Discussion forum for the various methods and structures used for getting an early start on your growing season, extending it for several weeks or even year 'round.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
Posts: 1,685
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I currently use 1/2" irrigation pipe to support frost cloth and netting over my 4' wide beds but I want something that will be useful to run down all or just part of a row on one side of a bed. I see some wire hoops (with accompanying covering) being sold for this purpose in some seed catalogs but I can most likely buy the wire around here and cut it myself with my bolt cutter for less money.
Do any of you use these? If so, what gauge wire is it? I realize the length of wire needed for a hoop will vary according to height of hoop, how far in the ground the ends are pushed and how wide it spreads, but does anyone have a general rule of thumb? I just want to buy a bit for testing purposes so I can cover a few things without setting up the whole bed with my current set-up. Thanks in advance for any input! |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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I use wire that the vineyards use ,I don't know what gauge it is though . I usually stick it in about 8 to 10 inches and it covers an area about 18 to 24 inches wide.
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
Posts: 1,685
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Got a guess as to the overall length of one of the wire pieces?
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Ústí nad Labem in the north of the Czech Republic
Posts: 332
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I use wires from an electric cable. Their advantage is the insulation, which prevents the wire from forming a cold bridge. As to the gauge, it's difficult to give any advise for two reasons: I don't know how much weight they will have to carry (depends on the height of the tunnel and cover material used) and I don't know your American standards for producing cables. Mine are 25 or 35 square millimeters (35 = 0,0542 square inches) in cross section. Material either aluminium or copper. I was lucky to find a lengthy piece left behind by sloppy electricians.
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#5 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: North County, San Diego
Posts: 419
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If you read the reviews of this 9 gauge wire https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PZ98RU you will find a lot of references to using it for row covers.
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Czech republic
Posts: 2,534
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I'm just interested in what is the diameter of the "gauge 9" wire.
Vladimír |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Ústí nad Labem in the north of the Czech Republic
Posts: 332
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
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Made this raised hoop house,with the 4 inch wire ladders.They have one for 8 inch block.
https://www.menards.com/main/buildin...4421185063.htm
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KURT Last edited by kurt; February 15, 2021 at 10:57 AM. Reason: Additional info |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
Posts: 1,685
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After checking out online what Tractor Supply had, I bought a 171' coil of 9 gauge wire for $16.99. Pretty sturdy stuff and I'm glad I have a good bolt cutter. Now when it finally stops raining, I will go down to the garden and cut some test hoops.
Thanks to all for the input. ![]() |
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SE PA
Posts: 971
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Sorry I just saw this.
3/16" hi tensile steel hoops is what I buy. They don't rust much, I can't say if they are galvanized, but only rust if left on the ground over winter, or the parts stuck in the ground. 64" x100 hoops is $44 this year. 76" x 100 is $50. This a produce supply place, and that would not include shipping. 64" is what I have used, and to stretch them to 4ft wide bed, I need to ziptie a pair of them together to make a big hoop that can be wide yet sunk deep. If you have good tilth I would buy them/make them longer, and just sink them deeper when you don't need the width. My brother ordered some this year and I advised the longer version. If you only need a narrow span, you lay the hoops in at angle to the bed edge to retain height but decrease width. I usually use two crossed and ziptied at each row end, I call it castling, so I can pull the row cover fairly tight without pulling that farthest hoop back toward me. Last edited by JRinPA; February 16, 2021 at 03:49 AM. |
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#11 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
Posts: 1,685
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
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Before placing in the soil ,we spray the wire with a pruning spray seal or plain old dip in bucket of pure roofing asphalt(which is organic).Stops the rust from exposures from latter ferts that contain the salts.Stops the cutting of ends after seasons.
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KURT |
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