Warm bed for cucumbers with manure, without manure How to make a warm bed in spring, autumn

How warm beds are arranged

The very name of the bed indicates that it should warm, but not all gardeners understand what and how exactly. The entire process is based on complex organic and physical reactions. The fact is that the basis of the beds is laid with enough organic material, which, with sufficient humidity, enters into a fermentation and decomposition reaction. From such a chemical reaction an exothermic effect appears - the release of heat.

Anaerobic and aerobic bacteria participate in the decomposition process, gradually increasing the temperature of the beds. The compost begins to mature.

The material used for warm beds is divided into 2 groups:

Brown. It contains a lot of carbon, which together with hydrogen forms methane. To fully provide greens with this element, you should maintain a 3:1 proportion of brown to green parts. The main part consists of branches and brushwood, which provide a uniform and long-lasting thermal reaction.
Green. It includes grass, foliage, stems, and fruits. This group is the main source of nitrogen. When it is released, the combustion reaction accelerates, but there is some disadvantage here - the release of ammonia. It inhibits the reaction, and its excess can completely stop the combustion process, and the heat bed will lose its functions.

Construction of warm beds without manure

The dacha is very rich in all kinds of plant waste: weeds, mown grass, fruit and vegetable waste, fallen leaves. All this unnecessary garbage is part of the warm beds. There is also no need to buy special materials for the construction itself - everything can always be found on the farm.

In order to have something to fill the beds with, they begin to prepare the filling in advance; for this, you can fence off a certain area and store it there:

Compost;
Food waste;
Sawdust and shavings;
Tree bark;
Dry leaves;
Waste paper;
Weeds and all kinds of grass;
Branches of bushes and trees.

Insulated beds, depending on the height of the structure, are divided into groups.

Elevated

This version of an unformed organic bed resembles an embankment or a hill. In the middle, the height can reach up to 80 cm, and the sides go down to ground level.

Set up a raised bed like this:

The turf on the site is removed to a depth of 30 cm;
The bottom is lined with fine mesh to prevent rodents;
Coarse organic matter is laid out in the center of the ditch: branches, bark;
Subsequent layers consist of increasingly fine organic matter;
On top of the entire structure, 20 cm thick turf is poured in the form of a hill.

Recessed

To create a sunken bed, a ditch half a meter deep is dug. If the soil is clayey, then drainage is made from sand. To insulate the deep cold, many gardeners place closed plastic bottles on the bottom and cover them with sand on top.

Next, the bottom is lined with a rough layer of wood: roots, logs, branches. The next layer consists of plant materials, paper, even rags. Then a low wooden box is placed around the perimeter: the top of the bed can be at soil level or slightly higher.

Next, the bed is filled with manure, humus, and ash. The topmost layer is nutrient soil.

Superficial

The structure is located on the ground surface; it is also called a high bed. The height of the structure can reach a meter in height. The box is made of thick material, treated with an antiseptic, can be wrapped in film or insulated with roofing felt. If a permanent bed is being laid, the structure can be made of brick.

If the water is close to the ground or if the soil is clayey, crushed stone is poured onto the bottom for drainage. Next, coarse wooden waste is laid: logs, stumps, chopped trunks, thick branches. The remaining layers of biomaterial are poured on top of the tree. Everything is compacted and covered with soil.

In a barrel

A very interesting option for creating warm beds using barrels. They are installed vertically after the snow melts in the sunniest places. Next, the barrels are filled with plant residues and kitchen waste. All organic matter is used to fill barrels.

A week later, the organic matter will have settled significantly, so the barrel is supplemented with emerging vegetation and also food waste. At the end of spring, good soil is poured over all layers of organic matter, flush with the edges.

Organic matter, rotting, releases the heat necessary for the planted crop. Sagging soil always leaves a gap to the edge, so after planting cucumbers, you can quite easily cover the barrel with film without fear of damaging the seedlings. Even if there are night frosts outside, cucumbers in a barrel are not afraid of them. The film is removed after the weather becomes stable.

Vegetable growing technology

Plants are placed in one or two rows (depending on the width of the ridge). Between adjacent bushes it is necessary to maintain at least 60 cm. With the seedless method of growing, 2-3 seeds are planted in one hole (weak shoots are then removed). For the formed bush, make a hole, at the bottom of which fertilizer is poured. Then water with warm water and plant the seedlings.

Until the air temperature stabilizes and reaches + 15 °C, the bed is covered with polyethylene. To prevent the latter from touching the young shoots, metal or plastic arcs are installed for it. In summer, the film can also be useful: the greens will be poured during fruiting only if the temperature at night is at least + 18 °C. By following a few rules, you can get a high yield:

The soil near the roots is periodically loosened. A crust should not form on the soil surface.
Weeds are removed in a timely manner.
The lashes are directed evenly and new shoots are tied up.
The plantings are systematically watered and fed.
When collected, the lashes do not cause injury.

Soil preparation

The final layer in a ridge of any design is fertile soil. Obtaining a high yield depends on soil preparation. All plants need nutritious, as light as possible, loose, water- and breathable soil. Heavy or sandy compounds are not able to provide the required conditions. Such soils need improvement, which consists of introducing “rippers”, additional organic matter, as well as other methods. The laid soil is watered with hot water and covered with plastic film, securely securing the edges. It will take from several hours to 2 days to warm up and start the rotting process.

No manure

If it is not possible to use manure to heat the beds, you can use compost. It is a natural fertilizer obtained as a result of the decomposition of various organic substances, the activity of soil bacteria, fungi and insects. At the end of decay, a loose brown mass is obtained with a high content of nutrients in a form accessible and easily absorbed by plants. Compost is a good substitute for “biofuel”. It allows you to organize a bed for cucumbers without using manure.

With biofuel

The design of a warm bed for cucumbers with manure is not much different from a compost bed. A characteristic feature is the use of humus. The use of fresh organic matter from manure can aggravate the growing season of plants, and the insects living in it can damage the root system. Before adding the material, it is allowed to rest for several years. The first layer in the bed is drainage. Then thick paper or cardboard is placed between the humus and the wood chips. The base soil is poured last.

For your information!

When pure manure is used to create a ridge, it is advisable to sow cucumbers on it after several seasons.

Preparing a warm bed for cucumbers in the garden and greenhouse in the fall or spring is a necessary measure to increase crop yields. In addition, the possibility of early sowing allows you to harvest the first cucumbers earlier than the standard ripening period.

Warm bed for cucumbers made from manure

It is not always possible to install greenhouses or greenhouses; many vegetable growers create warm beds for cucumbers, where they grow just as well.

The entire effect of a manure bed is based on the decomposition of this organic matter. By rotating together with plant residues, manure significantly enhances heating. Cucumbers need moisture and warmth, which the garden bed provides.

Manure beds emit a lot of heat, so even in Siberian conditions, without the use of greenhouses, greens can be grown in open ground.

They begin to lay the bed a couple of weeks before the intended planting. The recommended width is 90 cm, the length can be chosen arbitrarily. At the selected location, dig a trench to the depth of a spade bayonet. To protect against rodents, the bottom is covered with a fine-mesh metal mesh. Next, distribute the layers:

Waste paper - it decomposes well;
Sticks and branches play the role of drainage;
Fallen leaves - overheated - will become an excellent fertilizer;
Manure is the most important material;
Fertile soil for planting crops.

It’s quite simple to start a manure bed so that it begins to generate heat - for this you do a good, generous watering with boiling water, and then cover it with film.

After a while, if condensation appears on the film, it means the bed is working, and soon sowing can be done.

Description and benefits

A warm bed is a kind of “hot water bottle” for the plants planted on it. It is multi-layered and consists of organic waste laid in a certain order. When decomposing, organic matter releases heat, which warms the seeds or roots of seedlings, protects the sprouts from cold nights and temperature changes, improves and accelerates the development of plants. And such a bed, as a rule, is not fertilized. After all, all the important microelements are already inherent in it. Thanks to the stable thermal effect, you can plant seedlings or seed earlier than usual.

Insulated beds are laid in spring or autumn. The second option is more preferable for several reasons:

after the summer season there is a lot of organic waste on the site;
Having completed the harvest, the gardener has a significant amount of time;
before next spring the organic matter has time to rot well;
By the time seedlings are planted or seeds are sowed, the soil is completely prepared.

Attention! It is prohibited to use plant remains of diseased crops for warm beds. By doing this, you initially doom yourself to a future crop failure.

When to make a warm bed for cucumbers

Vegetable growers advise starting to plant beds in the fall, because:

The soil has high humidity;
There are plenty of suitable resources and time available after harvest;
After the summer heat, the ground temperature is just right.

A bed prepared in the fall will shrink well and turn on by itself until spring. However, during the autumn planting, negative aspects may also appear:

A bed built too early can quickly become overgrown with weeds;
Mice can hibernate in plant waste.

Often beds are built in the spring. They use biomaterials that have a short decomposition period. In any case, you have to wait for the soil to thaw. If you place the material on cold ground, the rotting process may not begin, since a refrigerator effect will be created.

Having built a bed on heated soil, all organic matter will need to be crushed and compacted well, otherwise the cucumbers may sink deep if the bed is built high.

Warm bed in spring

To build a warm bed in the spring, you will have to wait until the ground thaws. Even raised beds, without digging a trench, must be placed on top of heated soil. Otherwise, the cold coming from below will not allow the rotting process to begin, and the bed will be cold. To speed up the process, cover the area allocated for the garden bed with film in early spring.

Under the film, the ground will thaw and warm up faster, so you can start building a warm bed earlier

In addition, the organic cushion materials will have to be compacted well, otherwise all the layers will gradually and strongly sag after planting the cucumbers. It will be especially uncomfortable for both the gardener and the plants; if this happens in a high box or barrel, the cucumbers will end up deep inside. Otherwise, the technology for constructing a warm bed in the spring remains standard.

How to make warm beds

You need to start building a garden bed by choosing the right location. It is necessary to calculate so that the cucumbers are in a sunny place, sufficiently protected from the winds. When creating a warm bed, gardeners are advised to follow a number of rules:

First of all, you should take care of ventilation to avoid mold. To do this, you can leave gaps.
The lowest layer is made from raw materials that do not rot quickly and serve as drainage.
Every spring the garden bed needs to be refreshed.
Each laid layer is watered generously.
The biomaterial must be healthy, without seeds.

Layers in a warm bed are laid out as follows:

Branches and twigs. They should not be very large.
Green layer. This includes not only plant residues, but also household waste and paper within reasonable limits.
Manure. You can add compost or rotted manure.
Ash. It is very rich in microelements. Add ash as desired.
Fertile soil.

Gardeners advise first compacting each layer and then covering it with soil, 5-10 cm thick. Do not use tomato and potato tops for garden beds. The green layer should be composed so that it has time to decompose during the season. You can also add bird droppings to it.

To prevent the roots of the plants from getting burned, the soil layer is made at least 20 cm thick. Superphosphate, potassium sulfate, and urea are added to it.

Collection of material

To organize a heated bed, the components are prepared in advance. It is not enough to simply throw a bunch of green plant matter mixed with branches. Layering out materials layer by layer will allow you to do the job neatly. In addition, this technology will increase the service life. The layers are placed in the following sequence:

Branches, chopped logs.
Green mass (leaves, fruits, young shoots).
Manure or humus.
Fertile soil.

The bottom layer is drainage. Chopped branches are used for it. In addition to removing excess moisture, wood is able to absorb it and release it to the soil during dry periods. By making the layer height 10-15 cm, you can increase the periods between waterings by one and a half times. The remains of plants are placed on top of the wood chips. You can add a small amount of household waste to them. The third layer is humus or ready-made compost. The presence of ready-made “fuel” in the garden bed will speed up the process of preparing the soil for sowing. If the soil is prepared in the fall, this layer can be omitted.

Wood ash is poured between the heating layers and fertile soil. It is a source of macro- and microelements (potassium, calcium, phosphorus). It can also be watered with nitrogen fertilizers. In addition to accelerating the growing season, ash stimulates the development and functioning of bacteria. If the bed is made in the spring, all layers are watered generously with hot water and covered with an opaque film. High temperature and humidity trigger the necessary processes inside the layers. The last stage is backfilling with fertile soil. The height of the layer depends on the root system of the plants (usually 15-20 cm).

Features of growing cucumbers in warm beds

Cucumbers are planted in warm beds in the morning, in small holes. Watering is carried out twice a week, carefully, trying not to wash away the layers. Due to the fact that the bed retains moisture well, watering can be reduced to weekly, if the days are not hot. It is impossible to create forced drought for cucumbers in warm beds, since without the necessary moisture the decomposition process will certainly stop. It is strictly forbidden to allow water drops to get on the foliage.

There is no need to feed cucumbers, since organic matter, when decomposed, will provide them with the necessary microelements. Also, pests rarely appear in warm beds, so there will be minimal disturbances on this side. All operations carried out to care for cucumbers differ little from the usual ones:

Regular watering;
Loosening and weeding;
Mulching;
Garter to trellises, supports.

If the bed gets too hot and there is a risk that the plants will burn, I cover it with lutrasil to lower the temperature.

The principle of operation of a warm structure in open ground

It is necessary to insulate beds not only on the street, but also in unheated greenhouses. But in the first case, it is necessary to do this in regions with harsh climatic conditions. Several types of warm structures can be installed in vegetable gardens. But they are united by the principle of operation of the filling: the heat generated by organic matter laid in layers warms up the top fertile soil and, accordingly, prevents the root system from freezing. The soil temperature on such a ridge is usually several degrees higher than the ambient temperature.

The organic material required to create the cake does not need to be purchased. It is available in any country farm. The bottom layer is usually formed from large waste materials that take a long time to decompose. Then several layers of faster rotting waste or garbage that has already begun to rot (for example, compost) are laid down.

For growth and development, cucumbers need light soil, permeable to moisture and air, saturated with nutrients. Therefore, the top layer for any warm bed design is loose, fertile soil.

Several important rules that must be followed if you are setting up a warm bed for cucumbers in the open ground:

It is best to place the beds in an area exposed to indirect sunlight.
When laying layers, each of them should be moistened abundantly to start the process of decay of organic waste.
The filling should consist of plant residues that are not contaminated by bacteria or fungi or affected by pest beetles.

The agricultural technology for growing cucumbers in warm beds differs slightly from cultivating the crop simply in unprotected soil.