How to warm the soil in your vegetable garden (to harvest faster!)

To warm up your vegetable garden soil faster and harvest more and earlier, there are a few very simple solutions. After all, seedlings grow better in warmed soil, and you can help. Nantes tunnels, trays, black compost, tarpaulins... will raise the temperature by the necessary few degrees. This is especially important for primitive, hardy vegetables such as greens, radishes, beetroot and peas. Follow these tips to warm up your garden soil and harvest faster!

Plastic sheeting

It's not very aesthetic (and some would say not very environmentally friendly) but it's very effective! Choose black tarpaulins and cover the already prepared vegetable garden soil about six weeks before you start sowing. Once you're ready, remove the cover, sow seeds and plants and cover.

The Nantes tunnel

This is simply plastic sheeting or forcing sails stretched over hoops. Ready-made kits are available from garden centres, but there's nothing to stop you making your own. Delimit the plot of garden concerned and insert compost. Install the hoops and spread the tarpaulin over the soil to speed up the temperature rise. Plant your seedlings as soon as possible. As soon as the weather improves, position the tarpaulin over the hoops to bring in air and light.

Black soil on seedlings

Once your seedlings are in place, the soil can be warmed by simply adding black potting soil to the surface. This colour captures the heat from the sun's rays and stores it. Don't forget that patience is essential for any gardener! If your soil can't be warmed up enough, wait to sow your seedlings.

Manure in the soil

When you prepare your plot of land, before placing your seedlings in it, add a layer of horse manure. Spread and compact this layer to a thickness of around ten centimetres. As the manure decomposes, it will give off a lot of heat. It will heat the soil from the inside, especially if you then cover it with a frame.

The glazed frame

If you're in a cold region, install a glazed sash. The sun's rays bear obliquely on the raised substrate, which allows you to gain three to four degrees. But be careful not to overdo it! The frame can quickly become too hot; remember to open it regularly in the middle of the day to avoid burning the young plants.

Mineral mulching

In order to gain the few degrees needed for tomatoes, peppers, peppers, potatoes or melons to grow properly, you can add mineral mulch to soil that has already been warmed up. Use slate or crushed bricks. Black slate catches the heat very well without burning the plants. Crushed bricks will store up the sun's heat throughout the day and release it at night.