One of the ways was to build a mini hoop greenhouse. You can do this too, and here's how:
Supplies:
PVC or PEX piping
Rebar or U clips if you have boards around your garden
Heavy Duty Painters Plastic (3.5ml)
Rocks, bricks or heavy sticks
Clothespins
Thermometer
Time spent: less than an hour
First
-After prepping and tilling garden (which had been done on an earlier day), measure garden. This is our side garden and it measures 20'x4'.
Second
-Measure out where your rebar will be placed. It can be placed 3-4 feet apart. I used 1 foot rebar for our posts. It's cheaper, I found, to buy a long piece of rebar and have it cut to size, than to buy the sizes that I needed. It saves you about 45% doing it this way.
-Stick rebar in the ground until only a few inches are shown.
-Take your PVC or PEX piping measure and cut with a hacksaw where you need it.
- I found it cheaper to buy it in a 50 ft length and cut it myself, than to buy it cut already. About 1/2 price.
-Be careful when cutting it! We don't want any ER visits from this project!
Fourth
-Measure all pieces the same size. This is where some help comes in handy. I had some very cute help helping me through this project.
-Take piping and insert into rebar on either side of the garden. It's so easy a child could do it!
Sixth
-Open your painters' plastic and spread it over your hoop house to see if you need to trim any off. Because of the size of my garden, I didn't need to cut any.
Seventh
-Pull the plastic tight around the hoops. Draw it from the sides to the front and fold under. Here's where you need the heavy rocks, bricks, sticks or whatever. Use the rocks to hold it in place. I also placed it around the sides to have extra protection from the wind as it can get fairly windy on this Island.
Eighth
- Place a thermometer inside your hoophouse and monitor the temperature for a couple of days before putting transplants inside. Keep an eye on the temperature. Mine was up to 44 degrees Celsius one day and it was only 15 outside. If you need to cool your hoop house down, just use the clothespins to pin up the opening on either end to let the air go through. Remember to keep a watch on the temperature when the house is open as well.
I would love to see your hoop house! Send a picture to our email: fighting2bfrugal @ yahoo dot ca, or pop on over to our Facebook page and share it there!
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