The dog days of summer are dwindling and the cooler temps of September have commenced in Northeastern VT. Season extension has been a hot topic in our region as of late, and so many folks are scrambling to get ready for the impending frosts – wishing to hold on to some late season crops, and further yearning for winter greens and the like to become a near-future reality. Aside from the simplest option (row cover) to gain an extra week or two, constructing a cold frame can be an excellent way to extend the end-of-summer harvest window and can be used for sowing some winter varieties as well.
How to Choose a Design for your Cold Frame
There are many questions you will want to ask yourself first to help shape your ideas on your ideal cold frame:
- What crops do you wish to cover (i.e. low-growing greens, larger mature plants, or both)?
- What surface area will you need to cover, or what is your available space?
- Should your frame be portable or stationary?
- Do you want a long-term or temporary structure?
- Will it need to withstand winter weathering?
- Do you have recycled materials that you are wishing to use?
- What is your budget?
- What are your building skills?
- What kind of tools do you have access to?
Cold Frame Construction Options
Hay Bale Cold Frame
Hay bale cold frames are an easy option that require no building skills. They can be made to fit any size area. All you need are the appropriate number of hay bales and enough clear plastic or recycled windows* to cover the surface area of your hay bale frame, and (if you are using plastic sheeting) some logs or bricks to weight the plastic in place. They are cheap, simple, and can be put up and taken down as needed.
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Cold Frame Built with Recycled Materials
Do you have some old windows or scrap wood* hanging around that you’d like to turn into a cold frame? Depending on what you have available, you can likely fashion a very useful season-extending frame. Many of the recycled frames I have seen are on the smaller side and are best used for low-growing crops such as greens, carrots, or bunching onions for over-wintering. They can be stationary or portable, and can withstand harsh winter weather much better than a PVC hoop frame. Recycled cold frames can be made on a shoestring budget, but will require a bit more building expertise and tools such as a screw gun/drill, circular saw (or a hammer and hand saw if you are limited). With this option, your blueprint will most likely stem from the materials you have on hand, so it may take some creative thinking to turn what you have into what you need. …………..
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Article source: Mother Earth News
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