How To Build A Hotbed!

[@oursmallholdinglife5243]

Hot bed in the green house is a brilliant idea I’m all over that!

[@paulwarrilow3427]

I am doing exactly what you are doing in respect of the greenhouse hotbed. Not tried it before but it seems a good idea to try especially as I have a supply of fresh muck from the wife's horses. I only have an 8 x 6 greenhouse so the hotbed cannot be too big but from my research and experience with compost heaps you do need a reasonable size to get the heat going. Mine will be approx 4ft x 3ft made from pallets and then lined with cardboard. Also planted onion seeds back on the 12th Feb and they have just started emerging. Mine are multi-sown in module trays, approx 4 seeds per module, not done that before but we will see how that goes. I also have Swift potatoes to plant outdoors but I am waiting another week or two. Good luck with all your endeavours this year and keep the videos coming.

[@doingoutdoors875]

Thanks Paul. In the first couple of days this hotbed wasn’t getting hot and I thought it might be too small but after adding water it is steadily getting warmer, it’s nearly at 35c today. Hopefully it will keep climbing 🤞🏻. I hadn’t thought about multi sowing the onion seeds, I hope it works out for you. Good luck 👍🏻

[@wendyyvonne]

Thank you for the clear instructions! I hope you achieved bumper yields.

[@doingoutdoors875]

Thanks. No bumper yields, but I’ll keep trying. 😅

[@antonkostrik]

Love your vlog, just subscribed! Cool and well explained ideas. Thx ☺️

[@doingoutdoors875]

Thanks, I appreciate your support. 👍🏻

[@honeyb1286]

I’ve just made one using horse poo and leaves but watered it as I added the layers mixing leaves and poo as I went. Next day started to warm up nicely. I think it’ll take about a week to get really going.

[@doingoutdoors875]

Sounds like you’ve done a good job! 👍🏻 I’ve seen a few people use horse muck and get very good heat.

[@luzi29]

Why didn’t you place the seedlings directly on the hotbed?

[@EurekaZhuJinxuan]

May i know how you move compost out of the hot bed after winter is finished?

[@doingoutdoors875]

Fork it out into a wheelbarrow. 👍🏻

[@BeckyDshome]

How long does the bed stay hot?

[@doingoutdoors875]

That particular hot bed stayed warm for about 4 weeks. When I make one this year I’ll make it twice the size, hopefully making it get hotter and stay hot for longer.