Cold Frame Basics – Extending the Growing Season
With December well on its way and the yard properly cleaned up, you are be well prepared for the winter. The Autumn's harvest is stored and preserved. But what if I told you that you could extend the growing season by two months? Well, you can if you build a cold frame. A cold frame protects tender plants from frost and harsh winter winds. At organicgardening.com, there is a great post that goes over cold frame basics such as how to build one and how to maintain it.
A cold frame is basically just a box that shields plants from the harsh elements yet has a lid that allows light and heat to come in. The lid can be lifted to access the plants and to regulate the temperature. With a properly built cold frame, you can still have plants well after the first frost and start plants before the last frost.
The best site to place a cold frame would be in a south facing sunny spot away from the wind that has good drainage. An very important thing to remember is to keep the temperature inside the cold frame above freezing.
With a good cold frame in your yard, you could have fresh salad greens in November and later in the year! You can start your tomatoes in March! Why don't you build one today?
For more information on the basics of cold frames, click here: http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/coldframes
What have you done to extend your growing season? Share your ideas with us!
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