This winter me and my dad are taking some of our plants and wintering them in a coldframe. Dad nor I have any experience to this. So I figured this would be an excellent place to get tips. Like how big shall it be? How many plants can one hold. And are there any other things we should be aware of?
Hi FountainMan, the size of a cold frame is usually limited by the glass section. A lot of people use old windows. The amount of plants is dictated by the size and your ability to maintain a safe environment for the plants. Donna S asked for some advice awhile back. This may get you started: http://www.gardenstew.com/about23210.html More questions? Ask away. Jerry
A general indication of your zone or state, may get you better hints as to timing or sheltering style. In any zone a cold frame only adds 5 to 10 degrees F of warmth. For me in the lakes region of NH-USian I got an early start with a cold frame supplimented by a kerosene lantern at nights.
Thanx guys. I'm in Texas (zone 7). I know it's still summer, I'm already talking about winter. But the way I see it, the sooner I get advice the sooner I can get started so I'm not in a rush and I can work on the project in a timely manor so by the time winter rolls around everything is ready. One other thing, I've heard something about using a low voltage heating pad to keep the seeds warm. Could this be done?
You can also use heat tape(the kind used to keep pipes from freezing) buried in a layer of sand. The sand distributes the heat more evenly. Jerry
Heat added helps to a degree with glass-cover to extend a season. A read of Elliot Coleman's Four Season Gardening might be a fun winter-time read for you. Get your first read from inter-library loan.
This past winter when I was starting seeds indoors, I did use regular heating pads. Only problem was that they automatically turned off after 2 hours.
