Prof,
I never cut holes into my plastic. If you want ventilation, open the ends and the breeze goes right through.

I'm in zone 5 and will need plastic for about 4 weeks from here on because we'll still get nights (sometimes the odd day too) in the 20-30s and will need to keep warmth inside.

You're in zone 7. Once you get past a few cool nights, you'll more likely be needing some landscape fabric or sheer curtains soon to make a shade cloth. Filtered sun (by as much as 40-50% really eases the stress on the plants, keeps them from needing water so much.

My hoop house is like a Barbie doll. I have lots of 'outfits' for it: plastic for letting in light, keeping out cool. tarp: for over the plastic on the really cold night. blanket for the really really cold nights. sheers for bright warm days. landscape fabric to really cut down those brilliant hot days. My hoop house is on blacktop, so I have both heat and cold issues to deal with.

Keep us posted. And let's see some pics! Haven't you got that camera yet??? ;-D
Kris

This is excellent advice, but can I at least pretend the hoophouse is GI Joe? I have a few "outfits" that might work.

"Private, drop trou, and put on these sheers. We need a little breeze down there, OK?"

Prof

ROFLMAO - Prof, you crack me up!
Kris

I have no holes in mine. I open up the front or sides depending on the daytime temperature and whether or not it's sunny. It's been raining for 3 days now, so I have left it open the entire time for the seeds to get the moisture they need. In the morning, I'll close the front and leave the sides open. Keeps the soil from drying out in my 8 ounce cups.

I also use 6 mil plastic (over irrigation tubing). I stabbed some holes with and exacto knife but it didn't seem to offer much cooling help. My first piece of plastic had a slice in the center (from it's previous use somewhere else) which ended up splitting down the whole middle in a windstorm.

When I replace the current plastic, I'm not sure I'll bother to stab it. I have to open an end anyway. When it is 50 degrees and sunny outside, it is easily 100-110 degrees under the plastic by noon.

YMMV, where I live, the sun can be quite intense due to the high altitude and clear skies.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tales of a Transplanted Gardener

Hi greenbean!
Sometimes when the air is cold but the sun is clear and bright and I have the plastic on the hoop house, I just open the ends of the house only at the top. Just a few inches or more. This way the extra heat can escape creating while allowing for a build up of milder air temp inside. I have to watch...should clouds roll in then I close up the top of the ends to keep that warmth in. I often think automatic vent flaps might be a good investment, but right now I can use the exercise. Besides then what would I do for entertainment? LOL
Kris

I took the plastic off today. Most of my seeds have germinated and it's supposed to be 73. It's been sunny since 7:45 am. Almost blinded me this morning after 5 days without sun.

I'll keep it ready to go back on Monday and Tuesday. We'll likely have our last frosts those two nights.

Do you hoophouse folks move new "hottie" sprouts in there? I've got more toms and eggplants started under lights that I'd love to put in there. And shut off the darn fluorescents!

Prof

Prof, I check the weather. As soon as my night time temps were consistently above freezing, I put my tomatoes out there. I only did this when they could be outside for a few days/nights. I didn't want to have to bring them in every night. I also used a shade cloth to keep the sun from burning the tender leaves. The first time, they were out about a week. Then inside for a couple days/nights. They've been outside now for two weeks, as of tomorrow. We haven't had any freezing temperatures in that time.

I started my cukes, eggplants, and squash last week and put those directly in the hoophouse to germinate. No hardening off that way.

I also did morning glories, zinnias, and sunflowers the same day. Sowed them in cups and put them in the hoophouse. Took these a few minutes ago.

{{gwi:378081}}

Here in zone 5 I find I put out 'hotties' later rather than sooner. It's far too much trouble to angst about cold weather, high winds, unseasonable sun, etc than to keep the lights on in the basement for a few more weeks. Cold stuff I'll be putting out once we get past this forthcoming big dip in temps: lettuces, onions, mustard, spinach, etc.
Kris

Thanks, Token. That's what I wanted to hear. I'll just be careful.

prof

You have to worry about two things, freezing temps and sunlight. The two extremes can kill tender sprouts, just like with wintersowing. Right now, my hoophouse is just a large wintersowing container.

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm just really anxious to be done with this inside stuff. The basement is really cool--no heat down there-- so I think that's impeding growth. The sooner I can get them out the better.

Prof

We're still too cold to put out anything tender. Last Thursday night, it was 8 degrees outside. Our last frost date isn't until May 15, so I just have cool season stuff outdoors.

Kris, I lift the plastic from one end (I flip it up over the top) when I need to cool it off. When our weather goes back to being nicer, I'll take off the second layer of plastic which will leave the one layer that is cut a little too small and lets a lot of air flow through (DH thought he had a good way to "fix" it...). I need to improve my system a bit, but it works for now. Do you have pics of your hoophouse online?

Hi greenbean. :-) Here is a pic of my hoophouse from end of last April. I don't seem to have a pic of it wearing any of it's 'outfits'... It is a temporary structure that sets up and stores away easily. I like it on the blacktop because the driveway itself is a heat source at night. But then, the same driveway is an oven during the day, so I put up sheers or shade cloth on sunny days. It was originally only 3 sections, but I added a 4th 'room' last year. This year I'll probably have to build a whole 2nd hoophouse. (All those bee gardens to populate as well as this winter sowing thing, y'know... ;-D )
Kris

{{gwi:378082}}

Kiddo: What's the rope across the top for?

The rope keeps the pvc pipes from leaning one way or the other due to wind, weight of 'outfit', etc. It also prevents the 'outfit' from sagging. Since the hoophouse is on the blacktop, I cannot drive the pvc hoops into the ground to stabilize them so the ends of the rope are tied to heavy weights and that is how I keep things shipshape and Bristol fashion.
Kris

Thanks for the rope idea. I have made two hoop beds but because of the crazy winds the pvc blows and leans a little. How do you keep your plastic on? I have compost bags on the edges rigt now, but b/c of the crazy winds the last few days, I can't keep the plastic tight and it never fails that some edge blows loose. Then I end up with more and more of that edge blowing loose or the side plastic blows in enough that the sides are laying on the plants. Help.

Nichol

I use hardware spring clamps. I drape the plastic over the hoops and secure the it at the bottom four corners with the clamps. Then, since the plastic is about 18" longer than the length of the hoophouse on both sides, I use a clothes pin or smaller spring clamp to secure these 'flaps' to the rope leading down to the weight.

To close my ends I have separate sheets of plastic that sort of tuck UNDER the overflaps from the main sheet. By rolling down the side sheets, I control the amount of ventilation I get.

I'll be putting the hoophouse up probably around the 15th and I'll take pics in the process and let it show off a few outfits... ;-D
Kris

Kris: You got an Easter outfit picked out for the hoophouse? I plan to clip on one of my "Peterbilt" caps and anchor the front corners with my construction boots. No pants for this house! I love this outfit idea!

Prof

Hey prof. Assembled the old hoop house this weekend and built another one. Here is a link with pics.

Only 1 semi-sheer, but highly provocative ;-D, 'outfit' shown on the new hoopster. The old hoopster is still in the dressing room.

Kris

Kris: That's really cool! I really like the idea of having the house raised to table height. Is it up on saw horses or what?

My hoops are 1/2 inch PVC, too, but the trellises I built at the ends of the beds are 3/4. Wanted something heavier for those.

Kris:

Your blog is great! I love the tabletop hoophouse.

Above, someone mentioned the automatic opener. I bought an automatic opener for my hoophouse when I built it a couple of years ago. It's the gas-filled cartridge that pushes out a piston as the gas expands with heat, and the piston is what pushes the vent open. It's not worth the money, I think.

It was supposed to be adjustable to a wide range of temps, so I could just leave things alone and it would keep things warm but not cooked. The first one I bought would be wide open at 55 degrees, no matter how much I played with it. I got the catalog to send me a new gas cartridge/piston assembly.

The second one was more adjustable, but only slightly--I think it opens at 60 or 65 degrees. So, on cool days, the vent I built (about 1' x 1') would be wide open and everything would be cold. Yet on warm sunny days, (75 plus) that vent was not enough, and I would have to roll up some of the side of the hoophouse. Well, I can jolly well prop the vent open myself too, if I needed to roll up the sides before leaving the house anyway.

Stage_Rat: I'm not very familiar with these automatic openers, but was under the impression they only worked with "hard shell" enclosures like cold frames. My hoophouse is just plastic over PVC, so I'm relegated to manual opening and closing.

Prof - yep, sawhorses.

When the hoop house is gone - presto! an al fresco dining table. I have 2 bifold doors, painted a cheery yellow, to use as table tops when I entertain. Lightweight, folds up, takes up little storage space. Same for the folding sawhorses. I try to get at least double duty out of something (like Alton Brown's kitchen equipment). Some things I have seem to be unlimited in usage.

stage rat: now that I'm in forced retirement, the venting issue isn't a problem anymore. I'm so busy-fidget-pottering outside all the time, at least venting plastic lets the neighbors think I'm actually doing something useful... *ha!*

Kris (a nervous nelly who can find at least 12 ways to use a good rock or a nice stick)

baseball
killing snakes
busting windows
fending off crazy neighbors
fetch with my younger sister
I'm out of ideas.

The hoophouse was awesome this year. If any of you have the space, I would recommend, not just for wintersowing, but for starting late fall cuttings of hard to root evergreens and hardwood cuttings in January. Mine has done me well.

Kiddo. This is great! I'll be on my Freecycle board for sure. I'm suddenly into "accessible" gardening--read, the damn back is killing me! ;-)

Prof

I hear ya, prof. This bending and stooping crap is for the birds. Besides, aren't we SUPPOSED to get some wisdom by this age? Geez, if not now, when? Way I figure, the more I can put up on tables, benches, decks, etc. the less likely I'll be digging a 3-foot deep trench around all my garden beds just so everything would be within easy reach for planting and weeding...!

Kris (who obviously still has not found the correct balance with her meds)

kiddo: oh, exactly. Last year, when I was picking beans, I needed to take two Aleve before I even walked out to the patch. After about 20 minutes of stooping and clipping off beans I'd about had it.

Lexapro is wonderful. Trust me. Give it about three weeks and you won't care if you're picking beans or pulling radishes. As long as you have something to eat from your garden, you'll be happy.

Prof, try pole beans. They're delicious, continue to make beans until frost, and best of all very little stooping.

Think I will try to make a small hoop house from some cedar boxes that I already have made. How long is the conduit pipe? How high should it be in the center?

mnwsgal - for my table top hoop house, I bought 1/2" pvc in 10' length and cut them in half. When 'hooped' they are a nice height (about 20-22") in the middle. Find a piece of wire and play with it in your cedar box and see how high you want your hoops to be, allow some headroom for your plants. Then just measure the length and go from there. Tip - my 5' long 1/2" pvc would not bend well if my cedar frame had been any narrower. If you have a smaller box, try to find 3/8" pvc. Made wonderful hoops for floating row cover over 18" wide rows in the garden, but they don't sell that diameter here anymore. :-(

Kris: I just read your blog again. I'm really on this! Can you tell me the approximate dimensions? I assume you're around 30" wide (for the door) and about 84" long. So, your PVC to span width is 5 feet--correct?

Prof

Hi prof. My bifold doors are 36" wide and 79" long. I made the frame 67.5" by 32" (outside measurement). The frame could have been made another 11" long and still fit on the door, but I wanted to leave a 'shelf' at the end where I can set my coffee cup, clippers, gloves, wine glass, etc. The hoops are 1/2" pvc cut to 5' length. Does that do it for ya?
Kris

Oh, forgot to mention, with those frame dimensions it allows a 1.5" space around the length of the frame. This is a perfect width for the spring clamps to hold the plastic to the table.
Kris

Excellent! That's what I needed. Thanks, Kris.

Prof

Here's a fresh pic. It's supposed to snow tonight so the WS babies are snug for the night. This shows the spring clamps in place.

{{gwi:378083}}

Kris

Kris
Thank you ,thank you! I am so stealing this idea! I love the idea of it being raised up so I don't have to bend as much. We have an old door, or 2. I may raise it up on cinder blocks. I won't need to move it. Now since my hubby is "Tim the Tool Man" How much would I have to pay the guy who does our odd jobs to do it? Can anyone give me an estimate on the cost of the PVC,clamps,and plastic? I think we have the wood for the frame.... Hum...now is it still worth doing this season?
Thanks!
Monica

Hey monipsych.
I paid about $9.00 for the hardware:
2 10-foot 1/2" pvc tubes (cut in half to 5' length) @ $2.77/ea (Lowe's plumbing dept)
16 1/2" plastic clamps (they were 5 @ $.68) (same dept as tubes)
32 1/2" screws to attach the clamps to the planks (I had them)
8 2" screws to screw the frame together (I had them)
1 2-mil 9x12' plastic 'drop cloth' @ $3.50 (paint dept)
4 spring clamps (at Marc's - cheapies - 2 @ $.99) (or were $.99/ea in Home Depot hardware dept - Lowe's were too pricey).

I already had:
Bifold door, exterior semi-gloss paint to seal the door against the moisture, the cedar planks, all the screws and the sawhorses.

At the end of the season I'll just unscrew the frame, remove the hoops, then just store away until next year.

It took me 30 minutes to assemble. In fact, I'm making another one today to cover my WS annuals.

You're in zone 6. Will you be having frost/freezes yet this year? I'm in zone 5 and it been freezing some nights. In fact frosted last night. And even though the next 6 days will be warm and above freezing at night, I'll be keeping mine up till after mid-May because here in NE OH we still get some frosts until then.

This is a simple anyone-can-do project - after all - I did it!

And if you need even more encouragement - Prof might build one *snark* ;-D

Good luck.
Kris

Okay then. Why settle for one when you can have two for 2ce the price? ;-D

Kris (who may save a fortune on Advil this spring....)

{{gwi:378084}}

Kris: Here's the big question: How do the containers drain? Looks like you have the door covered with plastic.

Prof

The plastic is the 'belt and suspenders' approach. The doors are painted with 2 coats of exterior semi-gloss and sheds water like a duck. But since I had more than enough 2-mil plastic to go around I decided to put the extra under the hoop house. My driveway slopes slightly. So when I water a jug, it drains out onto the plastic, slides under the frame and heads off the table. No puddles.
Kris (who finally figures out why her shoes are wet)

Kris: hahahahaha. I'm thinking about putting it on my deck, so wondered if you tilted it or what. Now I can place some shims under the front for run-off in the back.

Prof (who likes dry feet) ;-)

PS: Why don't you just print up a little brochure with pics and sell the instructions for a buck a piece or something?

Prof -- LOL. I didn't do anything. Someone else invented the hoophouse. And tables (even ones made of doors) have been around for forever. Only thing I did was put the hoophouse on the table.

"Hey! You got hoophouse on my table!"
"Hey, you got table under my hoophouse!"
Big fight.
Then we all settle down and enjoy some Reese's Peanut Butter cups....;-D

Kris (*chomp*)