could drive rebar into the two front corners of the bed, as Lefse said, to anchor the top on windy days when it would be closed. You could prop open the frame with a stick of some sort on sunny days. Myself, I think I would only use those clips to hold the plastic to the bottom of the frame, and just stretch the rest of the plastic across the frame. I have talked to a couple of people who have used those clips, and they say they pop off easily in the wind.
I printed the plans, I have one permanent coldframe of wood and glass, but the ones I'll be building in the future will be like these! Check out the price of pvc pipe, fittings, and plastic locally (you'd only need 4 mil thickness of plastic, basically clear painter's dropcloth, you don't need the extra thickness of 6 mil for your purpose), like Lefse said, I think you'll be able to make these for very little money!
Nikkal
* * * * The Earth does not belong to us - We belong to the Earth ~Oriah Mountain Dreamer~ Plants: 307 | From: Memphis, TN z8 | Registered: Jun 2003
| Seeded: 66.119.33.170
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I believe that what Nikkal is refering to for hinges is called "plumbers' tape". (not teflon tape mind you) It is a soft metal strip that is about an inch wide with holes in it about every inch or so. Cut to the length you want (leave room for the pipe to move) and use two screws to hold it into the raised bed. You can build the covers in sections like you said, as you can afford them. They are even possible to build without any of the fancy/hard to get/more expensive corners if you reconfigure a little bit.
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"He who sees things grow from the begining will have the best view of them" - Aristotle Plants: 788 | From: SW Oregon | Registered: Jul 2003
| Seeded: 207.14.166.122
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Man, You two are GREAT!! THANK~YOU NIKKAL AND LEFSE!!
That site is awesome!! I am into it like you wouldn't believe. It's like a 3 for one special. Seed starter, earlier planting and late havest!!! All rolled up in one!!!!
I hope others will take a peek at this too and come up with some ideas for themselves........
I know these raised beds have come in handy.... and those covers would be the creme da la creme.. for them. I'm so excited.
Now, I know the workers would do something like this, hubby looked at it and he didn't slap his forhead or roll his eyes. But it's the initial $bucks$, I'll figure something out. I have got to get my pictures down sized so I can send them in...
Again, Thank~You for ALL your help!!!!!!!!!! Weezie
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
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![[wayey]](graemlins/wavey.gif)
depending on how big your raised beds are ![[dunno]](graemlins/dunno.gif)
the plans for a PVC coldframe can be modified to fit the whole bed or made to fit one section of the raised bed at a time. Look at this page for an idea.![[thumb]](graemlins/thumb.gif)
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
I'm so glad you found that site!![[perplexed]](graemlins/confused.gif)
) bend these around your pvc at the back of the frame (they'd make an upside down U) and attach with screws to the inside and outside of the raised beds.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[kissies]](graemlins/kissies.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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