A cold frame greenhouse is a terrific way to stretch the gardening season and to offer a sheltered setting for your plants. These compact growing structures are a welcome addition to any backyard, even if you have a conventional greenhouse. They’re an excellent spot for your greenhouse plants to adjust to the outdoor conditions prior to planting them. Plus, they’re just the thing for starting seedlings in the springtime.

A cold frame greenhouse is basically a bottomless wooden box measuring approximately a foot high which is either placed on the ground or sunk in several inches. If you would like to plant directly into the frame, then put in about four or five inches of compost and topsoil. It is possible to make it any size you prefer, just be sure you are able to get at everything within it. A cold frame depends exclusively on sunshine for its heat, therefore be sure to situate it in a secluded area that receives lots of sunshine and is shielded from strong winds.

The most essential part of a cold frame is the sloping roof, which is made from transparent or translucent material that lets in warmth from the sun. Discarded windows make great covers, but you can utilize any sort of clear, stiff plastic or film; just make sure that the cover can be adjusted in order to allow adequate ventilation.

A hotbed is a type of cold frame which has a supply of heat within it, which could be a thermostatically controlled electric heating cable, a standard light bulb and even manure. Any of those heating methods will protect your plants from freezing even if outside temperatures dip to about 15 degrees F.

You needn’t build your own cold frame if you’re not inclined to DIY projects. A cold frame greenhouse is actually a mini greenhouse, and you can obtain these pre-built at various retailers and online merchants. These products are lightweight yet durable, and may be effortlessly relocated as required. They tend to be taller than cold frames and are made from translucent plastic which is generally double-walled for better insulation, and the roof is hinged for quick access.

You might want to use a cold frame greenhouse for starting hardier annuals and early salad greens. It is also the ideal place to acclimatize seedlings prior to transplanting them into the ground. When the weather warms up, you may wish to put it to use to root cuttings, to start more delicate annuals and also to germinate seeds. You might also plant cold-weather crops in your cold frame in the fall so you will be able to have fresh greens and root vegetables throughout the winter time.

An indoor greenhouse is easy to set up and maintain, and is available in an assortment of sizes and materials to suit every home and budget. You can make a DIY indoor greenhouse, or buy one of the many pre-fab structures available.

Tags: cold frame, cold frame greenhouse, gardening, greenhouses

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This entry was posted on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 3:44 am and is filed under gardening. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.