Hotbed

[Jayjay]

I bought Jack First’s Book on Hotbeds this year and built an outdoor hotbed 6′ x 6′ x 2′ high and the growing frame was 4′ x 4′ with 6 inches of multipurpose compost with added vermiculite as the growing medium. I started building it with pallets lined with cardboard on the 11th February and I completed it on 23rd February. It peaked at 39 degrees Celcius and when it had started cooling, probably about a week later, I put modules sitting on top of the compost. I planted some seeds directly into the compost on the 6th March. I have been amazed at how it has grown stuff and will certainly be making more next year and probably earlier, say the second week of January. If you can get hold of some fresh manure early in the year, I would suggest you try it, it is fantastic. I will try to add a picture taken on the 10th April. (Didn’t seem to work). Jeanette