Cold Frame

A mini greenhouse for veggies in early spring, fall and early winter.

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The Illusion of A Virus

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For those who are unaware I am building an orchard and a big garden this spring. I have a lot of veggie starts in the basement under lights. I am building a cold frame for early salad greens, and as a place to put veggies that are well along, to make room under the lights.

Spring Cometh

I cut the boards the first day, and then put it together two days later. This is basswood, a hardwood but very light, lighter than pine. I bought it from a guy who’s son is a cabinet builder, about 200 linear feet for $50, so the wood I cut here cost about $20. Pine would be about $75+, cedar about $200+ @ 3/4in thick. This basswood is 1in thick. It was bug eaten but I knew it would be useful for an application like this.

I routered the edges of the bottom pieces like ship-lap so the pieces would fit together.

I found the glass at a Habitat for Humanity Restore for $5.

The glass can be easily lifted from the top or bottom. If I find a piece of rigid poly insulation it will fit snug over the glass for overnights (though after East Palestine I am questioning the purchase of new poly materials. Remember East Palestine.) I can lift the top and wedge it for venting. Once the temperature hits 65F outside I can take the glass off during the day.

I was going to scorch it, where soil would touch the wood, but I think instead I am going to seal it with teak oil or something similar, put salad greens in pots with room for plant trays of tomatoes and cabbages or whatever, instead of filling it with soil and planting directly. I have plenty of basswood for another larger one if I can find an old sliding glass door.

Now for insulation and maybe some adjustments for keeping rain out.

You don’t actually have to put a bottom on a cold frame. The outer rim and glass can sit right on the ground on the south side of a structure, the sun will heat the soil to a planting temperature while the ground around it is still frozen, add some compost and plant right in the ground. But I can set plants outside sooner in this, and I want this to be multi purpose and mobile.

Lettuces await…

I listened to this podcast while I built the cold frame. Six of my favorite writers on substack were invited by Aly Drummond, The RealFemSapien, to talk about tonic masculinity. It was an excellent and insightful discussion. I highly recommend it.