Over wintering hardy annuals in coldframe

AnniD

Having seen Monty starting off calendulas etc. with a view to over wintering them in a coldframe, before l make the effort l was wondering how many forum members do this and how successful it has proved to be ?

Fairygirl

I always had a cold frame in the past, but I don't grow many annuals. It isn't warm enough here over winter for many annuals to do much, and the spring sown ones catch up. In a warmer area, I'd say it's certainly worth having. Choosing the site is  possibly the most important factor. Against a house wall is definitely ideal. 
I used mine for cuttings and small plants though. It was mainly for keeping the winter rain, sleet and snow off, and to prevent the freezing of vulnerable roots after that kind of weather, as well as frosts, so it was always a big help for that. 

I was thinking of doing another one though, just for a project. 

AnniD

My coldframes are usually full of cuttings and plants that were too small to plant out in the Autumn, etc. I'm just wondering if it's worth making the effort to fit in some hardy annuals, or wait until Spring as l usually do. 

Fairygirl

I've occasionally done it @AnniD, but the only annuals I generally do every year are sweet peas, and it's rarely worth it here. I happened to do some year before last, and we had the hottest April on record, so it worked out, but normally it's too cold and miserable here for them in April.  
You'll have to toss a coin 

AnniD

To be honest, the more l think about it, the more l can't be bothered (sorry Monty 😊). It's hard enough getting everything else through in one piece without having to worry about things l can sow in Spring. 
I can see the reasoning behind it, but probably not for me.

Fairygirl

I tend to feel the same @AnniD. When I had my first 'proper' garden, we had no money at all for creating it - and it was a pretty blank canvas, so I had to get bits and pieces from my sister or friends, and scrimp and save for the odd plant here and there.
I cobbled together a cold frame and it was certainly really useful, for the aforementioned cuttings etc,  but I didn't grow many annuals even then. Probably still sweet peas, and things like salad crops, but again- we didn't eat much lettuce in March or April - more likely trying to stay warm by eating soup and drinking tea! 

Buttercupdays

I was thinking the same thing.

GH is always stuffed in spring with decoratives like fuchsia and pelargonium, lots of overwintering things like salvias and agapanthus and little perennials for growing on that are too small to entrust  to our winters. Then there's the new seedlings when they are promoted from the house and the dahlias when they start shooting... I don't have the luxury of a massive polytunnel so where would on earth would I put annuals and where would I find the time?

I plant my sweet peas in spring and they grow just fine. The ones this year were planted a bit late and were very slow to take off, both down to the weather, but have been beautiful.

I sowed some art shades calendula and some other old seeds on a bank at the end of May, when I had finally cleared the ground elder, and they are looking fantastic now, with the few cornflowers that came up, so there seems no point in making life harder! I shall repeat and extend it with more cornflowers, as I have nearly finished clearing the second half of the bank, and add some more blue and yellow flowers with a bit of lifting and splitting of other plants from around the garden. Cheap and cheerful

punkdoc

For some things I find it very worthwhile. I get much bigger plants of Ammi from Autumn sown seeds and a longer flowering period for Scabious Chile Black.
I tend to sow 2 lots of Cerinthes, 1 now, 1 in Spring, which gives me flowers from May to August.