Anyone ever experienced a Hot Bed?

[Thurston Garden]

that got your attention!

I made one this afternoon for my cuc's. It's taken ages to make the post on my blog 'cos fo all the photos, so I will ashamedly link it here

I would be interested to hear if anyone else has tried this method - it was very common in Victorian times. I am a little worried that my hen poo might be a bit rich, but only time will tell!

[theabsinthefairy]

I use a hot bed for squash and marrows and courgettes - they really love it. Its a really good way of getting something from your manure rather than just leaving it to rot for a year. It is also a good place to start tomato seedlings apparently but I have not tried that - may give it a go this year.

Followed the link to the blog - every time I look at someone else's photos they put me to shame.

I wish I was so organised with lovely neat beds - I won't post photos of the digging I did today - suffice to say, I couldn't follow a straight line, and kept getting distracted by my horse leaning over the fence wondering what I was up to, so spent more time rubbing her nose than forking in the end.

[Thurston Garden]

every time I look at someone else's photos they put me to shame.

I wish I was so organised with lovely neat beds

Lol - don't worry! My photos are always strategically taken so you can't see the messy beds, hence the hot bed always being on theft of the pic 'cos the bed on the left of it is not weeded yet. (Along with about 10 others in the big tunnel. 10 out of 38 aint too bad though!)

[MKG]

I made a hotbed years ago using fairly fresh calf manure and planted four courgettes in it. I remember that it was impossible to keep up with the crop - most of it was given away. Well recommended.

[caithnesscrofter]

looks cool! Well i mean hot!

Trying a similiar thing on the southside of my compost bins. Looks like cold frame except much deeper. Filled it 1 foot deep with pretty fresh horse muck then 6 inches of topsoil. So, has plenty heat from the bottom and from the back from the compost bin. Going to get wacky and try to grow a melon variety from russia. Lol, melons in caithness, what am i thinking aboot! Lmao!

[ina]

I've been meaning to make a hotbed for a few years now... I never get round to it. I just muck out the goats a bit later in the year, and plant the courgettes etc on top! I'm sure it would keep the heat better if I finally built the proper structure...

Ooops, sorry - just realised that sounds like I plant the courgettes on top of the goats. I don't!

[Thurston Garden]

Well I was in the tunnel this afternoon in a freak snow shower. It was 8C inside the tunnel and the thermometer in the hot bed soil was 19C!

OH and I made another, but this time with well rotted muck and planted some Ulster Scepter fist earlies in it