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Organic Gardening Cold Frame
How to Build and Use One
Organic gardening cold frame helps the self reliant gardener raise salads and other vegetables even during winter.
Here'a a simple, low-cost cold frame you can easily build.
It's wonderful for so many reasons –
it provides you with salads and vegetables during the winter months, it's easy to build and best of all, it can be
made with items laying around the place or items you can buy on the cheap.
Organic Gardening Cold Frame
What is it?
A cold frame is a miniature greenhouse, typically a box with a piece of glass on top to allow in the sunshine.
If you've ever been in your car on a winter day, you know the sunshine can heat things up nicely.
The same goes with a frame you build to grow vegetables.
Organic Gardening Cold Frame
How Can You Use It?
Not only can you grow lettuce and other greens in the winter months in a cold frame, you can also use it to harden off
seedlings you started indoors or even start seedlings, such as tomato plants a couple of months before they are ready to plant in your garden.
How Do You Build an Organic Gardening Cold Frame?
The easiest way to top off your frame is to find a used window.
If you don't have one on hand, check with the local Habitat For Humanity Store in your area.
They often have used doors, windows and other materials for a very reasonable price.
If your building skills are close to none (much like mine), then the easiest organic gardening cold frame you can build is one of cement blocks and a used window sash.
Line up the blocks and set the window on top. You're done!
If you choose to build a wood frame, things are a bit more complicated, but still fairly simple.
You will need to use treated lumber so it doesn't rot.
Cedar or cypress wood are both excellent choices – the same materials you would use for building a deck.
Because the window will be heavy, you will also need to find a heavy-duty hinge to hold it in place.
It's crucial that you don’t make your cold frame too wide.
You need to be able to reach the plants at the very back of your cold frame.
It should be no wider than three or four feet, so keep that in mind when you are shopping for a window, since the size of your frame depends on the size of your window.
You are building a frame around your window.
When you build the frame, make the back part higher than the front – that will help keep the window from blowing open on windy days.
Also add weights to keep the window down.
You will also need a prop to keep the window open on days when the temps reach 45 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
Organic Gardening Cold Frame
Where Do You Put It?
The location of your frame is crucial to your growing success.
You need a spot that gets plenty of sunlight each day.
Don't put your frame in a shady spot.
The best place for your frame is next to a building to help block the wind.
Your home is the best choice because it will provide extra warmth for your frame.
A south-facing wall is the best choice.
Find an area with good drainage. You don't want your plants sitting in water all winter.
The best solution is to put your frame on a slope so the water can run off, away from the frame.
If you don't have a slope on the south side of your house, consider building one.
It will be well worth the extra digging. While you're at it, set the frame into the earth a bit to add to the insulation.
Extra Gardening Tips
Comprehensive Course on Gardening! Increase the value of your home by 30%.
Learn more by clicking here.
A garden kneeler and seat
makes daily weeding chores much easier by easing the strain on your lower back and knees while protecting your clothing from stain and injuries.
To protect your back, use a lifting tool
for heavy pots and other objects.
Long-term exposure to the elements will damage your tools and shorten their use.
Store your tools and other gardening supplies in a portable storage bin .
To make yard and garden cleaning easier, use a Kangaroo Gardening Container .
Invest in a sharpening tool
to keep your shovel and other gardening tools sharp and easier to work with.
Grow a successful hydroponic gardening with this helpful resource.
Protect your hands from insects and other injuries by wearing good quality gardening gloves.
More Homestead Gardening Links
Thinking about gardening the organic way? Follow these simple steps first.
Want to save even more money when gardening? Purchase bulk seeds for cost savings and self reliant preparation.
Get an early start on your gardening by starting your seeds indoors. Here are some tips.
Ready to grow your own vegetables, but you're not sure where to begin?
Learn which vegetables are the easiest to grow by clicking here.
The most comprehensive gardening instruction available on the internet!
Learn more.
Are you thinking about putting in a garden?
Follow these tips.
For healthy strong plants, put in raised beds.
Or avoid the digging altogether and put in these easier raised beds.
For truly rich, healthy soil, learn how to make your own compost.
Protect your plants and keep down weeds by mulching. Here are some mulching tips.
Build up your soil, and you'll keep pests down to a minimum, but what happens if pests do attack your garden? Here are some pest control tips
100's Of Wonderfully Frugal, Eco-Friendly and Highly Resourceful Gardening Techniques.
click here to learn more.
Gotten into poison ivy lately. Learn how to treat that awful itch. Here's how.
Do you have limited space? Consider growing your organic garden in containers.
Ready to have your own container garden? Here are some tips on finding the right garden container
Gardening can be much more than a hobby; it can also be a way to raise most of your food. Here's how.
An good resource for raising your own food is this ebook.
If you want the richest humus for your gardening, consider composting with worms
Save Thousands of Dollars a Year With This Fully Illustrated Guide.
Click here to learn more.
Want to have fresh greens for your salad all winter? Then build this easy, effective cold frame.
Get your garden off to the right start with strong growth and an early harvest. Learn how you can germinate seeds.
So why should you pursue organic gardening? Learn the benefits by clicking here.
True self sufficiency means being able to produce your own excellent-quality seeds. Here's how.
To save seeds, you must start with quality plants. Learn why you should purchase the seeds of heirloom plants by clicking here.
Have you thought about organic gardening but don't know where to begin?
Try these tips.
Have a Bountiful Organic Garden using a tiny amount of space.
Learn more.
As homesteaders, we primarily think about gardening to raise food, but beauty is also important.
Learn the importance of cottage gardening.
When planning your garden, don't forget to grow herbs. Not only do they smell nice and add flavoring to food, many also have healing qualities.
Learn more.
Got a bumper crop of potatoes or other root vegetables this season?
Learn an economical way to store them to keep them fresh all winter by clicking here.
If you want to extend your growing season, a small greenhouse might be just the ticket.
Learn more.
If you are thinking about adding on a lean to greenhouse, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Read more.
The winter months are a perfect time for planning your spring garden.
Learn more.
Summer garden not all you hoped it to be? Consider putting in a fall garden, but be sure to protect your plants from frosty nights.
Learn how.
The ins and outs of storing produce from your garden can be found by clicking here.
If you had an abundant harvest of root vegetables this year, don't let them go to waste; store them using this time-proven method instead.
Read more.
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