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Tips from Olle Garden Bed: Build A Manure Hotbed To Prolong The Growing Season

Many gardeners are familiar with cold frames, but what about hot beds? It's basically the same thing, but it's heated in some way. Generally, thin cables are arranged at the bottom of the box; However, a fecal heating system can also be made for the device. As the faeces age, the heat generated by the faeces is enough to raise the temperature of the frame, promote growth and protect young plants from the impact of low temperature at night. The greenhouse or frame heated by manure is a sustainable solution to keep plants warm and prolong the growing season. The following content also has some reference value for raised garden beds.

raised garden bed

There are many ways to protect plants from the cold, but to actively promote growth, they need continuous warmth. Ideally, the soil in contact with the roots should be about 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius) for good growth in most plant varieties. Using manure to heat a greenhouse or garden frame is a cheap and simple way to apply heat to the roots. A hot bed compost made from dung mixes an appropriate amount of carbon into the dung to generate heat.

Many gardeners are familiar with cold frames, but what about hot beds? It's basically the same thing, but it's heated in some way. Generally, thin cables are arranged at the bottom of the box; However, a fecal heating system can also be made for the device. As the faeces age, the heat generated by the faeces is enough to raise the temperature of the frame, promote growth and protect young plants from the impact of low temperature at night. The greenhouse or frame heated by manure is a sustainable solution to keep plants warm and prolong the growing season.

About manure heating plant room

If you have ever been to a cattle or horse farm, the dunghill will obviously emit heat. The ideally developed pile will maintain a temperature of 141 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit (61-68 degrees Celsius) for a week or more. When combined with carbon and covered by soil, the heating effect lasts longer as the feces decompose and generate warmth. Microbes that break down substances release energy in the form of heat. When the dung heap is kept wet, many micro life forms that decompose dung become more active. Turning the stake can further enhance their activity and re emit heat. Because it is unreasonable to turn over the pile in the greenhouse or frame, the initial heat is mainly to enhance germination. The resulting decomposed feces add nutrients to the soil, but the heat will not persist during the mature growth of plants.

raised garden beds

Basic manure heating system

Building a hotbed is the simplest way to use the energy of feces. Dig a hole of the required size, 24 inches (61 cm) deep. Layer around 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) of coarse gravel. This will increase drainage and ventilation. The pit was then filled with a mixture of feces and 10% straw to a depth of 12 inches (31 cm). Wet the layer and tamp it evenly. On this layer, lay 4 inches (10 cm) of nutrient rich, weed free soil. The bed will heat up slowly. Use a soil thermometer to see if the temperature drops to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius). This is cool enough to grow, but warm enough to promote germination. If you like, you can put boards around the pile and pile up the side with excrement to further control the heat.

Building hotbeds

The first step is to build a box or framework. This can be done with wood, straw bales, cinder blocks, or other materials. If the foundation soil is poorly drained, you can choose to place a layer of gravel. Once the structure is complete, level and strong, it is put into a mixture of compost manure and straw, horse bedding or any other carbon material. Cover the whole thing with landscape fabric or other porous breathable materials. Wait about 10 days before planting to let the ammonia produced by hot fertilizer dissipate. These will burn plant roots. After planting, cover the structure with fabric or greenhouse fabric at night to contain heat. Remove it during the day to allow plant transpiration and prevent excessive moisture accumulation.

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