Wanna see my cold frame?

[Jennie_in_Iowa]

Yay for cold frames! I refuse to grow lettuce or spinach in Iowa without one. Refuse.
I seeded this spinach on Oct 30. It sprouted and stayed in baby leaves ALL winter, surviving weeks of -20's and days of being buried in snow. This picture is from the beginning of last week, they were just starting to put on real leaves. I checked them this morning and they all are over an inch with one or two real leaves. :D:D I think I'll be harvesting my first spinach by the end of the month, which is a new personal best for me. :cool:

In case you're wondering, the cold frame is a single thickness of brick, stacked 4 rows high, with scavenged windows on top. Completely uninsulated and sitting on my driveway on the south side of my house. I had kale and beets in there too, seeded at the same time as the spinach, but they did not survive the winter.

I'm going to toss some lettuce seed in it this afternoon I think, I'll try and get another picture while I'm in there.

[Emerald]

___I am sooooo jealous!:D I wanted to make cold frames last summer -- but our shower had ideas of it's own, and sprung a leak and well long story short~ it is never just a little fix-- it always has to cost the big buckaroos!:rolleyes:
___Last year I put out some spinach and lettuce and carrot seeds during the January thaw(08) they sprouted so early that spring that I had lots of fresh spinach at about the time that only dandelions are up! I like them too, but I am thinking on harvesting some of the puffball seed heads and grow a few in the cold frame to see if the big tender leaves will withstand the winter.

[RozieDozie]

Good for you, Jennie! That's really great. It's wonderful to be able to extend the season.

[BrianS]

I have lettuce, Pak Choy and Arugula growing in mine even as we speak. I really like my cold frame ;)

[julianna]

I read the title and was like yes!! i totally want to see your cold frame!!! Awesome!

Do you have a far-shot of it? I'd love to see more cold-frame pics. I want to make one myself.

[BrianS]

Julianna, Here is a pic of mine
http://idigmygarden.com/forums/showpost.php?p=198687&postcount=1

[julianna]

Thanks Brian! So how is yours working out for you? How did it do in the ice storm? I see you said you've got stuff in it.. are they in pots or in ground? Do you prop yours open every day?

[BrianS]

Julianna, I have everything in pots for now. I'm just wanting to make a fresh salad. Later I'll be putting tomato and pepper plants in it.
On sunny days I prop it open just a little. Even if its cold outside the temps can get up to 90-100F very easily. This is my first year having something like this so I am still in the experimental stages. I will say that I like it so far.

[redbrick]

Julianna, go to my profile page and click on albums, then click on Redbrick Gardens on Patmar. There's a shot of one of my "coldframes" in that album.

[Bird]

Nice cold frames everyone. I am borrowing one from fellow member, Spud. I too planted some Spinich and Mache in the late fall. Both of these did well even in extreme cold. Prior to using his I used straw bales with old windows on top and they to did well. Spud's are just easier to manage so I am hoping to build some like his for the long haul. They resemble Brians

[julianna]

Brian-- I kind of LOLed @ your fresh salad comment... I do things like that. I decide I want something and then just figure out how to make it happen. hanks for the info on your cold frame!

Redbrick-- thanks! I checked them out and it's cool! So, the winter greeen pic-- that is open at the top, right? Very nice!

[Ohiorganic]

This is the new pick up line in the gardening forums eh? :D

[RozieDozie]

This is the new pick up line in the gardening forums eh? :D

:D:D

[redbrick]

Julianna, yep, it's open, although I do close it up when things get down to about 20 degrees. I got the idea from those decorative mini greenhouses that people like to make from old window sash and put in their flower beds. The only real difference is that mine isn't screwed or nailed together, so I can take it down for storage.

[redbrick]

This is the new pick up line in the gardening forums eh? :D

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours. <wink, wink, nudge, nudge> Know what I mean? Do ya? Do ya?"

[ratdog]

Mine, last year.
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/emmettken/IMGP1078.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/emmettken/garden%2008/IMGP1068-1.jpg

[BrianS]

This is the new pick up line in the gardening forums eh? :D

Just dont say it out loud ;) hehe

[Jason Elliott]

Okay, I have a question. Is there a difference between a "hot bed" and a "cold frame"? When I was a we one my dad built me what he termed a "hot bed", thus my question. Could I use a old double pain window or would it get to hot, even when it's daggum cold outside? I might have a source for some thermoclear like was used in one of the photos above, would it be better than a double pain window?

Jason

[redbrick]

A "hot bed" is structurally the same as a cold frame. What makes it "hot" is the addition of a heat source, usually composting horse manure beneath the soil or heat cables.

I prefer to use double glazed windows for lights, as they help retain heat during the colder periods. It becomes VERY important to monitor the daily temps, and vent the frame before it heats up too much, though. The plastic in Ratdog's picture will also work well. The most important consideration is: "What's available, and can I make it work?"

[Jason Elliott]

Redbrick, Thanks for the info. The one I had for a year or two growing up wasn't a "hot bed" instead it was a "cold frame" per your description. Mine wasn't big enough to be a hot bed then......was only about 2x3. Once again, thanks.


Jason

[fawnmeadow]

I have a question on the placement of a cold frame. DH keeps saying we should use one side of the foundation so it gets the some heat from the house. I've also thought of using one side of the fire pit and building 3 walls of cement blocks with an old door for the top. Where does everyone place their cold frames?

[blu_bastian]

I have a few glass bricks, cider blocks, scrap lumber and a glass storm door. I bet I could build a cold frame and clean up the back lot all in one fell swoop!

[BrianS]

fawn, Mine is out in the yard facing the South for what its worth. Everything is doing good so far

[ratdog]

Mine is by the garden,south facing.

[ratdog]

I have a few glass bricks, cider blocks, scrap lumber and a glass storm door. I bet I could build a cold frame and clean up the back lot all in one fell swoop!

sounds like a plan.

[steady]

ratdog that cold frame is insiring may have to attempt to get something like that built for next winter fall im impressed how that looks

[Eccentric Follies]

Brian, what did you use for the sides of your coldframe?

We were figuring on using marine plywood, but can't find a sheet of that anywhere. So the DH asked about that new treated stuff, but i'm not sure i want that in the garden.

[Billy B]

Here are some photos of our 2 frames. one of them has new lettuce and spinach comming up, it is outside and slightly below grade. It is constructed from some discarded 2x lumber and an old storm window. The other is located inside our homemade greenhouse and serves as a greenhouse within a greenhouse. It is made from an old discarded sliding glass door and 1x lumber and insulated with 1/2 inch foam. The glass door was to heavy for my wife to lift so I installed a pully system to make it raise and lower easy. We just planted our peppers and tomatoes in it. If you look closely you can see an airmatress under the seed trays. I have filled it with water and placed a waterbed heating pad under the air matress it will stay at 70 degrees with very little electric used it does have to be proped open on sunny days to keep it form over heating.

[SpaceAge]

Awe Crap ! ... When you said "Wanna see my cold frame?" ... I thought you meant you'd be standing naked in the snow or something ! :eek:

[Jennie_in_Iowa]

Hee hee hee... so we got up to 60 degrees yesterday and I almost steamed all my lovely spinach in the frame. We literally had snow and ice last week, so venting has not been on my mind.

I'm not sure that I should really introduce steam to this already riske discussion, but there's my spring warning for the day. Don't forget to vent on warm days!