Snow does not care how charming a backyard project looks on social media. It stacks up, it weighs a shocking amount, and it crushes anything that cannot carry the load. Across colder regions, flimsy DIY cold frames have started to cave in under winter snow, smashing tender plants and, in some cases, injuring the very people who built them. The problem does not come from gardening ambition. It comes from underestimating physics.
Cold frames serve a simple and brilliant purpose: they trap solar heat and protect crops from frost, extending the growing season without the cost of a full greenhouse. Gardeners often build them with scrap lumber, old windows, or lightweight plastic panels. The idea feels approachable and resourceful. But when snow piles up, those well-meaning designs reveal serious flaws.
