Gardening - Extending the Season

[HungryChris]

Here is my first foray into the cold frame world, but not my last. A friend at work mentioned that they were replacing windows, and I asked if I could have the old ones. Here is how I made use of them. This was a few years ago, but I was so amazed at how well it worked, I have been on a mission, ever since to blaze new trails into the subject. I will update this as I move forward. The first year, it was unpainted and the window glaze was falling off, but it worked so well that I gained a whole new respect and gave it some needed attention (which, as you can see, is still underway). Please feel free to add your efforts here as well.

HC

Edited September 30, 2018 by HungryChris (log)

[rotuts]

its a beauty !

 

are you familiar w spun-fiber cloth ?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Reemay-Garden-Blanket-67-100/dp/B001FA9SNE

 

one of thee best inventions ever

 

can be resused many many times

 

Ive used it both early season and late.

 

adds a month on each end in NE.

Edited October 8, 2017 by rotuts (log)

[HungryChris]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

its a beauty !

 

are you familiar w spun-fiber cloth ?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Reemay-Garden-Blanket-67-100/dp/B001FA9SNE

 

one of thee best inventions ever

 

can be resused many many times

 

Ive used it both early season and late.

 

adds a month on each end in NE.

 

Some time ago, I ordered some frozen food from Jet.com and it came in an insulated box with quite a bit of insulation. I intend to use that insulation on my existing cold frame, but I have already ordered some greenhouse plastic for a much bigger one, still in the planning phase and the Reemay Garden Blanket will be part of that effort.

I hope to be harvesting lettuce, squash and cucumbers well past Thanksgiving. We'll see.

HC

[rotuts]

Ived used the Reemay inside my cold frames

 

even better !

 

I had lettuce doing well in that cold frame in mid Dec NewEngland !

[dcarch]

I had posted this before.

The theory behind my design:

1. Conventional arched cold frame design have the headroom problem for plants near the edges. My design is uniform in height all around.

2. The problem with many cold frames is where do you store them when they are not in use. My design can be taken apart and reassembled in minutes. The parts are all modular and take very little room to store away.

3. Portable, light weight. Can be moved around. Each one is 4'W x 8'L x 2'H. Plenty of growing space.

4. Inexpensive. All plastic plumbing parts.

dcarch

 

Edited October 9, 2017 by dcarch (log)

[gfweb]

I've long grown sage, thyme and rosemary under grow lights all winter...which is nice, but I want to grow quantities  of basil now. My sense, perhaps wrong, is that basil needs way more light to thrive. 

 

Any experience out there?

[KennethT]

Basil needs more light or it will get leggy. But it doesn't need nearly as much light as a fruiting plant would need.

[rotuts]

its late for basil Id say in your area.

 

when I used to grow it in quantity  for freezing as a component for pesto :

 

basil and EVOO  ( no cheese ! )

 

( outdoors )  

 

I had to start early in the season.

 

can't really say how much you are going to get under the lights.