How Does a Cold Frame Greenhouse Work?       

The word seasonal vegetables & fruits are heart-breaking. If you are interested in gardening or even in plants, you must have at least wondered about having seasonal plants all around the season.

The dream can come true! At least for a few, it has come true. This has been possible only due to a cold frame greenhouse. In this article, we have listed down the important aspects of a cold frame greenhouse.

What Is Cold Frame Gardening?

With the help of a cold frame greenhouse, you can plant & raise different types of plants in a safe & literally fruitful environment. In cold frame gardening, the aim is to try & utilize the enclosed space to provide optimum conditions to the plants such that they can grow all year-round.

The difference of about a minimum of 5-6 degrees to a maximum of 10-12 degrees of temperature can be achieved between the surroundings & the environment inside the cold frame.

What Is A Cold Frame?

The simplest way to build & understand a cold frame is by placing a wooden frame & covering it with either glass or plastic sheets (only transparent ones). The only important aspect while placing the plastic sheet or glass is that the orientation should be so that maximum sunlight must be captured.

Can A Cold Frame Greenhouse Be Constructed in A Garden?

Absolutely. A cold frame greenhouse can be constructed in one’s backyard or garden. Usually, there isn’t any constraint of space too. Moreover, they are simple to use & construct. The benefits are that you can keep your seasonal plants alive & fruitful all around the year.

Difference Between Cold Frame & Greenhouse

The article talks about the cold frame greenhouse different from the actual greenhouses that you must be well aware of. Greenhouses are actually very famous & can be recognized just by a look at their pictures.

In many places of the US & other nations, the temperature & weather conditions are so harsh that most crops need to be grown only in greenhouse conditions.

The major difference between the cold frame & a greenhouse is its size. The major difference is seldom noted and known to the individual & they are broadly distinguished based on their size only. But there are other differences (& advantages) of cold frames & greenhouse that is as follows:

1. No requirement for any extra heater in a cold frame. Moreover, they nearly provide the same effects of warmth.
2. The construction of cold frames is highly customizable & takes very little time compared to greenhouse construction. Though many add-on benefits would be missing in a cold frame.
3. A cold frame is usually designed for the initial stages of plant life or smaller plants (right from the germination stage). Whereas greenhouses are specially designed to accommodate plants for their complete lifecycle.
4. Cold frames are cheaper & are the best for small gardens.

Working of A Cold Frame Greenhouse

The simple explanation of the need for a cold frame greenhouse is to protect & nurture the plants from a harsh & futile weather condition & instead provide it a safe & fruitful condition.

The material covering the plants in a cold frame is a transparent plastic sheet or glass that allows and entraps (to some extent) the sunlight to enter & provide the essential heat & energy.

It is essential to provide a vent to escape the gases & excess heat. The other alternative would be keeping a constant watch over the cold frame &amp, opening it periodically, twice or thrice a week.

Uses of Cold Frame Greenhouse

1. Cold frame greenhouses are used to provide the initial stages of plants, the best possible conditions by protecting them from severe weather conditions & thus enhancing their growth.
2. Cold frame greenhouses are also used as an acclimatizing factor for various plants. Here the young saplings of the plants are kept in a controlled environment of cold frame greenhouse. The conditions are matched to the harsh weather conditions so that the plant can get used to it.
3. Cold frame greenhouses are useful when you cannot afford a greenhouse, either due to space constraint or lack of funds, but still have a passion for gardening.

Beware of the lack of humidity in the cold frame greenhouses. This not only causes a problem to the plant but also dries the soil. Regular watering of the plants thus becomes quite necessary.