I was sssssssssso proud to have nearly completed a set of cold frames this winter so as to get an early start on my garden. A picture would tell 1000 words, but that is why it is especially wise that I have not included one with this entry, because the cold frames are empty!
What actually has transpired will explain my predicament...
On the plus side, I was able to make a set of five cold frames, three of which had entire old window sashes I recycled and attached to some really nice 10" wide, 2" thick (Sorry to all of you who are metric out there--which is the majority of the world, but am back to good ole US measurements.) rough cedar planks that I bought at a great price at our local hardware store. So I thought that I was set; I was NOT.
I thought that I'd also be following Steve Solomon's advice and be way ahead of the game for planting out this spring. The cold frames are meant to provide extra heat and protection from the elements that will allow you to extend the growing (and eating!) season.
The cold frames were built fairly quickly and easily. I did make one mistake in measuring which was a bit frustrating, but no big deal. So, here was the fiasco which unfolded shortly after completing construction and trying to use these things:
Mistake #1
Thinking that tilting my frames a bit toward the sun would be a benefit, I built them into the side of our road bank (permaculture technique in action!), soon realizing that water did not have time to soak in the soil before running down the trays.
Mistake #2 (closely tied to #1)
I bought cheap ACE hardware soil that almost repelled water. It was definitely not seed raising mix. So much for getting by cheaply...
Mistake #3
I did not open the lids after planting out my seeds. I had hoped to have early lettuce; that has not happened as they shriveled and/or disappeared. I only had weeds growing in the shadows in the box. I even thought I'd be clever and try lettuce covered and uncovered--well, at least the box with the window sash covering and heating up a bit got the seeds started.
Mistake #4 (closely tied to #3)
I did not water enough either.
Mistake #5
Well they just keep on coming...in one box (where fortunately nothing was growing anyway) a gopher or ground squirrel had a hayday! And here I thought that I was so clever by stapling ground cloth--instead of hardware cloth, which is what I should have used--on the bottom, which was meant to keep the slugs and snails out. Well there at least have been NO slugs or snails!
Whereto from here?
Adjustment #1
Has been to raise the bottom edge of the beds to make them flatter. Unfortunately, the water keeps running off the trays, so I really need to plant up with proper seed-raising mix.
Adjustment #2
LOTS OF BLOCKS. I use them to hold open the frames a few inches, and that has made a huge difference in the plants growing in trays surviving the heat. I have found it best to just keep the sashes open a bit at all times, because it is too easy to forget to open AND water if they are closed.
Adjustment #3
AND FINALLY, I have decided to use some old composted horse manure (which I was warned to not use this year in my garden until it has another year to breakdown) to mix in with the top couple inches of soil to attempt to create an environment where lettuce and herbs will thrive--well, we'll see! After all, it is unused space.
So another experiment is at hand. I did mix in lime and the 'doctor's' organic fertilizer to create a hopefully even more ideal environment in which roots will take hold.
I'll let you know what has transpired soon.
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