When you start a garden this year, try and maximize the usage of your planting space by building projects that have dual purposes. One way of doing this is by using raised bed hoop houses which can replace the need for a separate greenhouse.
Raised bed hoop houses can greatly extend your harvest season by protecting your seedlings from frost and cold winds. They allow you to plant earlier by warming up the soil and can even act as cold frame when starting seedlings for transplanting elsewhere. Below is how we have integrated hoop houses into our garden area.
Materials Needed
- 1/2 inch PVC
- 1 inch PVC
- Connectors
- Plastic Sheeting
- Agribon (optional)
Gather Supplies.
Cut 1 inch pipe into 2 foot sections.
Drive sections into corners.
Add more every two feet.
Slide 1/2 inch PVC into 1 inch pipe.
Repeat on all your beds.
Cover with plastic and attach clamps on ends.
Firewood works as well.
They make pipe clamps to attach plastic to hoops.
But a section of garden hose works as well.
When it gets warmer switch to agribon.
Remove the plastic.
Lay out the agribon.
Cover hoops and reattach connectors.
Looks like we are headed to Oregon!
Agribon is not necessary for most people, but for us in the colder climates it can greatly increase our growing season. I usually switch it out on our most temperature sensitive plants when the plastic makes the beds too hot. I have seen temperatures of 110-120 degrees in them on a warm spring day. Good luck with your garden this year.
Agribon AG-19 Floating Row Crop Cover / Frost Blanket / Garden Fabric Plant Cover
Acts as frost blanket and provides up to 4° F frost protection & 85% Light Transmission. Non-woven garden fabric cover, ultra-light and resistant to exposure to the environment; it allows light, water and air to pass through and is reusable. Agribon® helps to increase quality and production while, at the same time, moving forward the harvest date and extending the growing season.
