Things You'll Need:
- Garden area outdoors that faces south and gets full sun.
- Bricks or square stones such as edging materials OR 4" x 6" boards (these can be reused)
- An old window or storm door
- Cow or horse manure
- Hammer and nails if using lumber or recycled wood
-
Step 1
Choose a spot that gets full, strong sunlight. This is essential. During the winter months, the sun inside the cold frame creates a mini greenhouse. Location, location, location as the real estate agents say is very important when finding a spot to build a simple garden cold frame.
-
Step 2
Once you have your spot, build the frame. Lay bricks along the ground the length and width of your window glass or old storm door. The frame must be at least 12 inches deep.
-
Step 3
If using lumber, dig a little trench and place board into the trench. It helps to angle the frame slightly so that the back is higher than the front. A 20-30 degree angle (approximately) is ideal. Hammer together the sides of the board to form a box. Remember it also has to be about 12 inches deep. You can dig down into the ground inside of the box to make the depth 12 inches deep. The earth will insulate the cold frame.
-
Step 4
Fill the cold frame box with horse or cow manure. Layer it in as thickly as you can, but keep at least a 12 inch depth inside the cold frame. The decomposing manure adds warmth to the cold frame and nutrients to the soil. This is a tried-and true method of naturally heating cold frames.
-
Step 5
Lay the old storm door or window with glass in it over the top of the box. Use bricks or rocks to weight down the sides. Place plants inside the cold frame box. Plant them inside the ground if you can. Keep the cold frame covered. Water plants sparingly throughout the winter. On days when temperatures rise above 50 degrees, check inside the cold frame to make sure it isn't too hot. If it is, simply prop up the top glass or open it a few inches to allow the air to circulate. It's a good idea to do this once a week except during extremely cold weather to ensure fresh air circulation and prevent molds and fungi.
-
Step 6
Another method of using recycled materials to build a cold frame is to use drawers from an old chest of drawers or dresser. Many people throw out these pieces of furniture and you can often find them at salvage centers or even town dumps waiting for the garbage heap. Remove the hardware and handles from the drawer, leaving only the wood. Dig a trench the size of the drawer and sink the drawer into the ground a few inches, leaving about five inches or more of wood above ground. Fill with soil and compost and place your plants inside; cover with an old glass window or a sheet or plexiglass. You may need to angle the drawer so that the back is higher by two inches or more. Angling the glass top creates more heat inside the cold frame box.
