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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Cold Frame Advice Sought

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  • From: Thomas Patrick Hurtgen <hurtgenmeadows AT gmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Cold Frame Advice Sought
  • Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 14:42:13 -0500

Shawnee farmer,  I don't consider myself old but vividly remember as a kid helping my Grandpa remove the soil and then horse manure from the hotbed (deep cold frame) and then refill the manure section.  Is there anything in the 1806 book about the depth of the soil and the depth of the manure?  I'd like to recreate a hotbed for regular use on our farm.  My current thought is to use about 7 inches of each.  Thanks, Tom   (zone 7)

On Mar 1, 2010, at 1:42 PM, Shawnee Flowerfarmer wrote:

There are so many variables on this, but a very good OLD explanation is in the American Gardener's Calender by Bernard McMahon.  Yup, it was published in 1806 but cold frames etc using manure heat were much more common.  Old Bossy Bernie's got the system set up by months and for nearly everything that you might want to grow.  (I have to use this book as a reference in my work with historical gardening, but I'm always amazed how often we reinvent the wheel.  For soft technology techniques, Mr. McMahon rocks. Yes.  I am a garden geek)
The book is quite readable.  Other-more contemporary-methods can be found in the Mother Earth News archives also.
Shawnee,zone 5

>
> 
> On Mar 1, 2010, at 10:44 AM, Marty Kraft wrote:
> 
> > I am building a 4X8 foot cold frame and might need to keep it warm 
> > at night. I have some horse manure that was put into garbage bags 
> > about 8 months ago. I was thinking of mixing it with dry leaves and 
> > letting it work under my flats. I don't know if the manure is too 
> > old or how much to use and what kind of temperatures my cool season 
> > plants will tolerate in the frame. The plants were grown to about 
> > 5-6 inches indoors under fluorescent lights.
> >
> > Any information about this will be appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Marty in Kansas City
> 
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