Why use a Cold Frame?

Cold frames can be great to make the most of the UKs fickle weather. Whether used to harden off plants or to get an early start with salad crops, they can be an invaluable tool for the home gardener to extend the growing season.

In the past, cold frames were frequently made from an old window mounted (with hinges) on a wooden frame at an angle. The angle was aligned to the winter sun to capture additional sunlight and allowed water to run off. Today most commercial cold frames use either polycarbonate or polythene.
Polycarbonate is generally preferable as it does not exhibit the decay problems of polythene, provides light transfer as good as glass and it is doesn't shatter dangerously like glass. This is great news if you have children or pets.

In the early part of the year, a Cold Frame can be used to germinate vegetables seeds early to make the most of the growing period. Onions in particular are an ideal candidate for such early germination. Later in the season it can be used to 'harden off' plants that have been germinated indoors or in a greenhouse prior to planting outside. Sweetcorn is a plant that benefits from an early start, but needs to be aclimatised to outdoor conditions before planting out.

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