Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
diggerdee

new to 4-season - cold frame question

Hello,

I read Eliot Coleman's book last fall, too late to really do anything this past winter. But I'd like to try my hand at winter gardening this coming winter. I have a question about cold frames.

The edge of my driveway, as it runs along the house into the back yard, comes up completely to the house, so there is the concrete foundation of the house meeting the asphalt driveway. It faces southeast.

I'm toying with the idea of placing some cold frames here, hoping to use the considerable heat thrown off on sunny days in this location.

Can I place the frames on the asphalt? Do I need something on the bottom to help/hinder drainage? What depth should I make the frames since they will be on asphalt, not on the ground?

I haven't decided just yet what I will be growing, but I'm thinking along the line of lettuces, spinach, carrots, beets, onions, maybe some herbs. I figure the lettuces and spinach and herbs will do okay, but I'm more concerned about the root vegetables.

Any suggestions/ideas/similar experiences or situations?

Thanks so much!

Dee

Comments (5)

  • mainelyjim
    15 years ago

    Since you are planning on growing these items for the fall/winter 2008, I think you would be okay placing your coldframes on the asphalt, provided you have a way to ventilate them adequately, as the temperature can get real warm in a hurry in a coldframe when the sun is shining. Drainage shouldn't be a problem, as most cold frames have no bottom on them and I'm assuming your driveway has a bit of an incline on it. The carrots and beets will need some depth, so I suggest you design/build your cold frame with sides at least a foot high if not higher, to allow the vegetative growth of carrots/beets room to grow without touching the lid of the coldframe. Also, it sounds like you would want to grow everything in either deep pots or trays within the coldframe, since this is on asphalt. Remember that pots/trays dry out quite quickly, so you might want to implement some sort of drip irrigation solution so that you are not constantly watering your plants. I read Eliot's book several years ago and went whole hog on the winter gardening idea, in fact it led me to building a hoophouse or two to indulge my need to garden year round! Remember to consult the sowing timetables in his book, those are important if you want your veggies to be mature enough once the days start getting really short and actual plant grow stops. Good luck! - Jim

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hi Jim,

    Thanks for your help! I was wondering whether to plant in pots or not - as a matter of fact, after I posted, I wondered if I should build a frame with a bottom on it (with drainage, of course!). It would certainly make it much easier to put away in the spring. With the frame being close to the house, it will be easier for me to monitor moisture, which I will need to remember to do! And yes, there is a slight incline to the driveway at that point.

    Yes, I plan on getting a copy of Coleman's book in summer, so I can consult the sowing times. I'm doing a spring sowing of some of these vegetables for the first time, so hopefully I'll have some experience with them for the fall.

    A hoophouse or two?! Lucky you! Gee, I think if it weren't for my neighbors, I would definitely have more of a farm than a suburban yard, lol! I've gotta figure out how to camouflage the hoophouse that I'm dreaming about! After reading the book, I wanted to erect a huge hoophouse right off the back door, lol.

    Thanks again!
    Dee

  • mainelyjim
    15 years ago

    Glad to be of help! Coleman's book was definitely inspiring to me. If you can't put up a freestanding hoophouse due to zoning restrictions, the next best thing is a sunroom attached to the house. Lovely to sit in on sunny winter days plus you can grow fragrant flowering plants like lemons/oranges and use it as a large seed starting area. Just remember that if you do go with a coldframe to use a soil mix with enough body to not dry out too quickly and watch out for the sun on clear days! Happy Spring - Jim

  • bcomplx
    15 years ago

    The frame will quickly become overkill because it will heat up so much on warm, sunny days. I will retire mine to storage in a couple of weeks, and stick with season-stretching devices that are less prone to cook things, like cloches and row cover tunnels.

    Frames are great in winter, though. Hardy things like spinach, mache, even arugula sail through the cold when covered and start growing first thing in spring.

    Here is a link that might be useful: my season-stretching video

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hi Barbara,

    Yes, that is what I intended the cold frames for - winter use. I guess I'm asking question a little early, but I'm excited to be trying this method this year! I won't say I'm eager for winter, lol, especially since it seems like spring will never come, but it will make winter more bearable while I am trying my hand at harvesting fresh vegetables.

    I like your ideas in your video, and especially how you use milk jugs and containers, etc., for season extending. I winter sow, so I am well aware of the usefulness of recyclables, lol! I have used cut-off soda bottles as cloches on cold spring nights to protect tomatoes. I haven't gotten into using this type of thing to extend my season though... yet!

    Thanks!
    Dee

Sponsored
Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars254 Reviews
Northern Virginia Design Build Firm | 18x Best of Houzz