Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] winter crops

livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] winter crops
  • Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:30:08 -0600


Whatever framing we use, we have to have a reliable method of fastening the
plastic down. I can't figure a way to fasten it to flat cattle panels every
few feet. With a curved, convex top, you pull the plastic down tight and
fasten it so it doesn't flap around in the wind. With straight lumber that
I use it has to be fastened down (stapled through a pastic strip made for
the purpose) on each 2x4 on all sides, making rows of panels with 4 ft
between trusses. Either way if it flaps in the wind you're wasting your
time and money. You spread out the plastic in the sun so it expands
somewhat before fastening it down, and when the weather cools it tightens
further.

The hoop houses built by this guy from NMSU use a crew to pull the plastic
over the hoops and they used some sort of lumber arrangement screwed
together. Plus ropes pulled tight over the top and tied to stakes in the
ground. Not my first choice, and I'm glad it was built for someone else.
The #1 problem with it is the sides which are meant to roll up for hot
weather don't have an airtight closure at the ends or along the ground. So
it doesn't hold daytime heat well at all. And the whole point of the
hoophouse is to warm up the nights for whatever's growing inside in spring
or fall.

There are good commercial fastening systems for PVC hoophouses. There's a
recommended safe size for the PVC and recommended methods for holding them
to the ground in rough weather.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 8/30/2007 at 9:39 PM Norma Sutton wrote:

>Cattle panels make good greenhouses too. Each panel is 16 feet long and 4
>feet wide. You can anchor them with t-posts and cover them with
greenhouse
>wrap.
>Norma
>
>
>On 8/30/07, TradingPostPaul <tradingpost@riseup.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> I've put up several small greenhouses in the past but I haven't used
PVC.
>> For those handy with tools I recommend the sturdiest construction,
lumber
>> and UV 6mil plastic cover. I'm using a strip of half inch plastic called
>> poly tack from local greenhouse supply, stapled through the UV plastic
to
>> wood framing. Electric stapler of course. It gets into some work but if
>> you
>> don't have a crew hanging around with nothing to do, you can do this by
>> yourself. And it holds up in 50-60 mph winds, snow load, etc. Worked
fine
>> under those loads a couple years ago before relocating.
>>
>> Without going into all the details, I sink corners and middle posts a
>foot
>> deep in cement filled holes and level a base, and go up from there. It's
>> all wood screws too. Our current greenhouse is 15x60 and about 8 feet
>high
>> at the top of the trusses. Plus I'm building and covering it with raised
>> tomato beds already in place and grown six feet high in it. Yes, that's
a
>> serious pain ;-) but getting a couple more months of frost-free time in
>> there means a lot more tomatoes to sell in Oct. And keeping the night
>temp
>> above 55 means continuing fruit set during that time. Now working
against
>> the clock to finish covering and get windows and doors in place along
>with
>> temp controlled openers and exhaust fans. Back out the door now ...
>>
>> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
>>
>> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
>>
>> On 8/30/2007 at 9:59 AM Aliza wrote:
>>
>> >Another option is to use old hose on the edges of the panels. Just
>slice
>> >the hose down its belly and pop it over the sharp edges of the panels.
>> >
>> >Aliza
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "Dan Conine" <dconine@bertramwireless.com>
>> >To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
>> >Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 9:27 AM
>> >Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] winter crops
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Livingontheland mailing list
>> Livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/livingontheland
>>
>
>
>
>--
>Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation. - Andrew Murray
>
>visit our farm site at:http://www.freewebs.com/sweetspringfarm/
>
>Check the latest farm photos at:
>http://picasaweb.google.com/sweetspringfarm
>
>_______________________________________________
>Livingontheland mailing list
>Livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
>http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/livingontheland








Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page