There are different reasons why you can roof over a flower or vegetable bed and also different construction methods. Which type of cover is suitable for your beds depends on what you want to achieve with it.
Why and how can you roof a bed?
Bed canopies offer protection from frost and rain, allow them to be used as cold frames and support plant growth. Simple variants are polytunnels or open structures for ventilation, while closed structures create a warm, humid climate. The rain protection side should always face the weather side.
What is the use of a roof?
With a roof you can protect your bed from almost all weather influences, similar to a greenhouse. A cold frame attachment keeps the frost away and creates a warm, humid climate. You can plant flowers and vegetables early on and don't have to wait for the Ice Saints to end.
If you live in a rainy area, then the tomato harvest often depends more on luck than on gardening skills. A roof can help here and save your harvest.
What types of roofing are there?
You can build a bed canopy closed or open, depending on whether you want ventilation or not. A closed roof is suitable, for example, for use as a cold frame. It prevents the plants underneath from freezing. With an open canopy, however, you can protect tomatoes from excessive moisture.
In addition to the different purposes, bed canopies can also be differentiated according to their construction or durability. A simple construction is only intended for one season and may no longer be used afterwards, but a sustainable one can be used again and again for several years or even permanently.
How can I build a roof myself?
The simplest way to cover a bed (for one season) is probably a polytunnel (€14.00 on Amazon). You can get this from a hardware store or garden center along with detailed assembly instructions. Alternatively, you can build a similar structure yourself using thick, transparent foil and roof battens. For more complex roofing that is intended to last for several years, ensure a solid foundation. Here you can also use Plexiglas instead of foil.
The most important things in brief:
- Protection from frost and/or rain
- Use as a cold frame possible
- Simplest version: polytunnel
- open construction ensures ventilation
- Closed construction creates a warm, humid climate
- Always align rain protection towards the weather side
Tip
Always point the closed side of an open bed canopy towards the weather side, otherwise you will not have the desired effect.
