Posted by Austin, Little Rock
on 11/18/2007, 7:58 pm
Message modified by board administrator 12/9/2007, 4:45 pm
Constructing A Hoop House
Materials:
½ inch PVC Pipe (total length depends on how many sections needed)
Clear Plastic
1 or 2 Floodlights
Easy Heat Thermostat (optional)
Extension Cord
Milk Jugs
Large Binder Clips
Cut the PVC pipe into 7 or 8 foot sections. Bend the pipe into a U-shape and place each end into the ground about ½ foot deep so it is firmly in place. If you are worried about the pipe trying to come out of the ground, all you need to do is attach some string to the bottom of both sides of the pipe for a little extra security. (I always thought the pipe would come out of the ground and pop me one!) This will ensure it will keep its shape and provide some support. Continue placing your PVC sections about 3 or 4 feet apart. You can make the hoop house as long as you want just by adding additional pieces of PVC. Once when you have the size that you’d like, now it’s time to set up the floodlights. I bought floodlights at Lowe’s in the lighting department for $10 each. They are metal, stick right into the ground, and have a plug on them. To have the lights turn on and off automatically, buy an “Easy heat thermostat”. This is found in the plumbing department with the water pipe heaters and insulation. I think it was about $15 but will save you the trouble of turning them on and off by hand. You can plug 2 floodlights directly into the thermostat. When the temperature reaches around 40 degrees, the thermostat will automatically turn the floodlights on. Floodlights produce a lot of heat so these are like mini-heaters…cheap and easy! Just don’t aim them directly at any plants. To help regulate the heat, I added several milk jugs full of water with the caps off to provide moisture. Cover the entire structure with a double layer of plastic and secure with large binder clips. That’s it! During the day when temperatures are expected to be above say 40 degrees with sunny skies, be sure to open the ends of the hoop house as temperatures can climb to over 100 degrees! It’s really amazing how fast it can heat up under full sunshine. Just keep this in mind, otherwise your plants may not be too happy! It may be a good idea to keep a wireless thermometer so you can see the temperature and get an idea of how fast it can rise. If the night temps don’t drop too much below freezing, I’d just leave the ends open for air since the floodlights will add warmth. It’s really simple and is fairly inexpensive. Try to place it in full sun. You can reuse all the materials again except you may need new plastic and binder clips next year. I have included two pictures on the next page. I didn’t lose one plant last year and all grew some during the winter.
Austin
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