Cold Frame Garden
Flickr
Wintertime is upon us. Cathy Isom lets us know what a cold frame is and why they are so needed in our gardens. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Cold frames are bottomless boxes, with walls made of brick, straw bales, or wood and a clear top.
The “bottom” of the cold frame is actually a garden bed. The solid walls protect what’s inside from cold wind, and they help trap heat inside the frame. The clear top is usually angled towards the equator This will allow more sun in, providing the light plants need while preventing the frosts that often kill them, while also providing enough heat to stop the soil from freezing.
Cold frames are necessary because they extend the growing seasons in the springtime and also autumn. They will help protect our plants and seeds from the extreme weather so that plants can continue to grow to thrive and be readily be available all year long.
Not all vegetables will do well in cold frames. But there are some that will, including cabbage, kale, chard, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, onions, garlic, carrots, beets, radishes, lettuces, parsnips, turnips, collards.
I’m Cathy Isom…
from GrowVeg
Cold frames are fantastically versatile, helping the gardener to cheat the seasons and enjoy more harvests. With just a few inexpensive and reclaimed materials, a drill, some shoulder screws and hex head bolts, and a screwdriver, it’s straightforward to make your own cold frame to protect plants from the elements. If you need some marine grade fasteners you can buy them here.
In this short video we’ll show you how to make a cold frame of your own, simply, cheaply, and with very few DIY skills required. Take your growing up a notch and give it a try!
If you’ve noticed any pests or beneficial insects in your garden lately please report them to GrowVeg at http://BigBugHunt.com
If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at GrowVeg’ online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers: http://www.GrowVeg.com, http://gardenplanner.almanac.com and http://gardenplanner.motherearthnews.com.