Hotbed Gardening Tips

Before this article begins, you’ll like to know what a hotbed is in the first place. These were the thoughts that came into our minds. What are hotbeds? What is the job of a hotbed? Well, this article will give you explanations for all of these questions.

What is a Hotbed?

Hotbeds were quite popular in Victorian times. After one sets them up, they could be used to grow salad vegetation in the winter. You could get a head start on sowing seeds in spring and melons and cucumbers in summer. A hotbed grants you ground heat, making use of manure instead of electricity as a source of heat. This would speed the growth of the plant, including those that are tender and any available seedlings.

Where is the Heat Source From?

Fresh strawy manure is found after treading a 60-90 cm deep layer. As the manure continues to break down, heat is generated. You could tread it down properly for it to get more compact. This would ensure a release of consistent heat. 

The Growing Medium

This refers to a mix of garden compost and topsoil in a ratio of 1:1. This is put on top of the manure in a 20 to 30 cm thick layer.

The hotbed could be as wide or as deep as you desire. As long as the ratio of manure growing medium is 3:1. If you want to make the hotbed a bit deeper, the temperature could rise more than desired and your plants could get damaged. It can easily be cooked down by adding leaves or water and debris from a garden to the mixture. It is best to check these temperatures using a thermometer.

You can make a hotbed outdoors or in a greenhouse. You could make insulation in the form of 4 wooden pallets and add in a cover if you’re making this outside.

Then leave the hotbed for seven days for it to get warm.

What Can I Sow in the Hotbed?

You can sow seeds directly into the soil or in trays that would be placed on top. Small seeded crops like radish and salad could be sown directly in a well-worked tilth. A head start could begin after you sow trays of peas, turnip, beans, and cauliflower, which could be transplanted outside. Try experimenting with various plants to see what works best.

Any Outstanding Issues?

A hotbed can only last for about two months. The plants and everything inside would have to be changed, replaced, and removed and new materials need to be put back. The material on top of the hotbed could get properly decomposed, and this can be used directly in the spring on the garden. The bottom layers would have to get composted again before they would mature.

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Photo by Emiel Molenaar on Unsplash