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| Seeds of Gourmet Lettuce Blend, Bloomsdale spinach, Short-N-Sweet carrot, Detroit Dark Red beet, and Cherry Belle radish laid out for planting in the cold frame. |
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| Thanks to my father-in-law for the free-to-us discarded window! |
Winter has not been kind to southern gardens this year; green edibles in our veggie patch did not survive January, and the forecast for what's to come indicates more frigid weather. Though we may still get snow, under a cold frame vegetables are getting an early start on the growing season.
A cold frame is a bottomless box with a top that admits light, providing the benefits of a greenhouse on a convenient scale. We used 2"x12"s treated with wood preservative to discourage rot; total dimensions are 68" x 46". The lid is hinged to help with ventilation. The cold frame is situated on the sunny south side of our barn.
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| The cold frame is 12" high in front, 18" high in back to help with water drainage and to catch slanted rays of winter sun. |
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| Fitted with the window on top. |
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| Potting mix 8" deep fills the inside. Even on a cold cloudy day, soil inside the cold frame feels warm. |
