This is where the cold frame comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is a Cold Frame?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"What](\"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/wp-content\/themes\/church_10\/images\/2019\/08\/coldframe.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFor the purposes of gardening, a cold frame is a transparent-roofed\nenclosure that is used to protect plants from cold weather. The transparent top\nof the enclosures allows sunlight into the box while preventing heat from\nescaping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This simple device is a proven method for growing fresh food\nthrough winter and priming summer gardens earlier than weather permits. They\ntake less space than a traditional garden, require less maintenance, and have\nthe potential to provide far more food than the empty produce section at a\nsupermarket. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Benefits of Cold Frame Gardening and Food Growing<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Cold frames are essential in every long-term survival skill\nset. These simple, yet effective exoskeletons help to extend the harvest\ntimeline well beyond the first frost of the year. This means an early or late\nwinter doesn\u2019t impact your food supply as much as it does other people. During\ntimes when food is scarce and access is limited, a cold frame can provide fresh\nproduce essential to survival. Valuable spices and herbs aid in adding flavor\nto otherwise bland foods. They can be dehydrated or serve as barter items. Plus,\nyou and your family can have access to natural fiber, vitamins, and minerals\nessential to a healthy diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/wp-content\/themes\/church_10\/images\/2019\/08\/brickcoldframe.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCold frames help to promote an early growing period. Regions\nthat have late frosts have to delay planting much longer, which creates a much\nshorter growing season. But with cold frames, starts can begin much earlier\nwithout the need for a giant greenhouse. Transplants from a cold frame have a\ngreater potential to produce than if you were to wait until the last freeze of\nthe year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond the dangers of early or late frosts, some of the\nbenefits of a cold frame include less stress on plants, protection from wind, less\nerosion, fewer weeds, and easy access. If properly oriented and built with care,\nthese units can keep plants alive longer, allow sowing sooner, and generate\nfood during the darkest days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Harvest: What you can grow in a Cold Frame Enclosure<\/h1>\n\n\n\n![\"vegetables](\"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/wp-content\/themes\/church_10\/images\/2019\/08\/coldframegarden.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s possible to harvest leafy plants like lettuce, kale,\nand chard well into the depths of winter and produce hearty starts in early\nfall where direct sowing is too risky. Plants like potatoes, carrots, radishes,\nand beets are also good candidates for cold frames, along with bulb plants. The\ngreens and root vegetables available through proper maintenance and care can\neasily supplement a protein- and carbohydrate-rich diet for those who fall back\non food stores to get by. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the winter season, when no one has access to fresh\nvegetables from their own gardens, supermarkets generally pull from frozen\nstockpiles or other regions of the world to fill their produce sections. But\nwhen supply chains fail, or when thawed vegetables reveal latent bacteria, food\nrecalls and food-borne illnesses become more prominent. Some fresh foods become\nmore expensive, or in some cases non-existent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By taking what\u2019s left of your seed stock, or rounding up the\nend-of-season bargain seeds, you can easily supplement your fresh vegetables\ninstead of relying on what\u2019s left on the shelves. Instead, you can trudge\nthrough the snow, open a cold frame and pluck what you need right out of the\nground as if it were mid-summer. No chemicals, no bugs, no weeds. Just fresh\nfood that is homegrown and ready to eat after a quick rinse. This ease of\naccess and redundancy helps by reducing the need to tap into canned food. Your canned\nfood stores will have greater longevity and could serve a dual purpose as\nbarter if needed for other time-sensitive supplies. Meanwhile, you\u2019ll be able\nto replace your supply behind the scenes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Build: How to build a Cold Frame Garden Box<\/h1>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/wp-content\/themes\/church_10\/images\/2019\/08\/raisedcoldframe.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe frame itself is dirt simple. The concept centers around\nretaining heat in the soil to allow plants to grow despite snow, frost, or even\nfrozen ground nearby. Frames retain heat by absorbing sunlight in an enclosed\nspace, much like a greenhouse. It can be as basic as a 2-liter bottle over a\nplant, or as complex as a conservatory. The most effective form for small-scale\nhome gardens is a rectangular box about 2\u2019 wide by 3-4\u2019 long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To create a cold frame, first locate a piece of un-tinted, single-pane glass such as an old wooden window or aluminum storm window. Anything before the era of vinyl windows will work well. Double-paned windows often contain Argonne gas or tinting that may interfere with natural sunlight, heat gain, or heat loss. If you\u2019re handy in the shop, you may be able to build your frame out of wood and order up the glass to fit from a glass shop in your area. Clear corrugated plastic also serves the same purpose \u2013 let light in and keep the cold out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nIf you are looking for something that will hold up better than glass, I suggest cheking out Lexan<\/a> — this stuff can be shot with a .22lr bullet and not break!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nThe glass, Lexan, or clear plastic goes on top of an exterior framework. The framework consists of a simple, low-profile box that can be made of 2X6 studs or even plywood. Wood is joined and secured at the corners to provide a box that rests directly on the ground. Just remember \u2013 the thicker the wood, the better the insulation will be. Alternatives to wood frames might include brick, foam, or insulated metal siding. Regardless of the materials used to create the framework, you\u2019ll want to build it to match the size of the window or glass frame you intend to use. You may be able to add hinges to lift the glass for access or install a repurposed sliding glass window. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You should have a rectangle of wood framework with a glass\npanel or frame on top that can be lifted or opened for access. Now, orient the\nglass to where the longest side runs parallel to the equator. You want to\ncapture as much sunlight as possible and if snow or rainwater is an issue,\nadding a slope to the frame will make snow removal and access much easier. The\norientation and a good slope will garner the best results possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once the frame is built, oriented and set in place on the ground, you can remove dirt a few inches down and either direct-sow your plants or provide a layer of compost to help get the seedlings started. By starting in late summer or early fall, you\u2019ll have better luck with a regular harvest in mid-winter. By sowing in late winter or early spring, you\u2019ll have heartier plants to transplant into your survival garden<\/a> during summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIf extreme temperatures or limited sunlight prevents the\ncold frame from heating up, you can add a light, heat tape, a heating mat, or\nadditional insulation around the frame to aid in heat retention. Zones 1\nthrough 5 will likely need more insulation and lighting than zones 6-10.\nAdditional insulation can be obtained through foam, additional wood, or even\norganic insulation like grass clippings or seedless yard waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike a greenhouse, a cold frame allows for a heightened level of discretion. The low-profile design is easy to disguise with shrubs or debris to prevent theft in times of chaos. This means that even in an urban setting, with limited space and relatively high visibility, you could still maintain a solid level of security and still have access to fresh food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFor the purposes of gardening, a cold frame is a transparent-roofed\nenclosure that is used to protect plants from cold weather. The transparent top\nof the enclosures allows sunlight into the box while preventing heat from\nescaping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This simple device is a proven method for growing fresh food\nthrough winter and priming summer gardens earlier than weather permits. They\ntake less space than a traditional garden, require less maintenance, and have\nthe potential to provide far more food than the empty produce section at a\nsupermarket. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Benefits of Cold Frame Gardening and Food Growing<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Cold frames are essential in every long-term survival skill\nset. These simple, yet effective exoskeletons help to extend the harvest\ntimeline well beyond the first frost of the year. This means an early or late\nwinter doesn\u2019t impact your food supply as much as it does other people. During\ntimes when food is scarce and access is limited, a cold frame can provide fresh\nproduce essential to survival. Valuable spices and herbs aid in adding flavor\nto otherwise bland foods. They can be dehydrated or serve as barter items. Plus,\nyou and your family can have access to natural fiber, vitamins, and minerals\nessential to a healthy diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold frames help to promote an early growing period. Regions\nthat have late frosts have to delay planting much longer, which creates a much\nshorter growing season. But with cold frames, starts can begin much earlier\nwithout the need for a giant greenhouse. Transplants from a cold frame have a\ngreater potential to produce than if you were to wait until the last freeze of\nthe year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond the dangers of early or late frosts, some of the\nbenefits of a cold frame include less stress on plants, protection from wind, less\nerosion, fewer weeds, and easy access. If properly oriented and built with care,\nthese units can keep plants alive longer, allow sowing sooner, and generate\nfood during the darkest days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s possible to harvest leafy plants like lettuce, kale,\nand chard well into the depths of winter and produce hearty starts in early\nfall where direct sowing is too risky. Plants like potatoes, carrots, radishes,\nand beets are also good candidates for cold frames, along with bulb plants. The\ngreens and root vegetables available through proper maintenance and care can\neasily supplement a protein- and carbohydrate-rich diet for those who fall back\non food stores to get by. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During the winter season, when no one has access to fresh\nvegetables from their own gardens, supermarkets generally pull from frozen\nstockpiles or other regions of the world to fill their produce sections. But\nwhen supply chains fail, or when thawed vegetables reveal latent bacteria, food\nrecalls and food-borne illnesses become more prominent. Some fresh foods become\nmore expensive, or in some cases non-existent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By taking what\u2019s left of your seed stock, or rounding up the\nend-of-season bargain seeds, you can easily supplement your fresh vegetables\ninstead of relying on what\u2019s left on the shelves. Instead, you can trudge\nthrough the snow, open a cold frame and pluck what you need right out of the\nground as if it were mid-summer. No chemicals, no bugs, no weeds. Just fresh\nfood that is homegrown and ready to eat after a quick rinse. This ease of\naccess and redundancy helps by reducing the need to tap into canned food. Your canned\nfood stores will have greater longevity and could serve a dual purpose as\nbarter if needed for other time-sensitive supplies. Meanwhile, you\u2019ll be able\nto replace your supply behind the scenes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The frame itself is dirt simple. The concept centers around\nretaining heat in the soil to allow plants to grow despite snow, frost, or even\nfrozen ground nearby. Frames retain heat by absorbing sunlight in an enclosed\nspace, much like a greenhouse. It can be as basic as a 2-liter bottle over a\nplant, or as complex as a conservatory. The most effective form for small-scale\nhome gardens is a rectangular box about 2\u2019 wide by 3-4\u2019 long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To create a cold frame, first locate a piece of un-tinted, single-pane glass such as an old wooden window or aluminum storm window. Anything before the era of vinyl windows will work well. Double-paned windows often contain Argonne gas or tinting that may interfere with natural sunlight, heat gain, or heat loss. If you\u2019re handy in the shop, you may be able to build your frame out of wood and order up the glass to fit from a glass shop in your area. Clear corrugated plastic also serves the same purpose \u2013 let light in and keep the cold out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are looking for something that will hold up better than glass, I suggest cheking out Lexan<\/a> — this stuff can be shot with a .22lr bullet and not break!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The glass, Lexan, or clear plastic goes on top of an exterior framework. The framework consists of a simple, low-profile box that can be made of 2X6 studs or even plywood. Wood is joined and secured at the corners to provide a box that rests directly on the ground. Just remember \u2013 the thicker the wood, the better the insulation will be. Alternatives to wood frames might include brick, foam, or insulated metal siding. Regardless of the materials used to create the framework, you\u2019ll want to build it to match the size of the window or glass frame you intend to use. You may be able to add hinges to lift the glass for access or install a repurposed sliding glass window. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You should have a rectangle of wood framework with a glass\npanel or frame on top that can be lifted or opened for access. Now, orient the\nglass to where the longest side runs parallel to the equator. You want to\ncapture as much sunlight as possible and if snow or rainwater is an issue,\nadding a slope to the frame will make snow removal and access much easier. The\norientation and a good slope will garner the best results possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the frame is built, oriented and set in place on the ground, you can remove dirt a few inches down and either direct-sow your plants or provide a layer of compost to help get the seedlings started. By starting in late summer or early fall, you\u2019ll have better luck with a regular harvest in mid-winter. By sowing in late winter or early spring, you\u2019ll have heartier plants to transplant into your survival garden<\/a> during summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If extreme temperatures or limited sunlight prevents the\ncold frame from heating up, you can add a light, heat tape, a heating mat, or\nadditional insulation around the frame to aid in heat retention. Zones 1\nthrough 5 will likely need more insulation and lighting than zones 6-10.\nAdditional insulation can be obtained through foam, additional wood, or even\norganic insulation like grass clippings or seedless yard waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike a greenhouse, a cold frame allows for a heightened level of discretion. The low-profile design is easy to disguise with shrubs or debris to prevent theft in times of chaos. This means that even in an urban setting, with limited space and relatively high visibility, you could still maintain a solid level of security and still have access to fresh food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Harvest: What you can grow in a Cold Frame Enclosure<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Build: How to build a Cold Frame Garden Box<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/wp-content\/themes\/church_10\/images\/2019\/08\/hugecoldframegarden.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n