The other idea (besides the 3 ft deep hole) was snugging the coldframe up against and into the compost pile for warmth. (Have access to friends' horse manure :-\if I shovel it) Maybe that would work better. My goal is to find a convenient way to keep the salad crops going through the winter- really growing, not just maintaining, for two of us. My little bubblewrap coldframe won't be big enough if we want some variety and lettuce certainly grows slowly this time of year if at all.
Has anyone tried a coldframe in the compost pile ???
If you were to put manure or even loads of grass cuttings into the compost you would be getting a hot frame. This is the sort of thing that the Victorians used to grow pineapples in.
Yes that would work well GA. I wanted to do a hot bed last year, but didn't get round to it AGAIN ::)
Sounds a much better idea Annie!
I have never made a hot bed but by all accounts they are pretty good!
Old Bird
:o
if it's winter salads you want I would go for a lot of the oriental leaves and chicories as these are winter hardy here, even after a frost they just spring back into shape - you might not like them but there are so many varieties, I grow them as many as possible through the winter and we eat a lot of salads :)