Row cover material?

15 years ago

I have a couple of 4x8x1' raised beds that I would HOPEFULLY like to have some successful tomatoes in this year. I was careful about picking seeds that are supposed to do well in this climate. I'm planning on constructing tunnel covers for the first time this year. I have some PVC that I'm going to curve over the top of the beds and secure over pounded-in rebar. I see a lot of how-to's online using some sort of permeable fabric. Would I be better off using fabric or some of the clearish plastics that I've seen around? I am also going to be doing a small 2x6x2 raised bed with watermelons (i'm a masochist) and have the same question regarding material. This is my 3rd year with the garden and I'm still doing a LOT of learning

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Comments (5)

laurell
Original Author
15 years ago
And since it's not going to take too terribly much soil to fill the two beds that I am planning to build (one for watermelon, the other for pumpkins) is there a particular type of bagged soil that I should be looking for? I have a bit of cedar grove topsoil leftover from filling in another bed last year that I was planning to use, but it won't be enough.
dunca
15 years ago
I have a couple of the same structures ie: 4X8 raised beds and have made them into semi-permanent greenhouses.
Go to a building supply store and buy 10' sections of white 1 inch, PVC water pipe. The 10' sections will bend over a 4' garden bed and give it about 4' of clearance. To install them I bought about 8' of 2" pipe, cut it into 10" peices and screwed them to the inside walls of the bed and inserted the smaller PVC pipe, secured with a long woodscrew. For a cover I bought a roll of costruction clear ploy, its about 12' wide and a big enough long to do me several years.
To secure the poly teporarily, I used the cheapest plastic clamps from a 5+dime store. My mini greenhouse will get so hot that with the clamps, I can lift the skirts for ventilation and the bees access. Winter time,the poly is taken off and stored for another season. With the longer screws holding the smaller 1" pipe, I can remove the screws, let that side of the pipe pop up and get in to work.
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larry_gene
15 years ago
Are you starting your tomato seeds indoors or out in the raised beds?
dunca
15 years ago
Raising my own plants.. I have started seedlings of numerous varieties of plants for about 40 years and have come to the conclusion that the commercial growers do it better than I! If the plant is so peculiar that I can't find it from a good grower, I will start it myself, otherwise I am happy enough to lookover good plants that someone does as a profession rathere than a hobby.
That may sound like I gave up but, actually I am a realist.
laurell
Original Author
15 years ago
I was going to try starting them in the raised beds this year. I've done tomato starts before and they always are so anemic looking by the time they make it outside that only about half make it, even with hardening and milk jug greenhouses.

I will get some clear poly and go from there. For the other non-tomato bed with summer squash and whatnot, I'll plan on using the row cover fabric that i've been seeing online.