Is it a problem to cover my plants at night

jeffweet · May 31, 2011

I have 4 plants in Smart Containers out back. They have thrived thus far - however my development turned on the lawn sprinklers last week and they absolutely drench my plants every night. I have no shot at getting them to do anything about it. First i tried throwing a plastic tarp over the top, which kept the plants dry but reeked havoc with my cages putting it on and taking it off. Over the weekend, I spent 4 hours building a frame out of aluminum electrical tubing - it ended up being too heavy and too unstable to have to put it up and take it down every day. Finally I ended up creating two upside down U shapes and I plan on throwing the tarp over them at night and pulling them in the morning. There is air flow since the ends are open and I spread them out enough that nothing is actually touching the plants or the cages. Is this going to be a problem for my plants?

jdmfish · May 31, 2011

Can you just relocate the plants, temporarily, since they are in containers? Then relocate them before you leave for work, or wake up, etc.

jeffweet · May 31, 2011

The cages are staked to the ground and the sprinklers are all around the house - thanks for the response.

jdmfish · May 31, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweet

The cages are staked to the ground and the sprinklers are all around the house - thanks for the response.

Oh, my bad.

waterman1971 · June 1, 2011

Could you place something next to the sprinkler heads to deflect the water?

Maybe a stake with a piece of plywood or something nailed to it.

Perhaps a couple of those political signs strategically placed would do the trick.

They are easily sourced.

jeffweet · June 1, 2011

Thanks - That was my first thought - I have spent time on my hands and knees trying to find them to no avail - i need to get up in the middle of the night and see where the water is coming from i guess.

dice · June 3, 2011

I take it they are in a row? What about putting two ladders at the ends,
running a board across the tops, and putting a tent of 6-mil clear
plastic over it? Sort of a mini-hoophouse without pvc hoops.

You can get the plastic at any big box hardware store. Drape it over the
board on top, and lay another board across the bottom on each side.
You can wrap it around those boards and staple it to them, then cut
off the excess. Just leave it up for the season. (Unless that is against
housing association rules.)

You can also take it down and put it back up fast. Just lift the board on
one side over, roll it up the long way, store it, take it out in the evening
and put it back on. PITA, as they say, but that keeps the sprinklers off
your plants.

(You do not have to buy actual ladders. You can build inexpensive
A-frames with 2x2s, screws, and a door hinge apiece, as tall as you
want.)

Here is one:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Svi15ssRFU...0/DSC05589.jpg

Another, closer to how I pictured it (one of these at each end,
with a piece of board, conduit, or chain link fence top rail across
the top; freestanding, very stable, the A-frames can be narrower):
http://www.vegetablegardener.com/★★★...677_sm2_lg.jpg

dice · June 3, 2011

PS: To get other ideas, search Google Images for
'tomato "shade cloth"' and/or 'tomato "bird netting"', etc.

Those would need a support similar to what you need to keep
the sprinklers from drenching your tomato foliage every night.

May 31, 2011	#1
jeffweet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Old Bridge, NJ Posts: 6	Is it a problem to cover my plants at night I have 4 plants in Smart Containers out back. They have thrived thus far - however my development turned on the lawn sprinklers last week and they absolutely drench my plants every night. I have no shot at getting them to do anything about it. First i tried throwing a plastic tarp over the top, which kept the plants dry but reeked havoc with my cages putting it on and taking it off. Over the weekend, I spent 4 hours building a frame out of aluminum electrical tubing - it ended up being too heavy and too unstable to have to put it up and take it down every day. Finally I ended up creating two upside down U shapes and I plan on throwing the tarp over them at night and pulling them in the morning. There is air flow since the ends are open and I spread them out enough that nothing is actually touching the plants or the cages. Is this going to be a problem for my plants?

May 31, 2011	#3
jeffweet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Old Bridge, NJ Posts: 6	Unfortunately not The cages are staked to the ground and the sprinklers are all around the house - thanks for the response.

June 3, 2011	#7
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I take it they are in a row? What about putting two ladders at the ends, running a board across the tops, and putting a tent of 6-mil clear plastic over it? Sort of a mini-hoophouse without pvc hoops. You can get the plastic at any big box hardware store. Drape it over the board on top, and lay another board across the bottom on each side. You can wrap it around those boards and staple it to them, then cut off the excess. Just leave it up for the season. (Unless that is against housing association rules.) You can also take it down and put it back up fast. Just lift the board on one side over, roll it up the long way, store it, take it out in the evening and put it back on. PITA, as they say, but that keeps the sprinklers off your plants. (You do not have to buy actual ladders. You can build inexpensive A-frames with 2x2s, screws, and a door hinge apiece, as tall as you want.) Here is one: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Svi15ssRFU...0/DSC05589.jpg Another, closer to how I pictured it (one of these at each end, with a piece of board, conduit, or chain link fence top rail across the top; freestanding, very stable, the A-frames can be narrower): http://www.vegetablegardener.com/★★★...677_sm2_lg.jpg __________________ -- alias

June 3, 2011	#8
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	PS: To get other ideas, search Google Images for 'tomato "shade cloth"' and/or 'tomato "bird netting"', etc. Those would need a support similar to what you need to keep the sprinklers from drenching your tomato foliage every night. __________________ -- alias

May 31, 2011	#2
jdmfish Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: FL Posts: 101	Can you just relocate the plants, temporarily, since they are in containers? Then relocate them before you leave for work, or wake up, etc.

June 1, 2011	#5
waterman1971 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: The great state of Texas Posts: 43	Could you place something next to the sprinkler heads to deflect the water? Maybe a stake with a piece of plywood or something nailed to it. Perhaps a couple of those political signs strategically placed would do the trick. They are easily sourced.