Those who reside in colder climes are always eager to begin gardening. Thankfully, cold frame gardening is a method for starting a garden early without waiting for the snow to melt in the spring.
Those of us who live in frigid climates keep an eye on snow levels every day to determine when we may start growing again, so when temperatures drop instead of rising, we are displeased.
However, we cannot begin planting with a cold frame until it is officially spring.
What is the Different Between a Spring and a Fall Cold Frame?
The simplest way to explain a cold frame is as a miniature greenhouse. During the day, they take in heat from the sun, which they subsequently hold onto at night.
These cold frames, which may be made of glass or plastic, are ideal for extending your growing season. You may keep growing items that would have perished as the colder season approaches by using cold frames in the autumn.
Alternatively, you may extend your growing season in the early spring by using cold spring frames. While the structure is the same, how you utilize them varies.
Maybe you have passed by cold frames in your neighbors’ yards before without realizing what they were. They often resemble elevated beds with lids on them. A lot of people mistake them for storage containers or compost bins.
I used repurposed IKEA bookshelves with glass doors for my cold frames. Years ago, I discovered them on the side of the road, and I have been utilizing them ever since in my garden. You may purchase pre-made frames from a garden shop or make your own using supplies. Whatever route you choose, they are excellent for starting your garden early.
These frames may either be used to cultivate cold-hardy crops or to harden off seedlings. I have completed both and can not express how much I value the procedure.
This enables you to produce more food almost all year long and will also help you kick-start the growing season. Using a cold frame, you can often develop and harden off seedlings at least a month sooner than normal.
How to Construct a Spring Cold Frame
The sort of types of cold frames that are suitable for you will depend on two things. The first is space; the second is orientation.
Location Is Important!
For example, a cold frame should be placed in a south-facing area. This is because it will get the highest light exposure during the day.
You also need to consider drainage, wind, and other things. Search the area for big tree limbs that could blow over in strong winds. After a storm, picking broken glass out of your lettuce is the last thing you must do.
What about the discharge of water? There will be melting snow if there is a lot of it nearby. A low region where meltwater may accumulate should be avoided when installing your cool frame. This may wreak havoc on your plants and enlarge your frame.
Size and Shape
You must design a frame that is big enough to produce food but not so massive that it dwarfs your garden in terms of size. It should be manageable for one person to handle alone and small enough to reach inside comfortably.
My ideal cold frame measurements are around 2 feet broad by 2 feet deep and 6 feet long. I design at least two hinged glass tops for frames over three feet. These tiny doors are much simpler to prop open and raise than longer ones.
The top might be slanted to assist in direct snow and water off. If you decide to slope the building, ensure the lowest side faces the sun for the greatest time. By doing this, you give the plants more light exposure.
Materials
You will choose the materials depending on what you have on hand and how much money you want to spend on your frame.
For example, I previously described the IKEA bookshelf I modified, but I also constructed cold frames from reclaimed materials. When we renovated our porch this summer, the 24-inch boards were perfect for making cold frames, raised gardens, and other things.
Now, remember that you must have something translucent or transparent to allow light to enter. We are fortunate to live in a region with many abandoned farms. We have been able to recover old windows from the woods for nothing.
They are also available in secondhand stores and on buy/trade websites. Instead, you may use greenhouse-grade plastic sheets or plexiglass.
Drainage and Ventilation
Several individuals have unintentionally fried, drowned, or suffocated plants in their cold frames. It is best to refrain from doing any of the above.
If you utilise a pre-built box frame, drill drainage holes in the bottom of it. Leave the bottom unlocked if not. You may frequently open the frames or drill a few 1/2-inch ventilation holes through the sides towards the top. This will increase airflow and enable moisture that has been trapped to evaporate.
Soil
Every raised bed may utilize a cold frame if the soil is the same. Potting soil with additional drainage and water retention additions is your best choice. I prefer to mix in additional perlite, vermiculite, and coconut coir after using organic potting soil.
For drainage, spread a 2-inch layer of gravel or pebbles. Then, add your potting soil to a depth of approximately 4 inches, followed by a couple of handfuls of twigs and straw. The straw will assist in shielding the roots from the surrounding frost, while the twigs will offer further aeration and drainage.
Best Plants for Growing in a Cold Frame
Your best possibilities are short-season, and cold-hardy species since springtime temperatures may vary slightly (and perhaps remain frigid for a while). They are more resistant to the cold than tropical plants.
The following are a few of the greatest possibilities for your cold frame:
- Beets
- Carrots
- Radishes
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kohlrabi
- Turnips
- Rutabagas
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Lettuce
- Leeks
Dwarf pea types like “Tom Thumb” barely reach a height of 8 inches! Ideal for growing in a cold frame. Pick up a few from Amazon.
Potential Problems
A chilly frame may recoup heat, but that does not guarantee it will not freeze. Where you reside may still see seasonal temperature drops in the spring. For instance, it may snow here in Quebec far into June. Your first gardening efforts may therefore be a complete failure.
Wait until the seedlings are at least 5 inches tall if you are hardening off seedlings that you began inside in your cold frame. They should become a little hardier due to an unexpected cold snap.
Be careful of anything that might harm your frame, including icicles hanging over your head. Furthermore, try to keep cattle or big dogs away from them. The plants inside will be delicate and will not withstand your Great Pyrenees stepping on them well. Also, if your animals leap through the glass covers and cut themselves, they might suffer serious injuries.
If you have noisy animals, like goats, you may want to consider using plexiglass instead of conventional glass. It will not break easily if they jump about on the frames.
Multi-Purpose Structures
In all honesty, a cold spring frame is a no-brainer. It is best to have a few on hand for different uses. While one hardens off tomato or pepper plants, the other may be incubating early peas and greens.
You may grow medicinal herb cuttings to get a head start on this year’s medication. You can also safeguard small berry bushes until they are big enough to be transplanted.
Given how simple they are to put together, there is no drawback to having a few on hand at once. You will have more and healthier plants as a consequence. They are ideal for using space that would otherwise go to waste. This is a win-win situation.
