[Shamps]

Hi folks,

In terms of growing etc... whats the difference between cold frames and greenhouses 

[noshed]

They are approximately the same but greenhouses are obviously bigger and can be heated etc. I have a home-made greenhouse and two home-made cold frames. I tend to start most things in the greenhouse and move the hardier things like brassicas into the cold frame.
When summer comes I have to take everything out because it will frizzle up.
I have a greenhouse thermometer and it is not completely frost free (slightly draughty) but it is easy to chuck some bubble wrap or fleece about if necessary.
I put slug pellets down in the cold frames because they act as a lovely home for slugs and snails.

[Shamps]

Thanks for that,

I dont yet have greenhouse on there, but we do have a cute little cold frame with a few bits and bats growing in it plus the slug pellets. 

It just got me thinking when I was putting it all together, is there a reason why some people have both a coldframe/greenhouse or neither etc.... just my pondering mind..

[Kristen]

Cold frame would be good for early crops, and also a late harvest - Lettuce, Swiss chard and some Carrots.  The greenhouse would be too hot from about May, or maybe June, onwards for them, but assuming you can take the lid right off the cold frame it would behave like an upmarket Cloche

Cold frame is better for hardening things off than carrying them out of the greenhouse in the morning, and back in the evening, because the more the plants are moved the more chance of dropping / bruising / breaking something.  Actually I expect a cold frame could survive warmer than a cold greenhouse on a heavy frost night if you had some thick carpet, or somesuch, to put over it (and if the walls were insulated)