A raised bed offers the chance to grow delicious vegetables even in autumn. Due to the cold temperatures and the constant wetness, not all types of vegetables and cabbage are suitable for this.
A raised bed is a practical thing - and not only in the warm season. While the hobby gardener has to slowly harvest the beds at ground level from September and prepare them for the winter, he can still plant certain types of vegetables and lettuce in his elevated varieties and enjoy them until January.
But you can only do this if you protect the vegetables and the various types of lettuce from the cold temperatures and moisture.
Well protected against moisture and frost
Compared to normal, ground-level beds, a raised bed has several advantages that allow you to use it well into winter.
The altitude prevents the first frost from penetrating the soil, which would damage the roots and prevent plant growth. The different layers of soil in the bed also act as a heat store against the cold. Plants in a raised bed are also well protected from rot, which can quickly spread to plant parts close to the ground on cold, wet September days.
Covers such as a fixed roof or a foil tunnel also offer additional protection against moisture and frost. Underneath, heat is stored so well that you can harvest vegetables sown in autumn until January. However, you should open the cover at the sides of your head at least during the day. As an alternative, you can also use fleece during short periods of frost, which will keep your vegetables up to five degrees warmer than the outside temperature.
Suitable crops for autumn sowing
There are some vegetable and lettuce crops that you can sow in September and then harvest until winter.
Suitable cultures for the raised bed in autumn are:
- all types of cabbage
- corn salad
- Pick lettuce
- Arugula
- Leek
- Radish
Typical autumn vegetables that are sown in summer but only harvested in autumn are also in a raised beddue to its specific advantages better than in a ground floor.
Fall vegetables include:
- Brussels sprouts
- Chinese cabbage
- Beetroot
- endive
- Fennel
- celery
- Carrots
Do not harvest vegetables during frost
If you harvest vegetables from the raised bed, you should make sure that they are frost-free in the cold season. Also, leafy, root and collard greens should not be frozen when you harvest them.
However, the situation is different with late Brussels sprouts. These unfold their full flavor only through the frost. So wait a bit here and give the vegetables until the end of the year.
Sown for next year
The gardening work in autumn not only includes the harvest, but also the sowing for the next garden year. If you have several raised beds or do not want to sow autumn and winter-ripening crops in them, you can sow them again in October. For example, garlic that you sow in autumn will grow much better in spring due to the cold winter stimulus. The same goes for onions and chervil. If you like, you can also transform your raised bed into a sea of flowers for spring by planting your flower bulbs there in October.
If the raised bed is to remain unplanted until next spring, use the cold season to replenish it with nutrients. To do this, rake the soil to one side of the bed and then top up with greens, leaves and other garden debris. These can then rot over the winter and release nutrients to the top layer of soil.