As autumn deepens, preparation for winter in the garden becomes essential. If you haven’t got a greenhouse to protect your more delicate plants from the elements, you could consider investing in a cold frame.
A cold frame is a simple, low structure box, usually made from wood, metal, or plastic, that has a transparent lid and panels. Think of it as a mini-greenhouse. It traps heat from the sun during the day and keeps it inside at night, creating a warmer, more stable environment than the open garden.
Andrew White, gardening expert at Rhino Greenhouses told the express.co.uk: “They are perfect for raising plants from seed and hardening off young plants before moving them into the garden. They also provide valuable protection for delicate plants during frosts and the colder autumn and winter months.”
While some can be quite expensive, this one by British garden and homeware brand Christow is a steal at £35.99 reduced from £89.99.
The Christow frame is built with sustainably sourced wood that has been treated with a preservative to resist rot, and features UV-stabilised polycarbonate glazing panels to let in light without warping.
The pitched roof design helps shed rain and snow, and the dimensions are generous (100cm wide, 65cm deep, and 40cm high), making it big enough to sit atop a raised bed or ground plot. It weighs 4.4kg, so it’s heavy enough not to blow over but easy to manoeuvre. It also has base plates and ground supports so you can peg it down to prevent uplift in windy weather.
The frame also allows for easy panel removal, which helps with maintenance when cleaning, moving, or adding insulation.
It’s delivered in a flatpack but customers who have purchased say the frame was simple enough to build. One shopper who bought from Amazon, wrote: “Surprised how good this was for the money. Easy to put together and the pre-drilled holes all married up, that’s a result in its self. No fiddly bits to sort.”
While someone who bought it direct from Christow penned: “Excellent and well constructed.” However, there were a few niggles from shoppers who said it was quite lightweight and they’d had to use bolts to keep it in place.
For anyone unsure if a cold frame might be useful, White says they are ideal for anyone starting out or who might not have space or budget for a traditional greenhouse: “They sit low to the ground, bathing your plants in natural light while shielding them from the chill. Their smaller size also provides versatility, making them easy to move around the garden whenever you want.”