Hi Everyone,
I was hoping to get some 2 cents from people who use cold frames to extend their growing season. Specifically, I'm planning my garden atm and I'm wondering how much earlier do people start their early Spring veggies than they otherwise would when using a cold frame?
I have a couple beds that I want to start off with snap peas and fava beans and then plant with tomatoes and peppers after frost. I'm in 6a so normal planting times are 3/25 for cold-hardy legumes and 5/6 for post-frost crops - a mere 6 weeks.
Is it feasible to start the legumes early enough that I can get a decent harvest and still start my nightshades on time? Or am I asking too much lol? Do people ever pull just enough legumes to make room to transplant their nightshades, giving the legumes more time to work?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks very much.
Mike
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Greetings Mike, Cold frames, you know the answer is going to be: " that depends." I think lettice and leaf cabbage might be more suitable. Beans, you mean bush beans, Yes, you could start your beans in a frame, while starting your tomatoes and such inside, bringing the tomatoes out when all danger of chill and frost is past.
I use a greenhouse, a cold frame is just a small greenhouse, still for a head start it must get fairly warm before you can start tomatoes. We've a couple people here who may give you more insight about the combo of veggies you are planning.
My thought is: by the time your beans produce, tomatoes that have been started inside, and placed outside as weather warms, will be well on the way to production also.
Lets see what the gang has to say. Good luck in the coming season.
Richard
I use a greenhouse, a cold frame is just a small greenhouse, still for a head start it must get fairly warm before you can start tomatoes. We've a couple people here who may give you more insight about the combo of veggies you are planning.
My thought is: by the time your beans produce, tomatoes that have been started inside, and placed outside as weather warms, will be well on the way to production also.
Lets see what the gang has to say. Good luck in the coming season.
Richard
My cold frames I start the first week of march in Pa. here. If you have a double glass or plastic on the top cover you can even start a week earlier! If you expect a very cold below 15 night put a cover over the cold frame You can start peas or any cole crops earlier than that but as for beans maybe 2 weeks before the last frost.
Beans do not trans plant very well unless in a container that can go directly into the ground! Place two one gallons milk jugs of water in your cold frame and it will help keep the temp up at night! Put your seeds in a dirt mixture in the house then in three days pour the mix into your cold frame and cover this it will give the seeds a head start of sprouting. I do this with most seeds. Just cover the mix with a inch of strained soil when poured into the cold frame!
Spinach I would keep in the house for 5 days! Just mix the seeds in a good moist potting mix or even mushroom compost in a closed container or bag and simply pour the mix in your cold frame. Lettuce will sprout in the house in 3 days so don't leave it in any longer! You can leave the lettuce in the cold frame and eat lettuce by the middle of may or sooner!
Beans do not trans plant very well unless in a container that can go directly into the ground! Place two one gallons milk jugs of water in your cold frame and it will help keep the temp up at night! Put your seeds in a dirt mixture in the house then in three days pour the mix into your cold frame and cover this it will give the seeds a head start of sprouting. I do this with most seeds. Just cover the mix with a inch of strained soil when poured into the cold frame!
Spinach I would keep in the house for 5 days! Just mix the seeds in a good moist potting mix or even mushroom compost in a closed container or bag and simply pour the mix in your cold frame. Lettuce will sprout in the house in 3 days so don't leave it in any longer! You can leave the lettuce in the cold frame and eat lettuce by the middle of may or sooner!