Wanting to join your number!

16 years ago

Hi All!

I am hoping to join your number! Wanted some advice.

What I am hoping is to do something akin to a cheap and easy A frame with plastic, but against a fence so kind of half the A frame.

against the fence I will be building a 2X10 12" deep bed raised bed. The fence itself is about 4-4.5 solid with 1' lattice. I was going to tuck the back plastic edge under the back side of the bed, pull it up, then angle is out to the ground.

How to attach to the fence with out putting holes into the plastic? Or should I use 2x2 into the ground at the bed corners and center and drape up over that? >

And if so, how high? and how to make them stable enough for winter winds?

Under this lean to half A, I will have floating row cover over the bed. Allowing an aisle to walk down, will have some larger container toward the short side if room allows for super hardy green. The slant will be facing to the south.

Additionally, I have a large old window I want to make a cold frame out of. It is 4.5 foot by 2.5. Found it in the alley :) Perfect to put in one of my regular beds. I'll be putting it into a raised bed of 12 " as well. so I'm thinking a back piece of 12 inches, and two side pieces going from 12 in the back to 0 in front, so just the 3 pieces....or should I at least include a wood strip across the bottom to serve as a stabilizer.....?

I'm thinking two hinges at the top? Any recommendations? something I can hopefully remove and reuse easily?

The window is very heavy, and I need to make a frame that I can detach it from easily.

I'm just one lone woman with a power screwdriver, and middling skill with it, so easy it needs to be.

Any advice is appreciated, and recommendations for which veggies would do best in the

A) the plastic frame under rowcover

B) plastic frame in containers - no covers

C) cold frame

Thanks all!

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Comments (2)

bettyd_z7_va
15 years ago
Hi T-bird,

I just started lurking here recently because DH and I want to learn to four season garden, too. I've never posted here before.

We planted a fall garden of greens for the first time this year.

I will ask him to read your post and see what he thinks about your ideas, since nobody else who may have experience has answered you. I'm hopeless with anything to do with building.

I see that you are in Chicago. Windy!

Being in zone 7 Central Va, we won't be able to help you much with suggestions on what you should grow. We are beginners ourselves.

I read somewhere to pick varieties that have 'Russian' or 'Siberian' in their names if you need cold hardy seed to grow.

Don't become discouraged and give up because nobody bothered to answer.

It is great that you want to try. Just start with the ideas you have and learn as you go. That is what we are doing. Our mistakes are great teachers.

Maybe we can learn together.

Let me know what you've done so far.

If you haven't read it yet, get Eliot Coleman's book about Four Season Gardening. It is excellent.

Also, go to the Square Foot Gardening forum. They are pretty friendly and love to help people. I've learned a lot there.

Good Luck,
Betty
t-bird
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi Betty!

Yes lets start a beginners support thread!

Fall 2010 eluded me here! It was so hot so late into the season, and my construction was behind schedule as usual!

I put a bunch of broccoli in as fall planting - plus others - got very very slim harvest.

I had 4 clear glass serving bowls that I popped over 4 plants - I think it was kales and/or kohlrabi.....about 4-6" tall and just 2-3 leaves.....that was the extent of my season extending, lol!

I got my bed built, 2x10x12" with 3 6 foot poles against the north/fence side. But never got the plastic/poly/glass to give it protection.......next year - hopefully!

yes - I am an eliot coleman fan - was just curled up with them this afternoon.....my take away today was that you can plant spinach Jan 15 with 2 layers of protection!!!

So here's to early starts!!!
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