A couple of weeks ago I was inspired to build a hoop house. I was getting impatient waiting for my other half to come up with the master plans for our official greenhouse and steadily running out of places to put all the plants we are trying to propagate. So after hunting around the property and snooping in hubby's workshop I came up with almost everything I needed for my guerrilla project. The process is pretty self explanatory (if I can figure it out than anyone can). I made this model 5' x 20' so it can stand alone or fit over a long garden bed if need be.
After screwing the wooden base together I attached some pvc pipe I had left over from an old chicken tractor we took apart. Then I added two pieces of pallet wood on the ends for stability and ran more pvc pipe across the top and sides, securing with cable ties. I used these c-clamps to hold the pvc hoops upright.
The only thing I purchased for this project was the plastic which I got at the dollar store, so my whole hoop house cost a grand total of $3 to make!
At the front entrance the plastic is tied around another shorter piece of pvc so I can lift it easily for watering and adding or removing plants.
It may not be totally professional but my seedlings are super happy. It gets really hot in there! The corn and cucumbers are all quickly germinating and the squash just keep on coming. We have also started dill, heirloom collards, Abyssinian kale, assorted beets, mammoth sunflowers, burdock, and peppers. Whoo hoo!
SO very impressed!! I, too, am impatient waiting on my hoop house. I NEED tomatoes and corn to work this year! I may just have to do this myself!
ReplyDeleteYou totally should. It was so easy, and took about an hour. Definitely worth it!
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