How to Build a Cold Frame to Extend Your Growing Season

[@dkulikowski]

Since we are both in the same zone, it is wonderful to watch how you extend the growing season. Hard work pays off Patrick. You are indeed a passionate gardener

[@OneYardRevolution]

+LARK'S GARDENS Thanks, Lark! The new setup will be a big improvement for us.

[@janetbecker4282]

Really enjoyed your videos. Sorry that I can't find any current gardening videos from you.

[@dritanbega6461]

So ...you are a good carpenter to...Thanks for the video, very pleased to watch.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Dritan Bega Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@meehan302]

Nice cold Frames Patrick and well made to capture the maximum Sun. Thank you for showing us how to do it

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Patrick Meehan You're very welcome, Patrick!

[@iamorganicgardening]

Great information from start to finish. Well done. Everyone is looking forward to your walk-in hoop house.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+iamnjorganic Thanks, Mark! I love your DIY greenhouse.

[@Skyisland17]

We tore down our deck. I didn't lay out my garden conveniently to build a walk-in hoop house, but I'm so excited to build some cold frames, and maybe new raised beds.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Skyisland17 That's great! Best wishes with your raised beds and cold frames.

[@ShelitaRN]

Wow Patrick you never cease to amaze me, this is awesome, seems like a lot of work, and that's why your garden looks Reign Fabulous!!!!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Shelita Williams Thanks, Shelita! Yes, season extension definitely requires some extra work. Fortunately, these cold frames will last many years. Thanks for stopping by!

[@Oukoyami]

Patrick, That was cool and very detailed. That will help a lot of people. Well done.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Oukoyami Thanks! I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@nov51947]

Great design, Patrick. Fitting the frame to existing glass available is an excellent idea. Ripping 1x2s from old (or new!) cedar fence boards for the bottom protection of the pine would be a good idea, too.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Some Southern Stuff Thanks! You're right. Used cedar fence boards would be great for capping the bottom.

[@SouthpawDavey]

Nice job with the cold frames. Looking forward to seeing the hoop house go up.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Southpaw Davey Thanks, Dave!

[@ariesred777]

The effort to keep the topside as large as possible will pay off Patrick.Winter sun and natural light/heat to the max.Great job.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+ariesred777 Thanks! Yeah, these cold frames will let a lot more sun in than the old ones.

[@Selfsufficientme]

Not that I need a cold frame but I found this video interesting nonetheless. Capping the base isn't something I would have thought of but I'll take every wood work tip I can get! Nice one Patrick, cheers :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Self Sufficient Me Thanks, Mark! I'm glad you found it interesting.

[@HealthyLifeFarm]

Very nicely built cold frames and I really love the idea of replacing the bottoms with cedar steaks to protect your frames. I can't wait to see your green house. Best Wishes, Peaches

[@OneYardRevolution]

+lovers4healthylife Thanks, Peaches! The greenhouse actually has me looking forward to winter. ;-)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Nice build Mate 👍

[@OneYardRevolution]

+RobBobs Backyard Farming Thanks, Rob!

[@ingerhaugland6763]

Great video. I really like the design of the cold frames, and I love that you show exactly how you made them, so someone relatively new to gardening (like myself) can follow the method you used. I live in Norway, so cold frames are definitely something I want to look into for my gardening. Thank you! As always, I really enjoy your videos. Inger

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Inger Haugland Thanks so much, Inger! I'm glad you found the video helpful.

[@ingerhaugland6763]

OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening I absolutely did! Thanks for all the great content and inspiration :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Inger Haugland You're very welcome!

[@MarinaWilson1958]

Looks like my OH has a new project for winter!😉 A great idea Patrick and it's going to be so beneficial to your tender plants, thanks for showing my OH (and me) how to do this.Always informative and may I say, your garden is looking fantastic!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Marina Wilson Thanks, Marina! I'm glad you found the video helpful. I hope your OH isn't going to be mad at me. ;-)

[@domainbe]

I like how you do your videos. They seem so professional. This reminds me of my mom, who used to do cold frames in the spring, and to start new plants. Hers were not so well designed, but they did the trick. Keep up the great work!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Drew “Dobeedoo” Delaney Thanks, Drew! Your mom knew what she was doing. Cold frames really help to get a jump on planting in the spring.

[@williamalston4660]

this video give me some new ideas for cold frame design, thanks for sharing with all of us, with all of your videos, i have made some changes in my garden and seasonal activities... to me, gardening is personal activity, so, i like reviewing ideas and keep creating better ways to grow more food, yours is one my top youtubes to follow and learn different or new ideas... thanks william.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+william alston Thanks, William! I'm glad you find helpful ideas in my videos that you can incorporate into your personal approach.

[@harryrarmer]

Nice one Patrick! By the time you've finished with that garden o' yours you'll have made a micro climate that imitates the equator!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Michael Ball Thanks Michael! I wonder if a 3rd layer would get me there?

[@maryc954]

Hi Patrick! I just love your videos and how you share all of your garden experiments. Will love to go on the journey of the hoop house with you! I am in zone 5a but surrounded by zone 5b. Would love to to "zone up" by trying some of these ideas out!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Mary C Thanks, Mary! I hope the videos help you "zone up". It's going to be very nice for us to go inside a hoop house to harvest instead having to be out in the cold. ;-)

[@maryc954]

I am so excited for you! Thanks for taking all your friends along for the ride! :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Mary C You're very welcome!

[@MushroomPatch]

Another excellent video. Thank you Eliot.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+MushroomPatch Thanks!

[@HelenRullesteg]

Thanks Patrick, I'll have a look at that one as well.

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

I look forward to see how you do my friend ! Next spring I'll be working on a similar project where I'll be looking to convert 1/2 of one of the main beds into a miniature greenhouse for cold hardy crops.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Alberta Urban Garden Simple Organic and Sustainable That's great, Stephen! Getting a jump on the growing season in zone 5 will make a huge difference.

[@louiseb2598]

Can you show a video on how you set up that pvc piping and what you are going to do with it? I'm very interested it that. I did enjoy the cold frame info. Especially the 1 x 2 across the bottom. I will not forget that great tip. Cheers from VA zone 7 Louise To plant a garden is to believe in the future

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Louise B Beautiful quote, Louise! You live in a great area for winter gardens. Here's a video where I show how I set up a PVC low tunnel over a raised bed. It's a little different than the one in this video, but hopefully you'll find it helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIvQgXeGrZt6ebM

[@louiseb2598]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Thank you

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Louise B You're welcome!

[@FensterfarmGreenhouse]

That is a very nice design Patrick. Those will work nicely inside your new hoop house when you stand it up gaining another zone. Chuck

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Fensterfarm Greenhouse Thanks, Chuck! I'll be growing in Tennessee with the hoop house. Of course, you'll be growing in Florida. ;-)

[@FensterfarmGreenhouse]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening I never really thought about it that way but you are right. At any rate I will get to see more growing videos from one of my favorite channels since you are doing this my friend. Chuck

[@OneYardRevolution]

Fensterfarm Greenhouse Thanks, Chuck! I'll be following you as well.

[@MidwestGardener]

On my list of things to do. Thanks for the great information. Maybe next year.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Jim H. You're welcome, Jim! They're really great for extending the season.

[@rayswoodshop4467]

I am so glad i found your, great videos. I will be building a hoop house too...why not? Veggies and woodworking, whats not to love ?

[@OneYardRevolution]

Welcome to the channel, Ray!

[@keyplayr61greenhousehydrop14]

Nice build, my friend!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Keyplayr61 Greenhouse Hydroponics And Gardens Thanks, Keith!

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Hey those are saaweeeet. I plan to use glass on my next ones. Can't wait to see your tunnels.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Grow Your Heirlooms Thanks! Yeah, the glass tops are really nice. They hold the heat very well.

[@TheSajeffe]

Very nice. Glad I live in 8a. Too much geometry for my little brain. :) If I ever move back to the north, I'll get somebody to build me some of these. I can't imagine not having greens in the winter.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+TheSajeffe Thanks! Hopefully, my winter garden microclimate will be joining you in zone 8 this winter. ;-)

[@BobMelsimpleliving.]

I made a cold frame last year out of scraps of wood and used some poly for the top. Worked very well. I keep looking for someone getting rid of an old window or door. No luck yet. Best wishes Bob.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Bob Lt That's great, Bob! I'm glad to hear your cold frame worked well for you. I know what you mean about finding windows and glass doors, though we were fortunate to get a whole bunch of windows recently when a neighbor did some home renovation. Now I just need to build some more cold frames! Best wishes!

[@elysejoseph]

Beautiful work Patrick, I wish I had wood working instead of home ec in high school LOL Can't wait to see the hoop house!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Elyse Joseph Thanks, Elyse! I guess the hours I spent learning from my dad were well spent. ;-)

[@elysejoseph]

My dad thought me about every thing I know, but was afraid to let power tools in my hands LOL I can do simple electricity and plumbing but unless I used a hand saw, a hammer...well you get the picture :-)

[@OneYardRevolution]

***** You could definitely make one with hand tools. You'd get a great workout too!

[@progtom7585]

cheers mate thanks for sharing this, great idea with the sloping front, prevents shadow zone!! nice one! Surprised you didnt treat the boards at all?

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Thomas! Yeah, our cold frames last a very long time, especially when I put the replaceable 1 by 2 strip on the bottom.

[@motocephalic]

I went to poly only, since my glass tops broke last year due to so much ice in zone 5. Using double poly layers works very well, and has some flex so that ice does not affect it.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+motocephalic I'm sorry to hear you lost your glass tops. Ours have held up very well so far and we have a stockpile of storm windows from a neighbor's home renovation.

[@666Musik]

Patrick, your garden is amazing and your videos are always inspiring even when I'm not feeling it. I was thinking today I need to build some beds etc. this winter while I'm bored, now I'm going to have to attempt at least the simple version of your cold frame boxes, my carpentry skills aren't what yours are though, you make it look easy. I've got more leaves than ever this fall and still have more on the way. This year wasn't my greatest with the months of rain on end but we still ate very well out of the garden and so did some critters, major critter problems this year. I'm thinking maybe an out of control raccoon. If you need an idea for a video, advice on how to deal with very destructive critters would be awesome.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Billdo O'Reilly Thanks! Sorry to hear about the pest damage. I think part of the reason we don't have much damage from larger pests is that there are fewer of them in the city. I'll definitely think about that as a video topic.

[@cupbowlspoonforkknif]

I'm working on a cold frame too. I'm going to try and add temperature activated vents for a challenge.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+David D Very cool! Let me know how the temperature activated venting goes. Will it lift the lid or open a vent in the side?

[@Qwiv]

Paint the back of the cold frame a dark color. Get that little extra heat.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Qwiv That would definitely help retain some heat.

[@portiaholliday8741]

I Love the idea of (2) 2 X 12 boards stacked to allow more grow room for taller plants. Collards do get tall. I am wondering what is the purpose of the sloped frame? Is this just for aesthetics? I could build a box and put a window on top that is not sloped.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Portia! The sloped top allows more sun in the cold frame. This video shows a simpler approach to building a cold frame: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nl7Gi5RpqstrgKM

[@HighDesertGarden]

Looking good. I might have some leftover Windows soon ;)

[@OneYardRevolution]

+High Desert Garden (Phillip) Thanks, Phillip! We got a bunch of new windows recently when a neighbor remodeled their house. Some will eventually go in our new hoop house.

[@jsmith6863]

Patrick, I'm planning to use the cedar 1x2 bottom cap idea to help lengthen the life of my raised bed. Comparing this video to some of your others (raised bed, keyhole, cold frame v2, etc.), it appears you used the bottom caps only on these cold frames. Any particular reason why you choose to not install them on all your other beds? Thanks for your videos!

[@OneYardRevolution]

That's a good idea. I never thought to use them on a raised bed.

[@clarencesnow9257]

Love your videos and thank you for sharing. Are your cold frames set on top of your raised bed frame or inside the raised bed frame? Planning to make some this summer and wasn't sure which would be best. Thanks again, Maggie

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Maggie! These cold frames rest on top of the beds, but we have others that rest on the soil. You'll probably get a more air-tight seal when they're on the ground. Best wishes with your garden!

[@MichaelJosephJr934]

Outstanding!

[@ceciliacorbett8313]

I've been following your channel for months, so it's high time I said thank you for these videos. I'm in zone 4 and have bookmarked some of your methods to try in our little Zone 4 garden, starting this fall. Off-topic questions: Is that you playing the guitar intro, and what's your cat's name?

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Cecilia Corbett You're very welcome, Cecilia! I appreciate you taking the time to watch. If you already have cold hardy crops growing, you can definitely extend their growing season by adding protection. Yes, that's me playing the guitar and my little buddy's name is Oscar. Thanks again!

[@Matt_j593]

I'm confused on cold frames vs. low tunnels. Eliot Coleman doesn't seem to like low tunnels. I see you use both. Te low tunnel seems easier and cheaper to build. What are the benefits of each? Should I use both for different things?

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Matt Jerr Hi Matt. Eliot uses both low tunnels and cold frames. In his unheated greenhouses, he uses row covers as a second layer of protection and removes it during the day. Our cold frames provide more protection from the cold than our low tunnels. Assuming you can find a used window or glass door and some scrap wood, cold frames are cheaper (i.e., practically free) to build. As a rule, they're also easy to build. This is how we usually build them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIukp4mYatOtprM Both are excellent tools, though if I had to choose one over the other, I'd pick cold frames for their superior protection.

[@lexington476]

When would you use the plastic and hoops vs cold frames?

[@OneYardRevolution]

They both serve the same purpose. I like cold frames best but am not able to find enough free repurposed windows to cover all of the space I want to protect.

[@miramirez3574]

❤