Plant raised beds in autumn

Autumn is here and the raised bed is empty? That doesn't have to be the case - we'll show you how you can still plant your raised bed in autumn.

Raised beds are currently on the rise. No wonder, after all, the practical beds are not only easy on the back, but also offer numerous advantages for growing vegetables. But did you know that you can still grow numerous types of vegetables in the raised bed in autumn without any problems? In fact, some types of vegetables can still be cultivated wonderfully in the raised bed, even if it would be too cold in the normal bed. We will show you why autumn cultivation in raised beds works so well and which vegetables are particularly suitable for cultivation in autumn.

Planting a raised bed in autumn: that's behind it

Not only the shorter days cause problems for our plants in autumn: Frost and moisture in particular mean that many plants come to an early end. But here the raised bed has a decisive advantage: On the one hand, the water flows away much faster through the drainage layer in the raised bed, so that vegetables and co. Do not get wet feet. On the other hand, the various layers of soil continue to rot in autumn and release energy in the form of heat - the raised bed has built-in heating for the cold days. This ensures that the plants are only affected by frost and cold much later than their counterparts outdoors and can grow much longer.

Planting a raised bed in autumn: tips and tricks to extend the season

But even in the raised bed it gets too cold for the plants at some point - fortunately there are a few tips and tricks on how to extend the season a little: One A foil tunnel is an excellent way of maintaining pleasant temperatures in the raised bed even during the first night frosts in autumn to cover. The heat collects so effectively under the film that vegetables can be grown well into winter. Regular ventilation on sunny days is mandatory, otherwise the risk of fungal infections increases. A cold frame or greenhouse attachment also works according to this principle and is ideal for the Autumn cultivation (many manufacturers already have suitable, quick and easy-to-assemble solutions for their raised beds in Range). But also the mulching of individual vegetables or the laying of fleece can increase the temperature by up to 5 ° C cause: This small temperature difference alone has an enormous effect on plant growth and ensures better Harvest.

Plant raised beds in autumn: Suitable vegetables

If you still want to harvest something in autumn, you usually fall back on the classic autumn vegetables. Sown in summer, these types of vegetables ripen into autumn and also feel right at home in the raised bed. Especially types of cabbage like Chinese cabbage, broccoli or Brussels sprouts are perfect for the raised bed, but also Carrots or fennel benefit from their new home.

In autumn, of course, the typical Winter vegetables that normally have a permanent place in the bed. The best way to do this is to grow the seedlings indoors and plant them later as young plants. This can still be done in September or October without any problems, but you have to expect that the harvest will not take place until spring. Kale, spinach and Co. ensure that the raised beds are full in winter, after all, they are robust enough to withstand cold and frost.

tip: So that the vegetables feel comfortable in your raised bed, you should use a high-quality and drip-free organic soil like ours Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil use. In this way you ensure that your plants find the best conditions and that a rich harvest is due soon.

But it's not just autumn and winter vegetables that can be harvested easily and easily this late in the year: almost all salads, as well as leeks and radish are perfect for the bed because they have a very short growing season. So they can be harvested before the days get too short and the first heavy frosts appear. With all vegetables, however, the rule is that they should never be harvested at temperatures below zero - This can not only harm the plants, but also makes the leaves mushy when thawed will.

Planting a raised bed in autumn: overview of suitable vegetables

Here you will find an overview of all the vegetables that deserve a place in the raised bed in autumn.

1. All types of cabbage, including Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis), broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera), Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gonglyodes) and Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica)
2. All types of salad are particularly suitable arugula (Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa), Radicchio (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum), Endive (Cichorium endivia) and Frisée (Cichorium endivia var. crispum)
3. Leek (Alium ampeloprascum)
4. radish (Raphanus sativus)
5. celery (Apium graveolens)
6. parsley (Peterselinum crispum)
7. spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
8. Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris)
9. Carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus)
10. fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Plant raised beds in autumn: green manure instead of vegetables

Would you rather do something good for your raised bed and don't necessarily need fresh vegetables in winter? Then green manure is just the thing: Instead of leaving the bed empty in winter or growing vegetables in it, you can also fill your raised bed with hardy legumes (Fabacea) as green manure. The main advantage of these plants is that they fix nitrogen in the soil with the help of nodule bacteria and thus offer the soil natural regeneration in winter. At the same time, they also protect the soil from the weather and erosion to which a “bare” bed would otherwise be exposed.

Especially clover (Trifolium) and Esparsette (Onobrychis) have proven to be good Green manure proven and are not only useful but also look good. In early spring, the legumes that have been grown are then dug under - here they also serve as valuable fertilizer. With this winter pampering program, your bed will be perfectly prepared for the new gardening season in spring.

More about green manure and Plant raised beds learn from this article.

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