It’s winter time around this parts right now, so naturally you will find that a good number of the posts I will be making on this blog are winter related. Just like the post on diy straw bale cold frame and another on how to winterize your garden. This post I thought we should look at 3 useful cold frame gardening tips.

What is cold frame gardening? If you have never been exposed to this method, it is basically the use of a boxed enclosure that has a clear top for gardening. The idea is that you can grow your vegetables in it all through the fall and winter. This box naturally harvests the sun’s energy and as a results keeps your plants protect from the elements.

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Tip #1: Location, Location, Location.

The location of your cold frame is vital, if you want achieve maximum efficiency. The perfect spot is one that allows it to face south, has a lot of sunshine but at the same time is protected from the winds. Use the side of solid structures such as your house, deck, garden shed, garage or even greenhouse. Alternatively, you can let it stand alone, but make sure that you insulate the sides with either straw bales or bags filled with leaves.

Tip #2: Ventilation

If you have your location right, then you are most likely going to have to be very hands on when it comes to ventilation. Without adequate ventilation you may cause many problems for your plants, preventing them from achieving optimum growth. A simple way to tackle this issue, is to just open your top during the day, especially on the warmer days in spring or fall. Don’t forget to close it at night, like I have done a few times.

Tip #3: Maintenance

There are a few simple maintenance tasks that if ignored could drastically reduce your cold frames efficiency. When the leaves start falling, make sure that you regularly remove any leaves that may fall on top of the frame. When it comes to winter time and the snow is falling, grab a brush and remove any snow that may have collected on top of your cold frame.

You can find more tips on the Savvy Gardening blog, here…