Heating up in the Cold Frame

Earlier this month I assembled two cold frames from a pair of old windows, some scrap wood, and straw bales. They're not pretty and I didn't document the process, but the result is happy heat-loving plants!

Here are the bell peppers with their glossy green leaves. They struggled to germinate under the fluorescent lights where I started them as seeds, but things are going much better now. The cold frame traps the heat from the sun during the day and keeps it nice and warm.

Here are the tomatillos I started from seed. They love the warmth, but the cold frame is nothing compared to the heat that comes in July and August. If it's anything like last year, the garden will be exploding with tomatillos!