Diva - Try fastening a 1x2 along the hoops, perhaps using conduit hanger loops. One on top and one on each side might help keep the covers up.

But you had an unusually heavy snowfall, didn't you?

divadeva - do you have photos of your hoop houses - if so - please post

thank you - mr toad

First time for us too. I was afraid they'd collapse under the snow but they never did. We used just plain old PVC. I couldn't believe all that survived under there! Absolutely worth doing.

Are you saying the failure was due to the snow load?? Did your HH have any lateral bracing at all (sorry the techie term escapes me) - I mean the main pipe running from end to end at the center of the HH..? If you have that, and then at least one angled brace going (N side) from lower corner to 1/3 up, that should be enough for normal bracing, no need to go to 1f spacing. And for insurance or security (however you like) put a coupe 2x4 vertically under your center "spine" via a mechansim that will let you take it out when the major snow danger has passed (ie, doesn't need to be permanent).

Did you take any pics of the failure??

Hi, Sorry I didn't follow up on this thread, we were finishing our house build and then moving.

We have "Sierra cement" snow here, it's very full of water and unusually heavy. My plastic hoops simply deformed, turning into low plastic rectangles under the weight of the snow. I'm replacing them with metal for this coming winter.

I was truly glad that I was four-season gardening this "spring". We had our last snow on May 21, and now June 22 we are finally planting. I've been harvesting fall planted peas, broccoli and fava beans. Our weather has been cool enough that they are all still producing. We have a fire in the fireplace most evenings still to ward off the chill. This is unusual, part of the cold and rain that the West Coast has been experiencing while everyone else has had heat. My consolation is that when we have a cold spring we always have a long warm fall. I shall have watermelons this year...sometime.