An attachment for the raised bed can be built from wooden slats and a glass cover, with which you can combine the advantages of the raised bed with those of a greenhouse to save space. Such protected cultivation extends the growing season of your vegetables by a few weeks.

A raised bed greenhouse is the perfect combination of the advantages of both growing systems

Advantages of a raised bed greenhouse

It should be no secret that heat-loving plants in particular grow better and faster under a foil or glass cover than in an open bed. The sun's heat is stored under the translucent roof, which in turn warms the air permanently and also increases the humidity. The warmth also makes the bacteria and fungi in the soil more active and they can release more nutrients. More nutrients, more heat and more moisture mean more growth - and therefore better harvests.

Don't forget to ventilate!

But don't forget to ventilate, otherwise the air under the cover can quickly become too warm. In addition, stagnant, stuffy air promotes the infestation of plants with fungal diseases and pests. For this reason, ventilation devices are also indispensable in a raised bed greenhouse. There are two different options: either you operate them manually or you invest in a built-in automatic ventilation system. The latter is particularly advantageous in midsummer and during the holiday season.

Greenhouse construction for the raised bed

You can build greenhouse structures for raised beds yourself using wooden or aluminum struts that are covered with translucent panes of foil, plastic or glass. You should design either individual panes or entire pages in such a way that they can be folded up and locked for ventilation. If you are not very skilled with your hands, you can buy suitable attachments for your own raised bed or a complete kit, consisting of a raised bed box and a suitable greenhouse attachment. However, this variant is not a cheap purchase.

Grow tomatoes and other fruit vegetables in the raised bed greenhouse

What snails are for the salad gardener, the dreaded late blight is for the tomato lover. This disease is caused by a fungus that enters the plant through the roots and leaves and clogs their pathways. Infected plant parts turn brown and fall off, the fruits of infected plants taste bitter. The only way to combat the widespread disease is to grow resistant varieties and protect the tomatoes from rain, which spreads the fungal spores. In a greenhouse, tomatoes are perfectly protected from the spread of the harmful fungus. In addition, tomatoes, like cucumbers, aubergines, chillies, peppers and the like that need warmth, feel very comfortable in the sheltered and warm environment of a greenhouse.

Raised bed in the greenhouse

If you already have a larger greenhouse in your garden, you can simply put your raised vegetable bed in there. Raised beds in the greenhouse are a great way to make the somewhat cramped working conditions there much easier. This solution also offers the advantage that you can easily use thinner (and cheaper) wooden boards to build the raised bed - after all, the material is not exposed to the weather.

tips

Cultivating your own young plants is also particularly successful in a raised bed greenhouse, as the plants receive a particularly large amount of light and warmth here, making them stronger and healthier later on.

Category:

Vegetable garden