My top tips for cold frame gardening
Gardening with a cold frame can be a great way to extend your growing season, protect your plants from harsh weather, and get a head start on the growing season. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your cold frame: Choose the right location: Place your cold frame in a sunny spot where it will get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Make sure the site is level, and choose a location that is sheltered from cold winds.
Choose the right location for your cold frame
Place your cold frame in a sunny spot where it will get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Make sure the site is level, and choose a location that is sheltered from cold winds. Cold frames that you can buy online can be very light so secure it with something heavy like a couple of bricks or peg it down.
Bung it in the greenhouse
Season 1: Episode 17In this gardening podcast shed, Penny's new greenhouse gets its first inmate.
Try building a DIY cold frame
You can build a DIY cold frame from items lying around in your shed and garden. You'll need a sheet of glass and something to make a four-sided frame deep enough for your plants. For example, you could make a square out of bricks stacked on your lawn. Use gloves when handling glass and consider the safety of pets and kids. We made one out of an old piece or double glazing glass.
What can I grow in a cold frame?
Cold frames are great for starting your seedlings and depending on size are great for tomatoes, peppers and vine crops like cucumbers. Also cold-tolerant vegetables like lettuce, spinach, and kale are good options, as are hardy herbs like thyme and parsley.
Keep an eye on temperature and ventilation
Monitor the temperature in your cold frame to make sure it doesn't get too hot or too cold. On a warm or sunny day open the door or prop open the lid to allow cooling and ventilation and close it at night to retain heat.
Don't forget to water you cold frame
It seems obvious but this regularly catches me out! Because the cold frame is covered, it won't receive any rainfall and warmed conditions inside can lead to plant drying out quickly (especially seedlings) growing outside.
Cold frames are a cosy home for pests
Just like with any other garden, pests can be a problem in a cold frame. Keep an eye out for aphids, slugs, and other common garden pests. Slugs in my garden make a bee line for my veg as soon as night falls so pop out with a torch, pick them off and throw them in the neighbours garden. (Only Joking.) Remove plants that are showing any signs of pests or blight to stop them spreading.
Snail safari
Season 2: Episode 20Late-night antics as Penny declares war on slugs and snails.