Hot Beds by Jack First

Author:Jack First
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UIT Cambridge Ltd.

The radishes will usually appear after two to three days, quickly followed by the rocket or salad leaves, with the spinach germinating next, followed by the carrots.

During late February I sow early leeks directly on another vacant part of the hot bed. Other than the carrots, all crops are harvested by mid- to late April.

In late April or early May the leeks, which are now about 15cm (6") high, are planted between the carrots where the previous crops grew.

In late May to early June the carrots are harvested, with the leeks growing away well now.

In the last week of June I sow lettuces and spinach into modules (see page 66).

In late June until late July the leeks are harvested. The growing medium is then lightly dug over and any weeds and roots from previous crops are removed. The bed is levelled and firmed a bit, and the spinach and lettuces are planted in alternate rows from the June-sown modules. If you have not raised plants in modules to follow the leeks, then sow rocket, salad leaves and spinach beet directly into the hot bed.

The advantage of raising plants in modules can be seen now. Instead of sowing seed in diminishing light and waiting for germination, root development and growth, the vacant space in the hot bed is filled immediately with plants ready to grow on.

By the end of August or early September the spinach and lettuces are usually harvested (although seed sown in July will be harvested later), but if you are growing spinach beet, carry on cutting and harvesting until October. Depending on when these crops finish, I sometimes try rocket with the lights back in position, but this is not always successful this far north.

Sometime in October the lights and frames are taken away and stored and the whole hot bed with soil is taken up ready to use as growing medium or in raised beds, etc. in the next season (see page 58).

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