My other big project this year was (still is) building a hoop house. Now you can use a hoop house to raise hoopers or you can use it to grow vegetables in a less than cooperative climate. We are doing the latter. Little hoopers are hard to find and big hoopers, well, are just too hard to control.
We considered many different designs of varying complexity and expense. We had to have something that would contain our raised beds as they are already in place and didn't want to rebuild them, not yet anyway. We could cover 4 beds or 6. With 4 beds the hoop house would be 12' wide, with 6 beds it would be 20' wide and the length would be 20' for either configuration. Because of the elevation drop, side to side, in 20' we decided to go 12' wide and just cover the 4 beds, it would also be cheaper and easier, not a bad combination.
We set 3' long x 1 1/2" pipes in concrete every 4' along each edge for the anchors.
The beds already being in place complicated the whole process. The anchor pipes were attached to the bed boards and so are some of the end-frame pieces. Because of this replacing the beds someday will be more difficult but not impossible. When that task finally arrives, as it will, then the anchor pipes and end pieces can be attached to the perimeter base boards, as they should be to begin with.
The hoops are 1 3/8" chain-link fence top rails. It takes two of these
to make one hoop 12' wide. They are connected together and to the
anchor pipes with screws drilled into them.
This picture is a little canted but it shows the basic structure. The 4x4s frame the doorway and are set in concrete. Also framed into the ends are three vents, one on each side of the door and one above. The end frames are the same on each end. We are hoping to get enough ventilation to be able to leave the covering in place through the summer.
A side view showing the layout of the six beds . Also visible are the 1" boards on the ends cut to the shape of the hoops, these are there to attach the fabric to. The original design called for 1" boards to be bent over the end hoops but that was beyond my patience. The plan is to use the twin wall rigid greenhouse panels on the ends and
to use greenhouse fabric/plastic over the hoops and purlins attaching
it with staples.
The purlins are 1x3s attached with wires.
We will see if this attachment holds. I was reluctant to attach them with more screws being afraid to weaken the structure anymore by drilling them into the pipes.
Plans are to cover the ends as soon as finances allow and to put the rest of the cover on just before cooler weather arrives, about September. The chief disadvantage of waiting for main cover will be the plants are already growing past the boundaries and may have to been pruned back or gently shifted about.
We considered many different designs of varying complexity and expense. We had to have something that would contain our raised beds as they are already in place and didn't want to rebuild them, not yet anyway. We could cover 4 beds or 6. With 4 beds the hoop house would be 12' wide, with 6 beds it would be 20' wide and the length would be 20' for either configuration. Because of the elevation drop, side to side, in 20' we decided to go 12' wide and just cover the 4 beds, it would also be cheaper and easier, not a bad combination.
We set 3' long x 1 1/2" pipes in concrete every 4' along each edge for the anchors.
The beds already being in place complicated the whole process. The anchor pipes were attached to the bed boards and so are some of the end-frame pieces. Because of this replacing the beds someday will be more difficult but not impossible. When that task finally arrives, as it will, then the anchor pipes and end pieces can be attached to the perimeter base boards, as they should be to begin with.
The hoops are 1 3/8" chain-link fence top rails. It takes two of these
to make one hoop 12' wide. They are connected together and to the
anchor pipes with screws drilled into them.
This picture is a little canted but it shows the basic structure. The 4x4s frame the doorway and are set in concrete. Also framed into the ends are three vents, one on each side of the door and one above. The end frames are the same on each end. We are hoping to get enough ventilation to be able to leave the covering in place through the summer.
A side view showing the layout of the six beds . Also visible are the 1" boards on the ends cut to the shape of the hoops, these are there to attach the fabric to. The original design called for 1" boards to be bent over the end hoops but that was beyond my patience. The plan is to use the twin wall rigid greenhouse panels on the ends and
to use greenhouse fabric/plastic over the hoops and purlins attaching
it with staples.
The purlins are 1x3s attached with wires.
We will see if this attachment holds. I was reluctant to attach them with more screws being afraid to weaken the structure anymore by drilling them into the pipes.
Plans are to cover the ends as soon as finances allow and to put the rest of the cover on just before cooler weather arrives, about September. The chief disadvantage of waiting for main cover will be the plants are already growing past the boundaries and may have to been pruned back or gently shifted about.
that's so awesome.
ReplyDeletei am getting one next year. even if i have to sell something. like....
a snowmobile!
hee hee