14 minute read
GROWING UNDER COVER
By Steve Upson - Horticulture ConsultantGrowingCover under Taking Your Gardening Experience to the Next Level
Growing Under Cover: The rows of crops seen clearly show how well vegetables can be grown under cover. See next page for other grow house ideas. Photos Submitted By: Steve Upson Have you ever experienced a paradigm shift in your thinking? A paradigm shift is defined as a fundamental change in understanding that transforms your perception and appreciation for a concept or process. As a student at Oklahoma State University, I discovered how simple, unheated greenhouse structures (cold frames) covered with a single layer of plastic film could be used in the nursery industry to protect cold-sensitive ornamental plant materials. During this time the idea of using cold frames to protect vegetable crops never crossed my mind. To my way of thinking the only acceptable way of producing vegetables was in the open field or garden. A major shift in my thinking occurred in 1989 after reading an article entitled ‘Profits Under Cover’ in the Nov/Dec 1989 edition of ‘New Farm’. The article described how Dale Haubrich, a vegetable farmer from Nevada, Iowa used unheated greenhouses to produce extra early crops. According to Dale about the time other local growers were starting to seed early vegetables in their fields he was selling spinach and lettuce to local retail outlets. Wow! What a concept. From that point on I became a disciple and promoter of this type of production system. Since the time of my initial Ah-Ha moment, I have been researching, demonstrating and sharing the benefits associated with this simple, low cost (relative to a heated greenhouse) production system. In the past few decades thousands of commercial growers and backyard gardeners have incorporated this novel growing technique as part of their production protocol. Plastic covered greenhouse structures used for growing vegetables are typically referred to as hoop houses in Oklahoma but can also be called high tunnels, solar heated greenhouses or cold frames. Hoop houses are generally Quonset-shaped and constructed of metal or plastic hoops (bows), covered with a single layer of 6-mil greenhouse-grade polyethylene film. Whereas a greenhouse is an environmentally controlled structure, a hoop house has no permanent heating system or electrical connections. Venting is accomplished by retracting the curtains on the sides of the house. Most commercial structures range in width from 20 to 30 feet while hobby structures typically range in width from 10 to 14 feet. Hoop house frames can be assembled to any length typically in multiples of 4 feet (bow spacing). Because the standard length of a roll of greenhouse plastic is 100 feet the majority of commercial houses are 96 feet in length. Compared with greenhouses, hoop houses are relatively inexpensive, ranging in price from $1.00 to $5.00 per square foot. Most hoop houses are permanent, but a few are designed to be movable. Of all the technologies/growing systems currently being utilized by professional and hobby growers, hoop houses are generating the greatest buzz because of the many benefits they offer. Some of the chief benefits include: 1. Extension of the growing season. As a rule of thumb, the use of a hoop house can lengthen the growing season (frost free period) by as much as 60 days. Being able to harvest certain warm
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season crops up to a month earlier is due to a combination of being able to plant a couple of weeks earlier than field planting and faster maturity as a result of the growth-enhancing effect (warmth) of the house. Due to a more favorable growing environment late into the year, warm season crop production can often be sustained into December in Oklahoma. The season extension benefit of hoop house production is not limited to frost sensitive crops. Harvest of fall planted cool season crops such as leafy greens, root crops and broccoli can be sustained through the winter when grown in a hoop house. 2. Protection against storms. Hoop houses can provide protection against wind, rain and small hail that accompany heavy thunderstorms. 3. Damage caused by small animals and insect pests can be reduced with careful management. Installing shade fabric over the side vent openings is effective in screening out birds and large insects such as grasshoppers, squash bugs, and worms (moths). Fifty percent shade fabric is recommended as both a pest barrier and a windbreak. Chicken wire can be attached to the base of the hoops to screen out small fourlegged critters such as dogs, rabbits, skunks and armadillos. 4. As a general rule, expect less incidence of foliar disease in hoop houses primarily because plants are sheltered from rainfall. An exception to this rule is powdery mildew. The high humidity common to the hoop house growing system accentuates the powdery mildew problem. Just about any type of crop can be grown in a hoop house; however, because of the added purchase and erection costs, only high value crops can be grown profitably. A few hoop house crops that are commonly grown for market include tomato, eggplant, pepper, summer squash, cucumber, specialty melons, strawberry, bramble berries and cut flowers. If you are a hobby grower and quality of life is your goal, a vast array of crop options are available to you. Just about any ornamental or edible crop can be grown in a hoop house as long as you observe the temperature requirements of the crop. A frequent mistake people make in Oklahoma is attempting to produce tomatoes or start bedding plants during the winter months without supplemental heat. Understanding the growing requirements of the crop and the climate control limitations of your hoop house is critical for success. Several types of materials can be used to construct hoop houses. Because of its strength and durability, galvanized steel pipe should be your first choice of material for hoops. Most folks purchase a pre-engineered frame from a greenhouse distributor although a few choose to purchase pipe and have it custom bent or bend it themselves. On houses narrower than 20 feet, 1.315-inch outside diameter (O.D.) pipe will suffice. On houses 20 feet and wider it is customary to use 1.66-inch diameter pipe or larger for hoops. Pipe strength is not only a product of diameter but also wall thickness (gauge). The smaller the gauge the thicker the pipe wall. The minimum gauge to use for steel hoops on structures equal to or greater than 20 feet is 14. Pipe used for ground (anchor) posts should be large enough to accept hoops readily and yet not have excess play. Plan on using 1.875-inch diameter pipe for ground posts with 1.66-inch diameter hoops. Less preferable materials for use as hoops include polyvinyl-chloride (PVC) and polyethylene. PVC pipe should only be used for constructing small hobby structures in sheltered locations. Be sure and select the gray wall electrical conduit PVC pipe as it can withstand sunlight degradation. If you select PVC pipe for your frame, be prepared to install bracing and cabling to firm up the structure. Two-inch diameter (SDR-11) poly pipe made of high-density polyethylene is a better choice than PVC for constructing hobby size houses up to 14 feet in width. It is more flexible and has a slower rate of photo-degradation (the process that causes brittleness) compared to PVC. Several growing techniques can be used in hoop houses. Some of these include growing on the existing soil surface, in raised beds or in containers. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses. Because they promote soil warming during late winter as the result of an elevated growing medium, most commercial growers and hobby gardeners choose to grow in raised beds or containers. Both systems permit location of hoop houses on sites with poor soil or no soil. If you plan on installing permanent beds in your hoop house consider constructing them first. It’s much easier to fill the beds prior to constructing the house because you don’t have to negotiate around the sidewalls. If you choose to grow in containers you will want to install weed barrier fabric on the floor of the hoop house to control weeds. Growing in a hoop house is a little more challenging compared to traditional gardening and requires additional management skill, but don’t let this keep you from realizing the benefits of this growing system. If you are serious about taking your gardening experience to a new level, consider gardening under cover. Consider hoop house gardening.
