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Cold frame
A low, unheated glazed box over a bed or over pots. Used to start plants earlier, to harden them off, and to carry hardy salads through winter.
What this changes about growing
- Adds a few degrees and, more importantly, keeps wind and rain off — often what actually kills an overwintering seedling.
- Overheats quickly on a sunny day, so it needs opening and closing rather than leaving shut.
- Height limits it to low crops and to young plants.
What GrowingHQ has assessed in it
Only plants with an actual assessment appear here. A plant that is absent has not been ruled out — it has not been looked at for this method.
| Plant | Suitability | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Chicory | Well suited | |
| Endive | Well suited | |
| Lamb's lettuce | Well suited | |
| Land cress | Well suited | |
| Lettuce | Well suited | The classic use of a cold frame: winter salad. |
| Pak choi | Well suited | |
| Parsley | Well suited | The traditional way to keep parsley picking through winter. |
| Spinach | Well suited | The traditional way to carry spinach through a British winter. |
| Lemon verbena | Workable | |
| Savory | Workable | |
| Shiso | Workable | |
| Strawberry | Workable | |
| Thai basil | Workable |