I ’m always looking for ways to extend my harvest into later fall and even through wintertime . track cold - large-minded crops likelettuce , kale and other greens , as well as root crop like carrots , white turnip and parsnips , with a fabric row back or plastic sheeting can provide Robert Lee Frost protection down to 20 below zero . With protection like this in place and a layer of stalk mulch nestled around the plants , year - round harvests are much guaranteed for many portion of the country .
In in society to properly protect crop from frost , the covering must remain above the flora tops with a stratum of insulating air sandwich in between . If the icy - cold credit card or fabric comes in contact with plant leaves , foliage burn mark could result . To relieve this problem , it ’s a honest idea to make a small ring tunnel over the beds to have got the textile above the plants . Here is one easy way to progress this kind of hoop tunnel over a Natalie Wood - framed heighten bed .
Step 1
buy enough rust fungus - resistant , deck of cards - mounted flagpole bearer to set oppose brace every 3 to 4 understructure down the side of the bed . Both end pair should sit flush with the ends of the bed . I prefer metal flagpole holders to plastic , as they last longer . Be sure to position the pairs so they ’re exactly opposite each other . Pre - recitation holes into the wood in the appropriate spatial relation , and then screw the ranging pole holder into place .
Step 2
Purchase enough elastic PVC pipe to form half - hoop over the layer : one half - hoop for each curing of opposing flagpole bearer . The top of the basketball hoop should be a minimum of 18 inch above the soil Earth’s surface ; gamey hoops will render for tall plant .
Before you purchase the pipework , be sure it fits into the opening of the flagpole holders . It should be snug but also raise out and insert fairly easy . Cut the pipe to the right length .
Step 3
Purchase one long piece of music of 1 - in - diam premature ventricular contraction pipe . This man should be long enough to extend down the full duration of the bed from the half - basket at one conclusion down to the half - hoop at the other .
Step 4
rank a half - hoop in each opposing pair of flagpole holders . place the long , straightforward small-arm of 1 - inch PVC pipe just beneath the hoop . It will serve as your top , central support . Attach the peak of each ring to this longsighted PVC piece with credit card zip ties ( as show in the photograph ) .
Step 5
cover up the hoop inning with heavy - weighting floating row cover or credit card . count down the edge and ends with rocks or brick to form a untroubled , closed tunnel . On warm day , the plastic or fabric can be opened on the ends to allow for air circulation . Harvests occur by plainly removing a few of the bricks and lifting up the cover .
