<p>Hunting for an imaginative way to show your prized vegetables? Do you want to expand your growing possibilities well into the winter months but can&rsquo;t find the money for a full-scale greenhouse system? Cold frames could possibly be just what you&rsquo;re in search of!</p><p><b>Cold Frame Purposes</b></p><p>Cold frames are essentially little greenhouses people make use of to grow crops in winter conditions. Dependent on what you&#39;re growing and your location&#39;s environment, a cold frame may well allow you to grow crops up until Spring unfolds. These types of little greenhouses shelter crops from severe wind and allow the sun&rsquo;s heat to collect all around the plants and keep the soil underneath from freezing.</p><p>Cold frames are generally constructed from any kind of translucent material. Plastic bottles, old milk jugs, and plastic sheeting can easily all serve as a kind of cold frame fabric. Yet, often cold frames are created using traditional greenhouse materials.</p><p>Some greenhouse growers pick to put together home made <a href="http://www.greenhousecatalog.com/weblog/" target="_blank">cold frames</a> from old house windows, fitted alongside one another to create a glass box for plants to survive in. But, others prefer to take a more contemporary approach and order pre-constructed cold frame kits. These types of kits use glass or plastic panels to allow the warmth to get in but to keep harmful UV rays outside.</p><p><b>Crops Which Cultivate In Cold Frames</b></p><p>If you want a great cold frame crop, get started with lettuce. Lettuce is a terrific choice considering most sorts are sturdy enough to stand up to colder conditions and can blossom with the proper protection from a cold frame.</p><p>Alternative great cold frame crop choices can include: spinach, scallions, chard, arugula, broccoli, beets, mustard, radish, kale, onion, and cabbage.</p><p><b>Help On Cold Frames</b></p><p>By including a coating of garden compost mixed with pet food in the bottom of a cold frame, you can make use of it for seedlings for early Spring growing. Conceal this compost mixture with no less than six inches of top soil, and plant your crops.</p><p>The garden compost buried below gives you an acceptable heat source through cooler days to uphold the crops and keep them from freezing, while incorporating important nutrients to the soil around the frame.</p><p>You can even use decomposing hay or glass clippings to generate heat for your cold frame plants. This strategy effectively converts your cold frame into a hot bed for raising numerous kinds of crops.</p><p>Cold frames are cost-effective and can help you keep your gardening hobby exciting all year long!</p><p>About the Author: Michelle Torres has nearly 20 years experience using and designing <a href="http://www.greenhousecatalog.com/" target="_blank">greenhouses</a> and is an avid gardener. You can find additional useful information about greenhouse gardening and <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/greenhouse-gardening-tips-and-tricks" target="_blank">greenhouse supplies</a> at The Greenhouse Catalog.</p><p><strong>About the Author</strong></p><p>(CityNext.Content #27)</p><p>Article Source: <a href="http://citynext.com/">http://citynext.com/</a> - <a href="http://citynext.com/home-improvement/gardening-articles/resourceful-techniques-grow-and-show-your-plants-cold-frames">Resourceful Techniques to Grow and Show Your Plants with Cold Frames</a></p>