Upper 70's Today Means Spring is on the Way

The weather has changed on us the past several days with temperatures climbing into the upper 70's.  After transplanting all of the tomatoes and peppers into individual containers, I got the itch to pull the cold frame out of the attic.  I set it up on the back patio and began to move all the plants that had spent the last 45 or so days of their lives under a grow light.  Now they'll spend time under the best grow light - the Sun!

Nothing under the grow light...

Our cold frame is made from some old wooden-framed windows that someone was throwing away to make way for some double-paned, energy efficient ones.  A friend rescued them for me and gave me five of them.  I transformed them into a cold-frame that protects our young plants from the cold and wind while I "harden them off" and transition them to the outdoors.

I purchased four medium sized hinges to connect two windows together and then did the same for the other two.  That way it folds up neatly and can be stacked in the corner when finished using.  One window fits on top.  The hinge allows you to open it from any angle to water the plants.

Here are all of the tomatoes and peppers packed into the cold frame.  You couldn't fit many more plants in there! 

I'll continue to water them and look after them daily and check the weather reports.  Some day a few weeks from now, I'll work up some rows and move them into the garden soil.  Tomorrow I'll probably spray them with some fish emulsion to make them 'green up.'  They have a little yellow tinge to them.  Spring is on its way...