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Please forgive me if this topic has been discussed but I didn't find anything on this forum.? I need to place my cold frame on my deck due to logistics.? I could use some help figuring out how I might insulate it; what I might place it on, etc.? It does have an open bottom.? I'm located in the mountains of Western NC which I think is zone 7; we had wicked cold last night with the low of 23 degrees; it's quite early for these temps but we do frequently have them over the winter.? Thanks for any help!

What trees are you keeping there?

Do you normally get snow?

I have a Trident Maple,Japanese Maple, Pyracantha. Shohin Weeping Cherry, Shohin Chinese Elm. ?We had hard freeze 2 nights ago and light snow (just enough to cover the soil on my juniper). We don’t get snow on regular basis but occasionally can get 4-6 inches. I’m not sure what has happened with the weather but long range forecast shows lower to upper 20’s in December at night. Thank you for your input.?

None of those species need a cold frame in zone 7. Just put them on the ground close to your house. If you get a lot of snow, cover them for some extra insulation.

Thank you so much. I should have also asked if they need to be covered in any way or can they tolerate the frost? ?I do appreciate your time and input

Hi!Since your cold frame has an open bottom and you’re dealing with zone 7 mountain winters, insulation and elevation are key. You could place it on sturdy foam boards or rigid insulation panels to reduce heat loss from the bottom. Another trick is to put it on bricks or a wooden pallet to raise it slightly, which also helps with drainage.Adding a layer of straw, mulch, or even bubble wrap underneath and around the sides can help retain heat on very cold nights. Make sure to check it daily during extreme cold spells to avoid freezing. With proper insulation and ventilation during sunny days, your plants should stay protected even with those early deep freezes.

Insulation only keeps available heat inside.if there are no source for heat, the insulation makes no difference. A blanket works for a human, we are warm blooded and expel heat that the blanket can retain. A tree do not expel heat.

Warm air raises and cold air sinks. Insulation in the bottom makes no big difference, insulation above makes a big difference. A glass cold feame on top of styrofoam will be the same temperature as outside the cold frame. The only benefit is that it is protected from wind.

My conclusion is that putting the trees on the ground and cover in snow is a good option. The ground expel very small amounts of heat and the snow insulates above. Under most circumstances the temperature lays in the range of 0 plus minus 2 degrees under a few dm snow. That is perfectly good.

If you have cold frame and want to utilize it. Put the trees on the ground, the cold frame over them and shovel snow over the cold frame.

in any case. Ground is better than concrete or decking.

Thank you.? We get random light bouts of snow (dusting to 1") unless we have that occasional big snow (for us) which may be 4-6 or more inches.? I will put them on ground probably with mulch around the pots and up to the trunk.??

I think that is the right decition. If possible, close to your house or anything big that can shelter from wind.