Carrying Plants Over Winter 



363 



Wintering autumn-sotvn plants. 



It has been said (page 342) that one nse of coldframes 

 is to carry fall-sown plants over winter and to have them 

 ready for transplanting into the field very early in the 

 spring. The plants are not to grow in winter: they are 

 only protected. Hardy plants (lettuce, cabbage, kale, 

 cauliflower) are used for this purpose. 



Seeds are sown in autumn, and when the plants have 

 grown four or five weeks they are ready to be transplanted 

 into frames. It is not well that they make much growth 

 in bulk after transplanting to the frames ; but they should 

 secure a good root-hold before freezing weather comes. 

 Some persons sow the seeds directly in the frames, but 

 better results are usually obtained if the plants are made 

 extra stocky by transplanting. All soft, weak and imper- 

 fect plants are likely to be destroyed by the cold. Very 

 young and flabby plants usually perish. Those too old 

 tend to run to seed in spring. Only by experience can one 

 determine the proper age at which the plants should go 

 into the winter; and this experience is likely to vary with 

 different varieties of the same vegetable. A plant which 

 has begun to thicken up and to show signs of a tendency 

 to form a head usually runs to seed in spring. Cabbage 

 plants with three or four true leaves should be able to 

 pass the winter and to give satisfactory results the fol- 

 lowing year. The novice should undertake these experi- 

 ments in a small way, particularly at the North, where 

 the practice is not common and the results are precarious. 



Keep the frames uncovered until stiff freezing weather 

 comes. Then use sash and covers. Gradually the plants 



