COLD FRAME GARDENING
by Carole Schwalm

Got winter?

It arrives every year, and hopefully it will leave SOMETIME soon! That is not to say that there won’t be who-knows-what coming, not to mention the same who knows as far as the spring thaw. In this light, it can delay garden planting, and winter does arrive as the year ends. A raised bed with a cold frame can become a trans-seasonal delight.

The cold frame and raised beds create a microclimate in which plants think they are growing in another zone in another season. With a little care, like water and fresh air if the inside temp gets a bit too warm, you can trudge through the snow to pick fresh spinach, a few carrots and scallions. You might harvest a few leeks and make a delicious potato soup.

What can you grow? So glad you asked because it means your interest is sparked! Asparagus, carrots, chard, endive, escarole, kale, leeks, mache, parsley, scallions and spinach, to name a few.

When do you plant your seeds? Between mid-July through August, however for salad greens and spinach, September is best.

A hint: a bale of straw and/or a reflective tarp covering, and a whisk broom to sweep away snow comes in handy. It is wise to have them close by after October. A thermometer is icing on the cold frame cake, so you can monitor temps.