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It seems that I’ve always lived where it has been marginal, at best, to grow hot weather vegetables –Santa Monica, Northern Vermont, Mendocino. Finally, this year, I took action by building a hoop house. I found a set of plans on the internet for a low-cost (in keeping with the fall in my wealth last year) hoop house (see photo on right). It is 10’ by 20’ by 7’ high in the center.

The plans looked simple, and the site said you could put in up “in about an hour”.  Of course, I knew this was a joke, but it suggested that the basic concept would not strain my limited construction capacities.

I wanted something that could stand up to the heavy winds we have every spring and winter here in Mendocino; so I modified the design to make it more wind worthy. I built doorways at each end from 4×4 pressure treated timber set in concrete, and I used greenhouse plastic sheeting (Tuflite) rather than regular polyvinyl sheeting for covering the hoops. I did use the much cheaper sheeting for the ends, because these would be easier to replace and are not subject to the same wear as the plastic over the hoops. We’ll see how that works out.

I got the house to the point of planting vegetables on May 11. Today, 2 weeks later, the tomato plants are 4 times larger and happier than any tomatoes I’ve ever grown! The cucumber plants have their first flowers! The plants couldn’t be happier, and neither could I.

The temperature quickly mounts to 80-90 degrees when the sun hits it in the morning, irrespective of the outside temperature. If it is overcast with ocean-created clouds and temperatures in the low sixties, it will still be 75 degrees in the hoop house. If it gets up near 70 degrees and sunny, the temperature in the house reaches 100 degrees, even with the vent windows open to max. Then it is time to open the doors on both ends.

The total cost for materials for the hoop house was about $350, not including the 2×4 and 1×4 lumber I had already, and not including the automatic vent openers or the cost of extending my irrigation system to the hoop house. The total cost with those extra items was about $475. Including those purchases that I didn’t keep track of, a good round figure is $500 – and it is going to be worth every penny. Think of the savings on tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, eggplants, sweet peppers, hot peppers, and who knows what else over its lifetime. The greatest benefit, as in all things of importance, goes way beyond dollars and cents. It will be my pleasure in overcoming the fog and cold weather that every summer push my tomatoes to the edge of death!

 

Construction Begins – Note end Framing

Individual hoops are kept spaced by pipes at the top

Completed hoops and end framing

The happy builder at work. Sheeting installed on the ends first, then over the hoops.

Trimming excess sheeting from sides. The sheeting will be sandwiched between a 2×4 and a 1×4 screwed liberally together.

Taking no chances on wind lifting the plastic, I secure the 2×4 to the ground by driving 1/2”x4’ sections of rebar through the 2×4 and then fastening a cable clamp to the rebar at the board. The clamp allows me to easily remove the plastic when replacement is needed.

May 11, 2009. The house is sufficiently finished to allow planting. All that remains are the opening doors, constructed from PVC pipe and fittings, and the irrigation system – and the planting and growing!

May 11, 2009. The first plantings! Tomato plants in the background, almost invisible, basil and an eggplant peeking out in the foreground.

Two weeks later, Memorial Day. The formerly invisible tomato plants are now 18” tall and with their first buds. Peppers, eggplant, and basil are all thriving.

Melons, cucumbers, and zinnias on the east side. Note wires for trellising of cucumbers and cantaloupes.

Persian cucumbers, my favorite, with their first flowers. See how happy they are!

The complete hoop house, with automatic vent window, opening doors, and automatic drip irrigation system.

Close up view of the temperature controlled automatic vent window. The opener has a piston that opens and closes the window with the temperature.

The completed hoop house glistening in the sun. Long may it live!