Building a Cold Frame

February 18th 2011

Cold Frames are really just mini greenhouses. They are used primarily for extending your growing season- meaning you can garden earlier and later. They are also used to HARDEN OFF seedlings before they can be planted in the garden. That’s why decided to build one. My seedlings will be ready for the garden in no time and need to transitioned gradually!
Here is how I did it...

I simply bought old windows from a salvage yard, then built a frame (top sets at an angle) that would could fit the windows on top of it with the old fence pickets we had laying around.Most people use hinges on the window so it open on the top, but i just set the windows on top to make it easier to move. I thought about insulating it with foam, but the weather is already so hot here, I don’t think that will be necessary!

When using a cold frame...
- face it South
- remember to prop the window open on warm days!
-set a tarp or black plastic down inside the frame to kill the grass if there is no base, you dont want weeds and grass seeds getting into your young transplants

It only took about 1 hour to build and cost $5 for each window + free recycled wood= $10 total.

Seed Starting- the remix

February 6th 2011

After two weeks I had many seeds that germinated. All were doing well, besides carrots, celery, rosemary, mint and lavender, so I got about 50/50. However it was hard to keep the soil moist, I would water twice a day and it was not good for the seedling themselves so be wet that much. Many caught a fungus and died. This is called dampening off, they don’t know what causes it, but it is very common in little seedling. SO… after another week, I transplanted some, at this stage 75% more died. What I have left from the whole debacle is 6 basil plants. (and a lot of know how)
I replanted, I was more neat with flattening the soil. I dug little trenches in the soil, then put the seeds on a piece of plastic blind, and slowly ran the plastic along the trench as a tapped it, causing seeds to more or less fall neatly into the trench. Then I filled the trench in and patted the soil down.
THEN. I put the whole tray inside a clear plastic bag instead of using the coke bottles. THIS WORKED BEAUTIFULLY. I never had to water them and they are growing 3x as well as before. Coke bottle= cute and recycly but not such a good sealant! Now everything but the celery is growing very well.- time to transplant soon!

USE CLEAR PLASTIC BAGS!

Etsy: homespun organic hats

I sell hats on Etsy
www.asagemountain.etsy.com

Garden Apron & Tote

The weather has been rather gray, and me and baby have the sniffles: we have been confined to the house. So I sewed a garden apron and tote. I am constantly pouring over books, so I needed a bad for my books, seeds and notebooks.

Craft Room: Make it. Don't Buy it.

I love making things. I don’t know if you could call my craftiness a gift or just or necessity being the mother of invention. I have peculiar taste, when I can’t find things or afford things: I make them. This is true of my wedding dress, costumes, bags, Easter dresses, pillows, crib bumpers, stuffed animals, and lots of stuff for Søren. It has helped with extra income as well (I make about 500/year on odd jobs, DYS also saves tons of money on baby/birthday/Christmas gifts!)

Here is my craft room. To all those lucky enough to designate a separate space to crafts: do it. Projects are messy and last weeks sometimes. It also helps to make things as organized as possible for people like me, I must be able to get to colors/fabric/markers quickly or I become frustrated. It also helps when you are constantly cleaning up.