Hoophouse/cold frame ideas. Please. (pic heavy)

[dcarch]

Holidays are over. Back to work. I am sure many of you (Z6 +) are planning to start seeds for 2007 soon.

I am thinking of building a hoophouse to gain maybe a month or more extra growing time or to get some early tomatoes earlier.

Here are some of my considerations (limitations):

1. I only have room in the front lawn for about 30” x 15’.
2. Being in a residential area, the hoophouse has to look decent, I don’t want neighbors to complain.
3. I need to have the hoophouse removable once the weather gets warm. I don’t have a lot of storage space, so whatever components used have to be minimum.

I ‘d appreciate any ideas and advice. Thank you.

dcarch :wink:

[travis]

http://www.middlecity.com/backyard/hoophouse.shtml

I'm not sure this would be "neighborhood friendly" but I think it can be adapted to look nice if the substructure were nicely designed and constructed.

But then my wife has already nixed it for my backyard saying it would be visible to one neighbor and some passersby.

Oh well.

PV

[Tania]

my portable cold frames (2 people can easily carry them around, and they are just heavy enough not to be blown by strong wind):



each frame is 4'x6' and 3 to 5' tall, which is the most 'economical' size, given the price of 2"x4" wood, but same idea can be used for 2'x6' or 2'x8'

Re plastic - buy the best available, otherwise you'll be replacing plastic every 2 years or so.

Good luck dcarch! And please share your pictures with us, during and after construction

[DavidinCT]

I have a little more space but the same neighborhood concerns you do, dcarch. Going to see if these wooden tomato cages (scroll down for photo) tested at the U.C. Bay Area Research and Extension Center facility will serve as cold frames for a few weeks. Plan on wrapping plastic a few feet high around the 4 eight foot 2x2's, then poking the side and end supporting dowels through the plastic as needed The roof will be angled by inserting dowels at different levels. To fit in with the neigborhood homes, the cages will be painted white. Should be elegant. I hope.

Have no idea if this will work. Don't take my advice as this is my first serious tomato garden (serious in intent, we'll see how serious the crop is). Perhaps the plants won't have enough circulation in the two and a half by four foot area I intend to surround by the cage; perhaps I shouldn't be planting in the ground at all here in April.

If this sounds like a bad idea to anyone, I would appreciate a heads up . . .

['mater]

Originally Posted by dcarch

Here are some of my considerations (limitations):

1. I only have room in the front lawn for about 30” x 15’.

Seriously? 30 inches wide? Just making sure it wasn't a typo...

If it is that narrow, a version of what I'm considering for my new (slightly) raised beds might work. I'm modifying some plans for pvc hoophouses to create some low (2.5-3 feet high) frames using specialized couplers and snap over clamps to tighten and hold the cover. Not sure if I'll be able to bend it over that much, but figure to use angled couples if necessary to create a more box like frame. Might not be the most visually appealing option though and certainly wouldn't be an option if you were trying to use it late in the season as an extender over mature veggies (unless they were low growing).

I'm just looking for something to warm soil and allow me to give some things an early start. My thoughts are certainly a work in progress and I'll be interested to see what other possibilities are offered for you...

[dcarch]

Papa Vic,
Thanks. it's giving me some ideas.

Tania,
Wow! What an incredible setup you have!

DavidinCT,
Love to see some pictures of what you end up with.

'mater,
Yes, 30" x 15' for the hoophouse, then 48" x 30' raised bed for other plants.

dcarch

[Earl]

I have one that I can disasemble. Made with unglued pvc
pipe. It fits against the side of my house. Easy to take
down, roll-up pvc in plastic and put in the barn.

[Ruth_10]

Tania, very nice looking set up (drool, drool). What method do you use to stretch the plastic over the frame and how do you attach the plastic to the frame?

[Tania]

Originally Posted by Ruth_10

Tania, very nice looking set up (drool, drool). What method do you use to stretch the plastic over the frame and how do you attach the plastic to the frame?

Ruth,

We use a thin wooden strip to attach plastic to the frame; the strips are screwed into the frame, and the plastic 'sandwiched' in between - hopefully you can see it in the picture (on the right side):

[velikipop]

Check this site out. The plan is easy, economical and simple.



http://westsidegardener.com/howto/hoophouse.html

[Tomatovator]

D
Go to Walmart.com and search for "flowerhouse row house" maybe you could use this? I think I'm going to give it a try.

[LoreD]

This one might work. Its cheap and since its fitted it looks fairly attractive. Go to the item search put in Plastic Row Cover Kit

www.leevalley.com

LoreD

[Tomatovator]

I like the cover LoreD found (especially the price). But I noticed in the item description that using the cover can give you a first harvest 2 weeks earlier than usual. Is 2 weeks earlier about the best one can hope for using products like these or is it a conservative estimate?

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by Tomatovator

I like the cover LoreD found (especially the price). But I noticed in the item description that using the cover can give you a first harvest 2 weeks earlier than usual. Is 2 weeks earlier about the best one can hope for using products like these or is it a conservative estimate?

First, thank you everyone for ideas.

As far as the "two weeks earlier" statement is concerned, I think it depends a lot on what zone you are in. If your are in Z 5/6, most likely longer. And if you watch the weather reports for those few deep freezing days and put a small heater in the hoophouse, I would think you can possibly get one or two months earlier.

dcarch

[LoreD]

I'm in zone 5 and use a similar setup. I have the hoops and purchased heavier plastic through Farmtek. I need the heavier plastic because in May we have gale force winds in Chicago. It was pretty similar though and I got about 6 weeks ahead of the standard Memorial Day planting.

Several of my friends who were able to place the little cold frame or greenhouse by a sheltered brick wall that gave it a little heat were a full 8 weeks ahead.

They do work very well.

LoreD