In this post, I share my experience with growing under cold frames. Find what to plant and tips on making your own cover here.
Cold Frame Gardening
The raised beds have been apart of this greenhouse area landscape since the structure was added in 2009. It took a few years of growing in the raised beds and figuring out the greenhouse before we decided to add covers on a few of the raised beds. The cold frames my husband put together were 4’x4′. At that time the celery, radishes, and the Italian salad seeds that had reseeded were growing strong. I was so busy in the landscape that I didn’t get the carrots that I wanted. No worries… I will stick a pot of those seeds in the greenhouse that gets warmer (as long as the sun is out) and holds the heat at night thanks to the heater. Hopefully, those seeds will grow as they have in the past years in the greenhouse because we love our carrots.
What to Grow in a Cold Frame
There are many different vegetables and herbs you can grow under a cold frame. My structure was useful when I wanted to keep a harvest safe from the random weather we get in Ohio. There are a few things I recommend starting from seed under the cold frames this time of year. Be sure to pay close attention to the weather because the frame is not a miracle zone! You will need sun and of course warm soil to keep the crops producing. Here are a few plants you can start from seed:
- salad greens
- spinach
- chard
- mache
- arugula
A few plants that were already established before the early November weather arrived are:
- radishes
- carrots
- kale
Be sure to keep an eye on your hardiness zone freeze date to know when to add the cold frame structure.
Cold Frame Ready For the Night
Below you can see the cold frames really add character to the garden and it is nice to know that your plants are safe.
Good Night!
Let’s Connect
In conclusion of checking out this post, are you inspired to grow in the autumn? I’d love to connect with you to hear about your cold frame or greenhouse. You can find me on social media at @brenhaas or the links below.
Happy Autumn Gardening,
