mulching a cold frame

[steve27]

I used oak leaves to insulate my trees rather then wood mulch in my cold frame what are your thoughts
I noticed that the pots are staying kina wet under the leaves . should I be concern ?

 

[Séan Warnick]

I used oak leaves to insulate my trees rather then wood mulch in my cold frame what are your thoughts
I noticed that the pots are staying kina wet under the leaves . should I be concern ?

Leaves can carry and attract pests and disease, be careful. Mulch also breathe, leave don't, hence the moisture.

 

[brentwood]

There's also a big difference in the r-values, mulch much higher. I'm assuming that's the air space in the wood. I prefer it for my pots in the ground. l use leaves when I run out, on my hardier trees.

B

 

[rockm]

I used oak leaves to insulate my trees rather then wood mulch in my cold frame what are your thoughts
I noticed that the pots are staying kina wet under the leaves . should I be concern ?

Not a great idea. Leaves can a great litter for disease and stay too wet, which can lead to no air getting to roots and anaerobic conditions under them. They also don't provide much protection as they tend to mat down and compress when they're wet. Shredded bark doesn't do that because it retains structure and drains and pulls 02 into the pile and allows it to get through into the bonsai soil.

 

[penumbra]

For all of the above reasons mulch is superior. I put mulch in the bottom of the cold frames and set the pots on top. The pots do not have to be buried in the mulch. The cold frame should provide enough protection.
I have been doing this for decades for all sorts of plants including but not limited to bonsai.

 

[brentwood]

For all of the above reasons mulch is superior. I put mulch in the bottom of the cold frames and set the pots on top. The pots do not have to be buried in the mulch. The cold frame should provide enough protection.
I have been doing this for decades for all sorts of plants including but not limited to bonsai.

If the bottom is dirt/gravel on dirt, I'd think you want to be in contact with that, mulch around the pots to protect from colder surrounding air, keep in that"heat" from the ground? If you're insulating under the pots, I think you're starting at that colder air temperature not the soil temp.

B

 

[penumbra]

The mulch is much more hydro-static than dirt or gravel. In fairness, I have used gravel. Dirt is a bad and dirty deal. Mulch still works best. My pots are all touching so there is no room for mulch between the pots, nor is it needed. But to each his own, this is how I do it.

 

[brentwood]

The mulch is much more hydro-static than dirt or gravel. In fairness, I have used gravel. Dirt is a bad and dirty deal. Mulch still works best. My pots are all touching so there is no room for mulch between the pots, nor is it needed. But to each his own, this is how I do it.

I really am still trying to figure this cold frame out, thanks for the follow up - this year's been so warm,I'm afraid I've done more harm than good with it.

B

 

[August44]

I live in a zone 5-6 and have long cold winters sometimes. I have a 12' X 3' cold frame that was built on top of gravel. I put 1" exterior foam insulation down on top of that and then thermostatically controlled heat mats, then trees, then mulch. I use the cold frame for fall collected trees. The pots themselves stay @ 32-38 degrees F. I have two small fans circulating air in the cold frame. The interior of the cold frame is 10-15 degrees F warmer than ambient temps. I open things up if ambient temps get above 35.

I also store trees in outside mulched beds in the winter. I have one of these on the North side of the house this year just for an experiment. The one showing against the fence is a south facing one.

 

[Paradox]

I really am still trying to figure this cold frame out, thanks for the follow up - this year's been so warm,I'm afraid I've done more harm than good with it.

B

It isnt and doesnt need to be complicated.
I put my trees in my cold frame in the late fall/early winter when temperatures threaten to drop below 30ish. I might start getting the deciduous ones a bit ealrier (35sih).
But I leave the cover of the cold frame open so they hare at ambient temperatures until we get forecast to drop below 30. You dont cover it until you need to.

I also dont mulch my trees. My trees are packed in there pretty tight and my cold frame is made with walls of concrete block against the north side of my house. Its has a fence on either side of the short ends and the outside long end is cinderblock as I said and I park my boat in there for the winter so there is plenty of wind protection for them. I only cover it when temps are supposed to go below 30 or we have strong winds with wind chills below 25.

Picutres below are from the original constriction (not finished) and when I was doing an expansion and adding a section for taller trees,
The short section is 3 blocks high, the tall section is 4 blocks high

 

[HorseloverFat]

I, personally, don't put mulch inside my coldframe...I DO have large containers of WATER in there, though.

I mulch the OUTSIDE of my frame with snow

 

[Paradox]

I, personally, don't put mulch inside my coldframe...I DO have large containers of WATER in there, though.

I mulch the OUTSIDE of my frame with snow

It doesnt show in the pictures because it wasnt finished but the base of the outer edge of mine is buried with dirt so that its mounded up along it to provide more insulation. Its actually a couple of inchces deeper on the inside of the wall than on the outside.

 

[HorseloverFat]

It doesnt show in the pictures because it wasnt finished but the base of the outer edge of mine is buried with dirt so that its mounded up along it to provide more insulation. Its actually a couple of inchces deeper on the inside of the wall than on the outside.

Reminds me of kiln-building!

Especially with the mentioned "mounding".. I bet that design works PERFECTLY, CONSISTENTLY.

I wish I had enough "non-spoken for" brick/concrete blocks to put something like that together... It is a great design.

Mine is built like that into a cement corner , but made out of wood, and it works great, too.

Blocks would just improve stability and insulation a nice step further.