Would you like to make effective use of the space on your newly built raised bed, but aren't quite sure how? Then we would have at this point some suggestions for a successful mixed culture and crop rotation.
If you plan correctly, you can harvest lettuce from the raised bed almost all year round
A raised bed for salad lovers
A raised bed that is already three to four years old is perfect for growing fresh lettuce and leafy greens - they should not be planted on a bed that has just been layered, otherwise they will accumulate too much nitrate. The also cultivated, heavy-consuming tomatoes, on the other hand, receive an extra portion of ripe compost. And this is how you plant your lettuce bed:
spring
Between March and April sow fast-growing lettuce, rocket and radishes. Lettuce and spinach can also be sown, but you can harvest faster after planting young plants. Protect the seeds and young plants from the cold and frost with a fleece cover. Only choose varieties that are suitable for spring cultivation.
summer
Because spinach flowers in summer, replace it with lettuce or romaine lettuce in May. Also from the middle / end of May, plant tomato plants in the bed instead of the lettuce, which are accompanied by basil and rocket. In addition, chard and radicchio go very well in the bed. Tomatoes, radicchio and chard remain in the bed until the end of the season. In autumn, replace the lettuce with chicory salads, e.g. B. Endives. Romaine lettuce can remain in the bed until October and be harvested continuously.
autumn and winter
You can even continue harvesting in the raised lettuce bed in winter if you sow lamb's lettuce in all the vacant spots in late summer.
Vegetable raised bed for self-sufficiency
This raised bed provides you with fresh vegetables all season long, which you can use immediately in the kitchen or preserve for the winter.
spring
Already in March you can put early peas in the raised bed. To do this, sow a row of early and medium-early carrots, between which you sprinkle a few dill seeds. This allows the carrots to germinate better, and you also have tender dill tips for seasoning in the kitchen. Parsnips or root parsley can also be put in the bed, their aromas give soups and stews the right whistle. A spring onion or two completes the spring border.
summer
After harvesting the peas, cut off the shoots just above ground level. Leave the roots in the ground, however, as they contain nitrogenous nodule bacteria and are therefore perfect for planting with heavy-duty vegetables such as zucchini and squash. A few bush beans in between and instead of the early carrots will provide you with plenty of fresh beans for stews & Co. The place of the harvested spring onions is now taken by young broccoli plants.
fall
Zucchini and squash, but also broccoli, take on considerable proportions over the course of the summer. Gradually harvest the remaining carrots and French beans before they are overwhelmed by zucchini, pumpkin and broccoli.
tips
An ideal raised bed for children should be kept as low as possible and contain easy-to-cultivate sweet vegetables and fruit. Strawberries, peas, bush tomatoes and carrots, for example, are ideal.