Gardening & Landscape, Starting seeds indoors

Cold Frames (Season Extenders for Gardens)

I have used a cold frame for years to grow and harden off my plants before placing into the garden whenever the temperature cooperates. It started off as a 2 X 12 box with a fiberglass top. I have tried plastic greenhouse but stop using these after the second greenhouse blew down the road. This year I purchased a rigid plastic Jewel cold frame made in Germany with automatic vent opener (I figured I deserve it)!

So, what is a cold frame?

A cold frame is nothing more than a box with a clear lid that to trap heat and shelter plants from low temperatures and battering weather. Typically, bottomless for good drainage, cold frames sit low to the ground and have no artificial heat source.  A transparent lid absorbs sunlight and can be lifted for air circulation (or kept shut to keep out the elements).

Historically, cold frames were built as greenhouse extensions tucked against the outer walls with southern exposure as seen (with their glass lids removed) outside Victorian glass houses. They offered a place to harden off seedlings on their journey from the cozy confines of the greenhouse to outdoor planting beds.

What are the benefits of cold frames?

Provide a frost-free haven for tender plants that won’t survive freezing conditions. Move plants into a cold frame until the weather is warm enough to transplant them into the garden.

Have ideal conditions to gradually acclimate seedlings grown indoors to conditions outside without having to carry them in at night.

Are easy and affordable to make (or purchase).

You can place in the garden to raise cool season vegetables like lettuce, radishes, and spinach thru November or get an early jump in March.

Where is the best place to put a cold frame?

To maximize warmth, light exposure, and weather protection for plants, cold frames should be sited in a south-facing position. Other site considerations are drainage and protection from wind.

Take a cue from history and put your cold frame adjacent to another outbuilding for added insulation and to buffer it from weather on one side.

Can I make my own cold frame?

Cold frames are easy and affordable to make, requiring little more than a few boards, an old window (or piece of glass or plastic), some hinges, screws, and a bit of muscle. I have use straw bales in the past with a window placed on top.

Ventilation is key: when outdoor temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, prop open the lid 6 inches; when the outdoor temps clear 50 degrees Fahrenheit, open or remove the lid. Be sure to restore the lid in late afternoon to trap the heat inside for the cool night. Consider a non-electric vent controller to automatically open and close the cover at a preset temperature.

Home Improvement, Real Estate (Residential)

Add Style with Adding Ceiling Fans

There are many benefits to adding ceiling fans into your home’s design that go beyond cooling off a room. Using ceiling fans throughout the home greatly reduces energy costs, while also providing comfort, style and beautiful lighting.

In the summer, fans should rotate counterclockwise to push cool air down to the floor. The cool air evaporates perspiration and creates a wind chill effect, which makes you feel cooler without affecting the room temperature. This allows you to set the thermostat at a higher temperature without forfeiting comfort. Cooling comfort is just a small benefit of using a ceiling fan in the summer. Homeowners who use fans during the summer can save as much as 40 percent on air conditioning bills.

In the winter, fans should rotate clockwise at a low speed to pull cool air up. The gentle updraft pushes warm air, which naturally rises to the ceiling, down along the walls and back the floor. This makes a room feel warmer, which allows you to lower the thermostat temperature and decrease the use of heating devices. Homeowners who use ceiling fans during the winter can save as much as 15 percent on heating bills.

Ceiling fans are a style driven accessory

Ceiling fans are available in a variety of sizes, styles, and finishes to complement your unique interior style. Fans are more than just functional; they can serve as a statement piece or focal point of a room.

Ceiling fans provide beautiful and functional illumination

Fans with lights allow you to contribute to the layered lighting design of your room. Select a fan with a built-in light, or easily install a fan light kit, for general illumination benefits.

Container gardening, House Plants

Terrariums

I have been thinking about terrariums lately. My terrarium happens to be a large vessel with a narrow throat I received for Christmas. The biggest point depending on the success of these types of container gardens is providing for good drainage because glass containers don’t have bottom drainage holes like regular flower pots. You can use any size glass container to make yours, ranging from a jar or brandy snifter to a fish tank.


I got these steps off the internet. 
1. Start with a 1 1/2″ layer of small pebbles on the floor of the container.
2. Cover the pebbles with a thin layer of loose charcoal, which will help keep the water in your garden from stagnating.
3. Cover the charcoal with an inch layer of sphagnum moss . Look in the aquarium/terrarium section of a pet store for the pebbles, charcoal, and moss.


4. Now, add enough potting soil so that the total contents occupy about 1/4 of the container. There will be some settling of the layers.
5. Choose small or miniature plant varieties so they don’t overtake the container. You have to experiment to see what type of plants do well for you. The plants that have found to be the best suited for terrariums are slow growers, tropical plants. Most cacti and succulents are suited for an open dry container.


I like miniature animals (especially dinosaurs), otherwise it’s just a garden in a glass bowl. I will show you my terrarium when it is done. Below are some examples: