By digging the base of your garden cold frame down 16-24 inches in depth, you can regulate temperatures better and manage frost. You can overwinter plants, put out transplants earlier, and seed start outdoors sooner, using a basic geothermal principle… the earth stays at a regulated temperature as you dig down.
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16 Comments
I'm going to spill my conundrum in hopes that maybe either you or someone else can offer some advice. I am building cold frames on the side of my greenhouse… my new greenhouse fluctuats from 100° F and 30° in 24 hours. Does a great job holding that sun heat during the day and at night the temp drops to freezing. I live in a swampy area. So… If I dig down 8-10" I have a puddle not a cold frame. I'm looking for consistency of temperature but not sure how to achieve it. Would it be possible to dig down to get the heat then backfill with lava rocks or pea gravel to keep from drowning my plants (in 10×20" flats)?
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would a cold frame work on concrete?
I definitely want to try this for next year. The ground has had a thick snow/ice cover since mid-Dec until a few days ago, so, it's still too frozen to dig. But I'm thinking this wood be good for flower seeds that need to be cold before germination. Then when they are big enough, I could plant potatoes on the floor and just fill it with straw to get an early start on them. Otherwise, I likely have to wait until the end of May. Right now I have 3 doz chitting potatoes, and it's too cold to plant them outside. It's worth a try!
Perfect timing! Today I'm assembling a smaller Juwel. Northern Delaware, absolutely flat yard, soil is 100% pottery clay. Raised bed is 8" so I'd be another 8" into the clay. Do you think digging down 16" into the clay might just fill with water? After 1" of yain a few days ago there's no longer standing water but the ground is a squishy sponge. Raised beds are totally soft. What do you think? Worth a try?
So if you live in a state that has a high water table and has torrential rains in winter do I build up my soil to then dig down 16”? Bc here this right now would be 16” of water. Our last frost date this year is end of March. TIA appreciate the info. Where do we find the plastic panels?
Do these keep roots cooler in the summer as well? I would love to mix this with some shade cloth to try to fight the texas summer.
You are so clever. I'll give this a try. Thank you.
wow such timing – I have started my coldframe seeding experiment this weekend – I expect germination just slower….BUT would have never thought to dig walls down…I forsee a summer coldframe upgrading project in the works lol
That a boy Gary. Mini greenhouse.. Nice Teach
You can add some temperature regulation with additional thermal mass by placing water jugs inside with the plants. It warms during the day and gives off heat in the night.
I'm glad you've given such a detailed explanation of your cold frame and how it and the deeper earth work to protect plants. I see the nail in that one corner. I'm looking to see how else you may have attached the cold frame to the wood. Did the instructions that came with the frame specify? Thanks Gary! (You always have the nicest pepper plants)!
My soil is so rocky, I’d need an excavator to dig that deep. Do you think a cold frame over one of my raised beds would be a waste of time and a potential plant homicide? 😂
Humidity raises the heat too
How warm should a greenhouse be kept to keep pepper and tomato seedlings safe to grow healthy?
Could add a couple milk jugs full of water to help keep temperature up too.