Hot Beds.

I would love to learn of any gardeners who have had experience of growing vegetables on the hot bed system. There was an article in the Daily Telegraph last weekend on this subject, that set me thinking it may well be a good idea.

I have, but I have horses so I had a supply of fresh manure. I built it in the greenhouse in February piling it up until there was a heap squared off and flat on top, about 3' tall. I made a wooden frame from planks about 2'6" wide and 1'6" deep which I placed on the heap and half filled with compost. I made a lid to sit on it covered with clear polythene sheeting. It got quite hot and when the compost felt warm I sowed my seeds, tomatoes, annuals in it. It worked quite well but it took up a lot of room and was a bit in the way when I'd potted on the seedlings and needed the space. It sank quite a bit as it rotted down. Afterwards I watered it from time to time then spread it over the greenhouse bed to grow the tomatoes in the following year.