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Autumn is here and the raised bed is empty? It doesn't have to be - we'll show you how you can still plant your raised bed in autumn.

Even in autumn, a raised bed can still be planted

Raised beds are currently on the rise. No wonder, after all, the practical beds are not only easy on the back, but also offer numerous advantages for growing vegetables. But did you know that you can still easily grow numerous types of vegetables in raised beds in autumn? In fact, some types of vegetables can be wonderfully cultivated in a raised bed even if it would be too cold in a normal bed. We will show you why autumn cultivation in raised beds works so well and which types of vegetables are particularly suitable for autumn cultivation.

Planting raised beds in autumn: That's behind it

It's not just the shorter days that make things difficult for our plants in autumn: frost and moisture in particular bring many plants to an early end. But here the raised bed has a decisive advantage: On the one hand, the water drains much faster through the drainage layer in the raised bed, so that vegetables and co. do not get wet feet. On the other hand, the various layers of soil continue to rot in autumn and release energy in the form of heat - so the raised bed has a built-in heater for the cold days. This ensures that the plants are only affected by frost and cold much later than their outdoor counterparts and can grow much longer.

The different layers act like a natural heater

Planting raised beds in autumn: tips and tricks to extend the season

But even in the raised bed it gets too cold for the plants at some point - fortunately there are a few tips and tricks on how to extend the season a little: An excellent way to keep the temperatures comfortable even during the first night frosts in autumn kept in the raised bed, this must be covered with a foil tunnel. Under the foil, the heat collects so effectively that you can grow vegetables well into the winter. Only regular airing on sunny days is mandatory, otherwise the risk of fungal infection increases. A cold frame or greenhouse attachment also worksthis principle and is ideal for autumn cultivation (many manufacturers already have suitable, quick and easy to assemble solutions for their raised beds in their range). But even mulching individual types of vegetables or laying out fleece can increase the temperature by up to 5 °C: This small temperature difference alone has a huge impact on plant growth and ensures a better harvest.

A cold frame can extend the growing season

Planting raised beds in autumn: suitable types of vegetables

If you still want to harvest something in autumn, you usually fall back on the classic autumn vegetable varieties. Sown in the summer, these types of vegetables ripen well into the fall and also feel right at home in the raised bed. Cabbage types such as Chinese cabbage, broccoli or Brussels sprouts in particular are perfect for the raised bed, but carrots and fennel also benefit from their new home.

In autumn, of course, the typical winter vegetables can also be grown, which otherwise have a permanent place in the bed. The best way to do this is to grow the seedlings indoors and later plant them as young plants. This can also be done in September or October without any problems, but you have to reckon with the fact that the harvest will not take place until spring. Kale, spinach and co. ensure full raised beds in winter, after all they brave the cold and frost.

Tip: So that the vegetables in your raised bed feel good, you should use a high-quality and drip-free organic soil such as our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil. In this way you ensure that your plants have the best conditions and that a rich harvest will soon be forthcoming.

But not only autumn and winter vegetables can be harvested easily and uncomplicatedly this late in the year: Almost all lettuce, as well as leeks and radishes are also perfect for the bed, as they have a very short growing season. This way they can be harvested before the days get too short and the first severe frosts appear. However, with all vegetables, they should never be harvested in sub-zero temperatures - not only can this damage the plants, but it also causes the leaves to become mushy as they thaw.

Almost all types of lettuce can also be grown in autumn

Planting raised beds in autumn: overview of suitable types of vegetables

Here you will find an overview of all types of vegetables that deserve a place in the raised bed in autumnhave.

  1. All types of cabbage, including Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis), broccoli (Brassica oleraceavar. italica), Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera), Kohlrabi ( Brassica oleracea var. gonglyodes) and kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica )
  2. All types of lettuce, particularly suitable are rocket (Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa), radicchio (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum), endive (Cichorium endivia) and frisée (Cichorium endivia var .crispum)
  3. Leek (Alium ampeloprascum)
  4. Radish (Raphanus sativus)
  5. Celery (Apium graveolens)
  6. Parsley (Peterselinum crispum)
  7. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
  8. Chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris)
  9. Carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus)
  10. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Cabbage varieties are also suitable for a late harvest

Planting raised beds in autumn: green manure instead of vegetables

Would you rather do something good for your raised bed and don't necessarily need fresh vegetables in winter? Then green manure is just the right thing: Instead of leaving the bed empty in winter or growing vegetables in it, you can also plant your raised bed with hardy legumes (Fabacea) as green manure. The main advantage of these plants is that they bind nitrogen in the soil with the help of nodule bacteria and thus allow the soil to regenerate naturally in winter. At the same time, they also protect the soil from the effects of the weather and erosion, to which a "bare" bed would otherwise be exposed.

Especially clover (Trifolium) and sainfoin (Onobrychis) have proven to be good cover crops and are not only useful, but also look good good. In early spring, the cultivated legumes are then dug under - here they also serve as valuable fertilizer. With this winter pampering program, your bed will be perfectly prepared for the new gardening season in spring.

You can find out more about green manure and planting raised beds in this article.

sainfoin is not only a good green manure, but also decorative

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Gardening Tips