Recently, many summer residents have been arranging so-called “warm beds” in their plots - tall rectangular structures filled with compost, branches, leaves and fertile soil. In the spring, arcs from the rod are installed over their sides, and the film is stretched. This design allows you to plant seedlings 2-4 weeks earlier than usual. They make warm beds usually in the fall. However, if you wish, you can arrange them in the spring. The main thing is not to use fresh manure as a lining layer. So, let's see how to make warm beds in the spring.
Material selection
The sides of such ridges are most often made of edged, rather thick (20 mm) boards. This material does not conduct heat well and is very easy to process. Sometimes they use flat slate for the sides . This material is more durable than wood, but it retains heat worse. In addition, when using it, it is necessary to make a rigid frame from a thin profile pipe. Otherwise, when weeding or planting seedlings on the sharp edges of the sides, you can simply cut yourself. Both wood and slate thus have both advantages and disadvantages. It is up to the site owners to decide which material to make the sides of. Sometimes the device of a warm bed is made using more solid elements. For example, brick or stone. This is the most durable and reliable option. However, stone or brick beds will cost, of course, very expensive.
In the case of using slate or wood to support the sides, it will also be necessary to prepare a profile pipe. Arcs can be made from a metal rod with a diameter of 8 mm or from PVC pipes. The film for warm beds is used standard technical polyethylene or designed for greenhouses.
Production of wooden sides
The question of how to make warm beds in the spring comes down to including the correct choice of their size. The height of the sides of this design is usually 40 cm. In this case, the roots of the plants will receive enough heat. Yes, and it will be more convenient to process the garden. Experienced summer residents are not advised to make the width larger than 80 cm. The optimum parameter is 60 cm. The length of the frame can be any.
To collect the beds in the spring, when it is still too damp in the garden, it is better not on the spot, but in the workshop or somewhere in the yard, in a dry place. Wooden sides are made as follows:
- The ends of the beds are going. They are made of pieces of a 60 cm board. Two corner pieces of profile pipes are nailed to each of both edges. Thus, the ends of the sides are made for all beds.
- Next, sections of the profile pipe with a pitch of about 2 meters are screwed to the future long sides.
- Then the latter is attached to the corner profile pipes on the end elements.
- The resulting structures are transferred to the garden, installed in the right place and aligned in level. Digging the ground under the frame or even removing the sod is not necessary.
Continue the installation of a warm bed in spring by pulling the opposite profiles of the sides of the rod (in pairs). This will add rigidity to the structure. If this is not done, the bed is simply ruined. In particular, carrots and other root crops are very “bred” on the sides.
How to bend a rod correctly
How to make a warm bed in the spring - now for you is not a question. In order for the seedlings to feel even better in it, the construction in April-May, before the establishment of stable warm weather, will need to be covered with a film. It is pulled over arcs, which can also be made independently. To make such supports neat, it is worthwhile to make a simple template beforehand. To do this, an arc of the required radius and length is drawn on a piece of plywood. Further, on the resulting contour, nails are stuffed (up to half). At the ends of the arc they should be hammered in two at the same level. Then each rod simply bends over the nails.
How to make beads from slate
In this case, the frame is pre-assembled from the profile pipe. Fastening is usually done with bolts. If the farm has the appropriate equipment, the frame can be welded. The pipe before mounting the slate should be painted.
Since the beds from this material are very heavy, it is better to transfer the welded frames and install them at a chosen place in the garden. Further, the slate itself is attached to the structural elements (from the inside of the frame). Fixing in this case is also done with bolts.
How to fill the bed
So, we have figured out how to make warm beds in the spring. Now let's see what you need to fill them to get the best effect of heating the roots of plants. First of all, the beds should be positioned correctly. Usually finished frames are placed in the direction from north to south. So the plants will be illuminated longer: in the morning on the east side, in the afternoon - from above and in the evening - from the west. In the shade, warm beds are not set. Otherwise, in the first year a lot of nitrates are formed in the soil.
Warm beds are filled (according to the rules of composting) with layers in the following order:
- Drainage is arranged from branches, rotted boards, logs, etc. First, large fractions are laid, then smaller ones.
- Organic is laid on the drainage. When laying, alternate carbonaceous (dry foliage, paper, old rags, chopped sunflower stems) and nitrogenous layers (tops, grass, food waste, rotted manure, etc.). To speed up the decomposition process, it is worth watering the organics with special biological products. At the last stage, it should be tamped.
A week later, after the garden warms up properly, garden soil is poured into it. In order for the roots of the plants not to burn, its layer should be at least 25-30 cm. On this, the device of a warm bed in the spring can be considered finished. All other actions can only be aimed at improving its performance.
How to make a greenhouse
Part of one of the warm beds can be covered with a small mini-greenhouse. As a frame for such a design, it is allowed to use a metal painted rod, bar or PVC pipe. Walls, a door, a window leaf and a roof are usually made of polycarbonate. Shoot down the frame of the desired shape will be easy. When attaching polycarbonate, certain rules must be followed. This material is able to expand with increasing / decreasing air temperature. Therefore, to fix it on the frame should be through special screws with thermowells. The holes for them are drilled a little larger than the rods of diameter. The device of a warm bed with a greenhouse will allow seedlings to be planted even earlier. It will take a little time to make it.
Constructions in the greenhouse
Usually warm beds are arranged right in the open. However, you can make them in the greenhouse already installed in the garden. Such designs are assembled from the same materials. The question of how to make warm beds in the spring in the greenhouse is technologically completely uncomplicated. The technique of their manufacture entirely repeats the above. The only thing is that the beds in this case need to be made not too high (20 cm).
The device of a warm bed in a greenhouse will help to get an even earlier crop. However, since the air temperature inside this room will be higher than on the street, it is important to ensure that the roots do not overheat. At a temperature Soil at 30-45 degrees, plant growth slows down. It is also worth arranging drip irrigation in the beds.
What plants and how to plant
Since in the first two years a lot of nitrogen accumulates in the soil of such beds, it is not recommended to plant nitrate-accumulating crops during this period. These include greens (dill, onions, lettuce, spinach, etc.), beets and radishes. In the first year, it is best to plant pumpkin, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers or eggplant on a warm bed, that is, plants that require high levels of nutrients in the soil. In the second year, cabbage, celery or salads are usually planted in their place.
Many summer residents advise after sowing the early crops to sow warm beds with green manure. This will replenish the supply of nutrients. Moreover, soil prepared in this way does not require digging in the spring. All that needs to be done is to deepen the remains of dead siderates by loosening. How to make warm beds in spring (photos of such structures can be seen on the page), as well as how to plant seedlings on them, you now know. What else needs to be done to facilitate crop care and accelerate crop ripening? Read about it below.
Mulching
Most often, sawdust or straw is used for this purpose. It will be very good to close the soil under the plants with also mowed, dried grass. Previously, it should be chopped with an hatchet. Soil microorganisms begin to process grass precisely from the place of cut. Therefore, this litter will decompose faster, while emitting carbon dioxide necessary for garden crops . Mulching on warm beds, among other things, allows the soil to retain moisture longer. Also, an organic layer or film will inhibit weed growth all summer. And this, in turn, will facilitate the care of plants.
Flowerbeds
How to make warm beds in the spring, you now know. However, what if there is no material or time for their manufacture, but you want to plant tomatoes early? In this case, you can try to build warm flower beds. Their difference from the beds is primarily the smaller size. As the sides, you can use, for example, old car tires in three rows. Filling in this case is the same. In the middle, stick a stake or rod. They will support the film in the spring.
Of course, many cultures on such flower beds will not fit. But it is quite possible to grow several bushes of tomato, cucumbers, onions, pumpkin or zucchini on them.
As you can see, the question of how to make a warm garden in the spring with your own hands does not differ in particular difficulty. In the presence of high-quality material and skilled hands, finished designs will turn out to be convenient, reliable and will last a long time. Have a good harvest!