Posted on 10/14/2023 7:13:45 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Cold frames: A useful resource for cool and cold-weather gardening
Have you ever tried to start seeds indoors and ended up with anemic, gravity challenged sprigs? Bright, direct light is vital to emerging seeds and most windowsills are not sunny enough.
This leaves you with two options:
Indoor grow lights (like the DIY grow light system we recommend), or real sunlight with cold protection.
Artificial lighting (grow lights) is an ideal choice if you have the indoor space. If your indoor space is at a premium but you want to start garden seedlings to get a jump start on the growing season, cold frames are your best bet.
Thankfully, cold frames are also easy and inexpensive to build!
What is a cold frame?
A cold frame is exactly what it sounds like: a transparent outdoor frame that protects plants from cold weather while still letting sunlight in.
This means your plants get natural sunlight and extra warmth. In most regions, a cold frame can be used effectively to grow winter seedlings and crops, though if you live in a climate zone below USDA Zone 6, you may need a more fortified version than the one I use in my garden.
Also, if you don’t feel like making your own cold frame, you can order a really good Austrian/German-designed cold frame via Amazon. It’s double sided (more space), made of durable materials, lets in light from all angles, and you probably couldn’t make it more affordably if you were to buy all the pieces/parts yourself.
*SNIP*
Ideal plants for cold frames
Since the plants inside will only be a little bit warmer than the outside air, cold frames are mostly used for frost-tolerant crops during the winter. Check out our article Easiest plants to grow in the fall and winter, for a complete list of frost-hardy plants. Spring transplants under cold frames
You can also use your cold frame to grow out your spring transplants. If you do, you’ll want to pay careful attention to the weather and bring the more tender seedlings inside on nights when it drops below freezing.
Too cold – Although most winter crops are at least a little bit frost tolerant, they don’t grow when it is under 40 F outside. They’ll appreciate the cover of your cold frame staying on any time the weather is below 50 F.
Too hot – Likewise, cool weather crops don’t like it hot. If the thermostat says 50 F or warmer, crack the cover or take it off completely.
You’ll start to get a feel for how warm or cool your cold frame stays as time goes on!
More info/cold frame construction ideas at link: https://www.growjourney.com/use-cold-frames-garden/
Hay bales are SO expensive here in NH. They are double the price of NY.
I’m getting my garlic in this week and next week.
Then it’s clearing out the weeds and once the first frost hits, the dead plants.
Understandable on the straw. It’s relative to where you live, for sure.
I’ve been cleaning out a bed every few days, but have gotten a break from 3 days of cold & rain. Sun will be out again this coming week, so there is still plenty to do.
I have lettuces & spinach inside the greenhouse and out. Need to pick one more big bouquet of Dahlia before they’re done, too.
I have a huge sheet pan of tomatoes in various states of ripeness in the house so we’ll have BLTs for a while longer which is a good thing! Making a fresh tomato and cuke salad to take to friends’ this evening for supper. She’s doing a Pot Roast with a roast we gave her. That was ‘Weber.’ Gone but not forgotten! :)
Good Morning!
(((HUGS)))
Good Morning...I like the idea of straw beds...tried one last year, but was remodelling, and didn’t take care of it much...had a grass problem with the straw also. Right now it looks like I am going to have to deal with lots of green tomatoes...
Good morning! I’m in yard clean up mode for the rest of fall until winter hits. Even though the weather is favorable, I tire of raking the leaves. It feels like a never-ending chore. It doesn’t help that the neighbors’ leaves all blow down the street to my yard. Somehow, I need to make the chore more pleasurable.
That will start tomorrow in earnest. Today I have watching football on the schedule. Also cooking extra food for meals to be used later in the week.
I have always wanted to try a cold frame - maybe next year.
Raining here now, after a week of “perfect” October Fall weather, one of the reasons that October is probably my favorite month.
Lots going on and I have not been motivated to do anything in the garden - I’m “letting it go” for now. The first frost will kill a lot of the plants and then I’ll clean them out. It doesn’t seem possible that my African Blue Basil could grown any more, but it has - it’s HUGE, overshadowing almost the whole 4 x 6 original herb garden! Loaded with pollinators, a good thing - it won’t survive frost.
Yesterday late afternoon, I finally unpacked a set of shelves (huge ones) that dad had bought to use in the barn, but never got around to taking out of the boxes. I got down to the last frame (there are two, 1 on each end) and it is horribly crushed - looks like something with a lot of strength bent in a side, making it unusable. There is a second set of shelves in another box - hopefully, I can use one of those frames & get the shelves up. There is a sheet in the box ... lifetime guarantee for damage or failure, which sounds good ... but you have to give them the date purchased & the location. Dad had these shelves for 5? years just lying on sawhorses in the barn. I will call them anyway, send them a picture if they want it, & see what I can do. What a bummer to see that damaged, bent frame.
We have to be across the mountains today (2 hour trip) for a wedding. What a shame that the gorgeous weather couldn’t hang around one more day for them. Still, despite the messy weather & driving conditions, any excuse to spend time with family in the valley works for me. It should be a happy wedding & nice, but not overly fancy - wedding is in the bride’s church, reception at the community center a couple of blocks down the road .... no “venue” wedding, as has become so popular these days.
One last thing - couldn’t resist buying some flavored coffee (which normally I can’t stand) at Aldi’s: Maple Pecan Pie. The first cup was good .... 2nd, not so much. I had regular coffee today. It will probably take me a year to use it up - if mom likes it, I’ll share and it will go faster. The package is beautiful - fall colors & that is what got my attention. They say you ‘eat (in this case ‘drink’) with your eyes’ and that appears to be true! :-)
Fry those green tomatoes up! Slice, and put into water, then dip into flour mixture of self rising flour, corn meal, salt and pepper. Sauté over medium to med high heat with butter and oil combo. Brown on both sides. Serve with cheesy grits or on a BLT. Yum!
Until then:
Amen
They somehow just keep coming and are very good even though not red
The straw cold frame is neato!
I had 8 pounds of green tomatoes to deal with. I found this recipe (sugar free!!) that you can either can or freeze. I made 2 batches ... also made a 3 pint batch of green tomato chutney (but that had sugar). All my green tomatoes got used up!
RELISH
The beauty of this relish recipe is two-fold: no sugar & you can freeze or can it. My first batch was pretty spicy - 2nd batch was milder. My only criticism is the “8 jalapenos” called for in the recipe ... decided to use 4, but evidently, I managed to pick the hottest ones out of my garden! I put in 2 whole, 2 with seeds/membranes removed & that batch was quite hot. The milder batch, I put in 2, with seeds/membranes removed.
Green Tomato Relish Recipe (Can or Freeze)
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/recipe-no-sugar-green-tomato-relish-can-freeze/
****************
CHUTNEY
This is the recipe I used ... the only substitution was powdered ginger instead of candied ginger. Except for fennel & brown sugar, I was surprised I had all the spice ingredients already on hand! It smells like ‘Christmas’, which I personally love.
Green Tomato Chutney
Make use of end-of-season tomatoes with this sweet and vinegary green tomato chutney made with unripe tomatoes. Can it to enjoy all year long.
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/green_tomato_chutney/
Note:
These instructions include instructions for canning the green tomato chutney. If you plan on storing in the refrigerator and using up within a few months, you can skip the sterilization and canning steps (steps 1 and 4).
Thanks for the recipe. I think I will freeze dry some.
Thanks...For your recipe, too.
My experience with flavored coffees is similar. They smell lovely when brewing, and that first cup is okay. But then it begins to taste more chemical-y. I end up mixing a bit with each pot of my regular plain ol’ stuff until it’s gone.
Festive!
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