Build your own Cold Frame – the super-easy way

April 28, 2013 by Soulsby Farm - A Very Small Farm

Want to start your growing season early? Maybe extend in into the winter months? Then build a cold frame or sometimes called a mini greenhouse. A cold frame is 4 walls that secure heat and protect plants from the elements and a top that allows light through.

Step 1) Find a good location that gets lots of sunlight and faces south.
Step 2) Build the walls. I used straw bales. They’re great at holding in heat and no tools are needed.

Step 3) Use some old windows to put on top. I used some storm windows I found in the trash at a local church.

Step 4) Fill with plant trays full of seeds.
Step 5) Keep an eye on temperature, moisture and airflow. Open up the lid a few inches to circulate fresh air in.
Step 6) Acclimate your seedlings by taking the lid off when they get bigger.

Happy Planting!

Next Post: Starting your seeds in the cold frame.

Posted in Gardening, Homesteading, Organic Gardening, Self Sufficient Living, Sustainable Farming | Tagged build a mini greenhouse, Cold frame, garden, greenhouse, Growing season, Home and Garden, how to build a cold frame, mini greenhouse, plant trays, seedlings, Sowing, starw cold frame | 35 Comments

35 Responses

on April 28, 2013 at 10:31 am | Reply Margaret Gilfoyle

I love this simple, beautiful idea – thank you!
on April 28, 2013 at 10:36 am | Reply Morley's Acres Farm and Bed & Breakfast

I was just wanting to build a cold frame and I have all the stuff right here. This looks a lot like my new raised bed. I’m using straw for sides (then will compost it when it breaks down and cardboard to keep the speargrass from infiltrating (also will break down) and the lasagna method for filling the center. I will pull off a few bales for my cold frame. Thanks so much!
~Julie
on April 28, 2013 at 10:43 am | Reply home, garden, life

Know about this technique, although never tried it. Love the book “the straw bale house” and would love to build one. Clever re-purposing of windows.
on April 28, 2013 at 10:55 am | Reply Ogee

Simple and perfect. Thanks for sharing 🙂
on April 28, 2013 at 10:59 am | Reply Anonymous

Great idea, thanks for sharing.
on April 28, 2013 at 11:03 am | Reply Build your own Cold Frame – the super-easy way | The Soulsby Farm | homesbyjim

[…] Build your own Cold Frame – the super-easy way | The Soulsby Farm. […]
on April 28, 2013 at 11:51 am | Reply LubbyGirl

now I just gotta find some hay bales.
on April 28, 2013 at 12:17 pm | Reply on thehomefrontandbeyond

very cool – ah– I mean warm
on April 28, 2013 at 2:17 pm | Reply nutsfortreasure

Reblogged this on Living and Lovin and commented:
I LOVE THIS!!!!! This I can DO!!!!! lol
on April 28, 2013 at 3:19 pm | Reply lolarugula

What a fantastic way to do a cold frame – thanks for sharing!
on April 28, 2013 at 3:45 pm | Reply Reblog: Another Cold Frame Idea | Pardon My Garden

[…] http://soulsbyfarm.org/2013/04/28/build-your-own-cold-frame-the-super-easy-way/ […]
on April 28, 2013 at 6:29 pm | Reply maplefellgrange

The other thing we do is grow our watermelons in hay bales. So you can start seeds this way and then multi use the hay for growing melons.
on April 28, 2013 at 6:46 pm | Reply Donkey Whisperer Farm

Wow this is so smart 🙂 I am following your blog now 🙂 Melody
on April 28, 2013 at 6:47 pm | Reply Donkey Whisperer Farm

Reblogged this on Donkey Whisperer Farm Blog.
on April 28, 2013 at 7:05 pm | Reply gardengirl92

What a great idea! I wish I had known about that earlier this year.
on April 28, 2013 at 7:19 pm | Reply ginplustonic

So easy. Good one.
on April 28, 2013 at 7:55 pm | Reply Amy

Have been wanting to try this- thanks for the post (and the like!!) -Amy
on April 28, 2013 at 8:24 pm | Reply Lauren

Great idea! The girls would love this. We may have to give it a try early next year! (Hopefully spring is here to stay now?)
on April 28, 2013 at 8:29 pm | Reply Loren Williams

Excellent idea – I hadn’t thought of hay bales.
on April 28, 2013 at 9:32 pm | Reply jheem

Great idea!
on April 28, 2013 at 10:32 pm | Reply daddyisgroovy

This is really cool and easy to follow!
on April 28, 2013 at 11:08 pm | Reply marykj9647

I hadn’t thought of either a straw bale cold frame or a straw bale raised garden bed. Both fantastic ideas! Now to find the glass…my new project for the fall. I’ll bet I could grow spinach, lettuce, and a couple of other things in such a bed for the autumn months. Can’t wait to try it! Thanks!
on April 29, 2013 at 12:47 am | Reply Three Well Beings

Fantastic! I love the idea that even the cold frame has such an organic feel, right down to a repurposed window. This is just the best!
on April 29, 2013 at 3:39 am | Reply midihideaways

That’s super easy – great idea!!
on April 29, 2013 at 10:19 am | Reply John J Gishnock III

awesome project! Be sure to show us some “after” shots of plants. Thanks DS!
on April 29, 2013 at 8:00 pm | Reply Jean

Well, isn’t that slick? Most cold frames I’ve seen require a certain amount of measuring, cutting, and skill. Hey, even I could do these ones! Thanks!
on April 30, 2013 at 12:56 am | Reply Sunniva

Oh, I love it! Wish I had a farm 🙂
on April 30, 2013 at 6:03 am | Reply mabbsonsea

Great idea, and so simple. Are you going to plant anything in the straw?
on May 1, 2013 at 6:49 am | Reply gardenjon

Hi, I love the simplicity and speed with which this can be done, and the fact that it can be taken apart easily too! Thanks for the idea:)
on May 6, 2013 at 3:03 pm | Reply art2snow

Reblogged this on Green Momma Adventures and commented:
AWESOMENESS! Thank you so much!
on May 9, 2013 at 10:51 am | Reply Bill

I love the “no tools needed” approach. I did something similar, using some leftover bricks and some salvaged windows.
on June 9, 2013 at 11:43 am | Reply Winter crop protection | eHow Tos

[…] Build your own Cold Frame – the super-easy way […]
on July 18, 2013 at 6:35 pm | Reply Erin

Adding this to my to do list, or should I say my husbands. hehe!
on July 19, 2013 at 7:35 am | Reply Anonymous

I love this idea.. this is perfect for me..
on August 29, 2013 at 12:11 am | Reply Women of Wise

a great idea for next spring!