Right around the time the first frost hits, I start setting up my coldframes. Last year I had such great success that I decided to do two this year.
Yay! Two!
The first coldframe, I put in the same place I did last year. Right around where the arugula self seeded. We like arugula and we eat a lot of it. It loves being in the cold frame. I planted more arugula, radishes and parsley in this one.
I laid the straw bales down on their broadest sides for this frame. Two in the back, one on each end. If I get my act in gear, I'll put a couple more [or parts of one] in the front to insulate that side well. I have an old glass door that goes on top. I'll tuck clear plastic all around when it gets and stays cold. Last year I didn't do the extra straw in front but we still had greens all winter long.
This is the new coldframe. I will be growing kale in this one and kale gets taller than arugula and radishes, so I put the bales on their sides so they'd be a little taller. I've got taller kale in the back, shorter kale in the middle and in the front left, I scattered some salad mix. In the front right I scattered a stir fry mix I got from Baker Creek. I can't wait to find out what's in it.
Everything's coming up nicely except the parsley which is slow. So far, the only trouble I had is with the cat, who wants to use the coldframes as a litter box. I covered both frames with deer net - like I do for the strawberries [you can see the strawberries behind coldframe #1]. The net seems to be keeping him out just fine.
So, tell me. What would you grow in a coldframe?