Preparedness with Hotbeds e. l kirkpatrick 



A well made hotbed frame in operation over surface bed. 

 nure heap is regular and neat 



THE hotbed is almost an essential, 

 certainly it is a most valuable adjunct 

 to each garden. Through its use an 

 ample supply of all vegetable and flower 

 plants will be available for transplanting as 

 weather conditions permit them to be taken to 

 out-of-door plots; excellent crops of radishes and 

 lettuce may be matured four to six weeks ahead 

 of the out-of-door crop; and the season of toma- 

 toes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers and mush- 

 rooms may be forwarded several weeks. 



According to methods of construction, hotbeds 

 suited to average garden needs are of two types, 

 pit beds or surface beds. The former, which 

 contains the fermenting manure, furnishing 

 necessary heat for plant growth, requires less 

 space and gives a less unsightly appearance. 

 The latter may be constructed at any time, as no 

 digging of the frozen soil will be required. Prac- 

 tically the same results are secured through the 

 use of either. 



Regulation sash 3x6 ft. for covering the 

 frames may be purchased from a reliable green- 

 house construction company. They are made 

 from 1 1 inch cypress or chestnut wood, blind- 

 mortised and well braced. If possible secure 

 sash fitted or glazed with double A strength glass, 

 and get them at once. A four-sash bed is ample 

 for maturing early vegetables and for growing 

 necessary vegetable and flower plants for the 

 average family. 



Begin construction of the frame early in order 

 that it may be ready for use when actually 

 needed, that is, when the pit is filled with manure. 

 Choose two-inch material for sides, ends, and 

 cross-bars, especially if the frame is to be used 

 year after year. Allow for a 6-inch sash slant 

 in order that sunlight may enter more directly 

 and water from rains may drain off readily. 

 Cutting the end pieces on this slant, make each 

 5 ft. 8§ inches long. In order that the frame may 

 be easily taken down and stored when not in 

 actual use, bolt a piece of 2 in. x 4 in. or 4 in. x 4 

 in. flush on either end of this part of the frame. 

 Bore holes through this block at right angles for 

 bolts which are to fasten side pieces securely 

 to end pieces of the frame. 



Side pieces, that is, front and back, similar 

 except that the latter is 6 inches higher than the 

 former, are of equal length. Cut 

 either enough longer than four 

 sash widths to cover additional 

 width of the 2 x 4's or 4 x 4's 

 bolted to either end of the two 

 end cross-pieces. 



Cut and fit the cross bars or 

 sash rests for the 4-sash frame, 

 dropping each, mortise fashion, 

 even with the top of the frame. 

 Cut the mortise joint at a slight 

 angle to obviate the use of nails, 

 thus allowing the bars to be lifted 

 out to facilitate in cultivation, 

 as well as in taking down the 

 frame for storing. Each bar 

 aids in making the frame rigid, 



Getting an Early Start With Flowers 

 and Vegetables — The Practical Sub- 

 stitute for a Greenhouse in the 

 Small Garden and an Inval- 

 uable Accessory to It on 



a Large Place 

 Making — Starting — Handling 



as well as in supporting two sash, and pre- 

 vents water from dripping between sash 

 during heavy rains. 



The Needed Supply of Manure 



t-TAVlNG the construction of the frame 

 ■^ -*■ well under way, give attention to se- 

 The ma- curing of manure for heating the hotbed. 

 Begin collecting this supply from grain- 

 fed straw-bedded work horses at least 

 two weeks before it is to be placed in the pit. 

 Have one-third to one-half of the bulk in 

 straw, otherwise the manure will become too 

 compact from tramping or firming in the pit 

 to heat properly. Arrange the collected manure 

 in a flat, compact pile 3-5 feet high, and of the 

 desired dimensions. After allowing it to heat 

 four or five days, fork the pile over, getting into 

 the centre as well as possible that which formerly 

 was exposed in order that the entire mass will 

 become uniformly heated without fire-fanging or 

 burning. If the heap fails to heat properly, that 

 is, if the weather is severely cold, add sufficient 

 water (hot if possible) to soak thoroughly, and 

 firm the heap by tramping. Allow the mass to 

 reheat for a week following turning or forking 

 over before placing it in the pit. 



The manure heap is 



'turned" four to six days after having been put 

 into a pile 



Showing construction that permitsof the frame being taken down 

 for storage when not in use 



Making the Beds 



TO MAKE a pit bed proceed as follows: Plan 

 to face the sloping surface of the frame to 

 the south or east, in order that crops may get the 

 largest possible amount of protection from cold 

 winds, as well as a more direct exposure to the 

 sun's rays. Take advantage of any possible pro- 

 tection (as building, fence, or shrubs), from cold 

 winds on the north and west v See that the spot 

 chosen is well drained or provide artificial drain- 



Coldframe with protection from winds on the north. Differs from hotbed in depending solely on sunlight 



for heat 



25 



age by mounding the soil well around the finished 

 bed. 



Mark off dimensions of the pit, allowing from 

 one-half to one foot additional space outside the 

 frame. Throw soil removed back on all sides of 

 the pit in order that it may be used for banking. 

 After digging the pit to a depth of 24 inches, place 

 a thin layer of straw in the bottom. 



In filling the pit, place the manure in as evenly 

 as possible in 4-inch layers, firmly, tramping each 

 layer, especially along the edges and in the cor- 

 ners. When the pit is filled to surface level, 

 set the frame in place on top and bank well 

 around the edges with soil or with strawy manure. 

 Cover the frame with sash and mats, allowing it 

 to stand until the manure has thoroughly heated, 

 usually 4-6 days. 



A surface bed may be planned to avoid digging 

 the excavation needed for a pit bed. Choosing 

 a well-drained site, tramp the fermented manure 

 firmly in a heap approximately two feet longer 

 and two feet wider than the space covered by 

 the frame. Tramp each four-inch layer of 

 manure added until the pile is two feet deep with 

 the edges of the pile as nearly vertical as possible. 

 Set the frame squarely over the heap, bank well 

 around the outside, cover with sash and handle 

 identically as directed with the pit bed. 



Choose the best soil available in which to grow 

 the hotbed crops. If a supply has not been pro- 

 vided last season, secure the amount needed 

 from some sheltered place in the woods, or from a 

 well-protected fence corner. Mix soil chosen 

 thoroughly with well-rotted manure in the pro- 

 portion of about 3 or 4 to 1. Add this to a depth 

 of four to six inches and cover the bed again 

 until the temperature, after having reached its 

 maximum, usually 95 degrees to 125 degrees, has 

 receded to 85 to 90 degrees. Use a regular 

 plunging soil thermometer in taking tempera- 

 ture, pushing it through the soil added. 



Planting the Bed 



DLAN to plant the bed at any convenient 

 * date after the proper temperature and con- 

 dition of the soil is reached. The amount of each 

 crop planted will be governed somewhat by likes 

 and dislikes of the family, for various vegetables 

 and flowers, include lettuce, radishes, spinach* 

 early beets and parsley among 

 the first crops to be grown to- 

 maturity. Sow these, if possi- 

 ble, in late February or early 

 March. Space the rows 2 to 4m- 

 ches apart. Inter-crop radishes 

 with lettuce, alternating one row 

 oftheformerwithoneofthelatter. 

 Sow 8 to 10 seeds of each per 

 inch of row, later thinning rad- 

 ishes to stand 10 to 15 and let- 

 tuce 2 to 3 per foot of row. Thin 

 spinach, beets and parsley ac- 

 cordingly. Lay out the plot with 

 a rake-like marker having pro- 

 perly spaced 'pegs, in order to-, 

 get uniformly straight rows. 



