I’ve never used a cold frame before. I planted it today with cold weather greens that should be OK down to about 30*F. Our weather is so balmy right now, but it will drop during this week. The frame is in a very sunny placation, so a few days of of sunlight should warm up the soil well. I’m hoping it will be full of salad greens soon.
Seedlings transplanted into the cold frame:
Parsley
Lettuce, Rouge d’hiver and Black seeded Simpson
Escarole, broadleaf
Kale, Tuscan, Winterbor and wild mix
Broccoli, Blue wind and Marathon
12 Comments. Leave new
Your coldframe looks brilliant. I will have to resort to buying one at some point as we are not very good at DIY in our house. I have read that Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce is excellent, be good to know what you think. Enjoy the sun while you can!
Marian (LondonUK)
Coldframes are great. Just watch the heat, things can bolt on you very quickly if you forget to open her up on a warm day (as I have many times).
That looks beautiful!! Did you post plans for it anywhere? I would love to recreate it here!!
It's almost a greenhouse!
I love black-seeded Simpson. Very bolt-resistant.
It's a great size. Hope your plants love it. I'm using cold frames for the first time this year too. We'll see how it goes.
I'm not going to post plans until I know if it works.
This morning the temperature inside is the same as outside – 43*F.
Looks great!
I'm curious about the 7 white plastic bottles in the raised bed, what is going on with/in them?
Kathy, just curious as to what you would think to using a coldframe similar to yours to harden off my seedlings. I have hundreds this year and I am dreading hauling them in and out. Any thoughts?
Carlee
Beautiful coldframe! Mine matches the outdoor temp pretty much at night as well. In the day they heat up very well though.
What are you going to grow in your cold frame in the Summer months? melons perhaps?
I can actually sit inside it to plant. Its very nice.
Matron, I will plant all my solanacea at home this year to avoid late blight at the community plot. So the frame will have eggplants peppers etc. Good idea to plant some melons here too. I wasn't going to plant any this year since they did so poorly last year. I will do that!
Alice, The bottles have some perennial flower seeds in them. They sprout very well in bottles that are left out all winter. No sprouts yet.
Very neat! Is that something you can use all season long or is it more of a starter before you move the plants into your plot? I'm new to gardening (this will be my second season) and I've never seen this before!
~Felicia~