These simple structures extend the growing season and keep pests at bay
Whether you are endeavor to prevent rabbits from nibbling lettuce , protect fresh transplanted tomatoes from frost , or shelter nerveless - season vegetable into tardy autumn or even winter , a mini hoop burrow might be the result for you . These pint - size of it polytunnels are perfect for pocket-size spaces , raised bed , and in - ground garden . In my garden they are temporary social organisation , sometimes in station for a few weeks and other times for a few months .
The two main components of a mini hoop tunnel , the hoops and the cover , can be changed agree to the season and the objective . The textile are cheap and easily sourced , and the burrow is easy to put up without construction expertness or world power tools . A tunnel can be shifted from seam to seam as needed , or it can be hit and put in between uses . I have been using mini hoop tunnel in my vegetable garden for almost two decades , and I consider them garden insurance policy , protect my crops from live and cold weather , hail , C , frost , dirt ball , and great pestilence .
Choose hoops based on strength and durability
Of the many types of hoops I ’ve trialed over the years , the three that I ’ve chance to be most useful are 9 - gauge wire , 1/2 - in PVC conduit , and 1/2 - inch alloy conduit . The type you choose to use bet on your finish . If you ’re looking for lightweight fountain or fall hoarfrost protective cover , or protection from summer pests like kale worms or flea beetles , 9 - calibre conducting wire wicket are all right . If you want to harvest into fall and wintertime , and you live on in a region where coke load want to be reckon , you ’ll want a hoop with more military posture .
9 - gage wire . you’re able to purchase or make your own telegram hoops . I make mine from 9 - gauge conducting wire , which I trim into 6- or 7 - base length , calculate on the breadth of the layer . I utilize these to make low basketball , about 18 inches magniloquent , for spring , summer , or early fall traverse .
9 - gauge telegram – Wire supports are lightweight , low-cost , and quick to set up . They work best for low - growing crops and whippersnapper book binding .
1/2 - column inch premature ventricular contraction conduit – Conduit support are strong and long-lived whether made from metal or PVC.They can be used to cover taller crop and well corroborate cover of any weightiness ; however , the PVC supports take reinforcement when used in snowy condition . Photo : Carol Collins
polyvinyl chloride conduit . My first mini hoop tunnels were made with 1/2 - inch polyvinyl chloride conduit , and I ’m still using those original art object in my garden . They come in 10 - foot length that are easy bent by hand to make durable hoop . For wintertime burrow , I impart a center support down the middle , as premature ventricular contraction can shift under heavy blow .
alloy conduit . Hoops made from metal conduit have been a game changer in my winter garden . I expend a Low Tunnel Hoop Bender from Johnny ’s Selected Seeds . This tool bend the 10 - foot lengths of 1/2 - in metal conduit into very strong hoop . These hoops stand up easily to winter snowstorm , but they can also be used in spring , summer , and autumn to hold in a sort of cover .
How many hoop will you need ? The answer depend on the size of the bed . Hoops should be space 3 to 4 feet apart . For a bed that is 4 feet by 8 feet , I would use three hoops ; for one that is 4 feet by 10 feet , I would use four .
A range of cover materials adds versatility
Mini ring tunnels can be made with a variety of screen , but which you choose will count on the season of the year and the reason for building them .
course cover . Protect your crop from hoar , conditions , insects , and other pests with specialised fabrics that fall in several weights . In a rest home garden , a lightweight run-in cover is the most various ; it allows the most Light Within to pass through ( about 85 % to 90 % ) and offers several degrees of frost tribute .
Row cover
Insect barrier
Insect barrier . These utilitarian cover forbid scathe from plague such as flea beetles , cabbage worms , and squelch bugs . Some are ultra - lightweight wrangle covers , while others are mesh screening . Both allow about 90 % of light to pass through to the craw .
Polyethylene sheeting . Called “ poly ” for short , this material is sold at garden center , ironware stores , and online companies . Some nurseryman utilize drop textile or construction plastic , but those are very lightweight , not ultraviolet treat , and typically last only a few month . Because I essay to limit my plastic habit , I require durable , long - lasting materials , and so I use 6 - mil greenhouse poly on my mini hoop tunnels . It is ultraviolet radiation treated and generally hold up four to six years . Poly sheeting is perfect for springtime , autumn , or wintertime use and allows around 90 % light transmission .
spectre cloth . This woven material is one of the most undervalued cover song in a menage garden . As the summers get hotter , I find myself relying on it to establish sequential crops and late - season veg . Shade cloth is woven into unlike denseness that block a percentage of sunlight . I employ 30 % to 40 % shade material , which stymy 30 % to 40 % of the lightness . It is great for establishing craw in the summer by providing shade from the red-hot Lord’s Day , help the soil retain moisture , and reducing the ambient temperature beneath the cover .
Hoop tunnel planting chart
Because different varieties have different days to matureness , be certain to check seed packets for specific planting selective information . For crepuscule and winter harvesting , certain mixed bag such as ‘ battle of Marathon ’ broccoli or ‘ Winter Density ’ lettuce offer extra cold - lustiness . press the ikon to consider chart as a PDF .
Niki Jabbour , the honor - winning author ofGrowing Under CoverandThe Year - Round Vegetable Gardener , lives and garden in Halifax , Nova Scotia .
Photos , except where note : Niki Jabbour
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9-gauge wire– Wire supports are lightweight, affordable, and quick to install.They work best for low-growing crops and lightweight covers.
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1/2-inch PVC conduit– Conduit supports are strong and durable whether made from metal or PVC.They can be used to cover taller crops and easily support covers of any weight; however, the PVC supports require reinforcement when used in snowy conditions.Photo: Carol Collins
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Row cover
Insect barrier
Polyethylene sheeting
Shade cloth
