Replacing the Hoop House Cover
Autumn is a busy time for gardeners in cold weather regions - it's a race to get all the tropical plants stored indoors and safe in their greenhouses.
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, I currently have four hoop houses designated specifically for warm weather specimens. The hoop houses are constructed from steel frames and Polyethylene panels. While they are extremely durable and long lasting, it was time to replace the existing cover and curtains on the structure located between my Equipment Barn and my vegetable greenhouse. My crew took on this task while the weather was still mild.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- This is one of three large hoop houses where I keep many of my tropical and citrus plants during the cold season. The plants that are displayed at Skylands, my home in Maine, are brought back to Bedford every fall for proper storage and care. The Polyethylene “skin” or cover on this structure was several years old and needed replacing.
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- Last year, this house was used to store all my potted citrus plants. This year, this house will store other tropical specimens. I decide where the plants are placed at the end of the season based on the number of specimens and how much they’ve grown.
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- The first step is to remove the old “skin.” It is removed from the hoop house and neatly rolled. What is salvageable is stored and what is not is discarded.
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- Here is the hoop house without its skin. The skin covers a frame built using heavy gauge American made, triple-galvanized steel tubing. I chose this gothic style because of its high peak to accommodate my taller plants.
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- The new skin comes in two rolls – one is a heavy-duty, woven polyethylene that features an anti-condensate additive to reduce moisture buildup and dripping. The other side contains UV additives that allow the fabric to maintain its strength through the seasons.
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- Using our trusted Hi-Lo, Doug, Cesar, Pasang, and Phurba hoist the rolls spooled on steel pipes on top of the frame and start to unroll them. Both fabric pieces must be perfectly in line to cover the structure properly and fully.
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- This process takes about 45-minutes. The greenhouse fabric is very heavy, but my crew is very strong. The greenhouse is about 60-feet by 40-feet so there is a lot of space to cover.
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- Next, the crew unfolds the fabric over the sides – they do this slowly, so the fabric pieces remain together and straight.
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- Next, Pete secures spring wires in the metal channels that support the plastic and keep it taut.
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- These three and four foot long spring wires compress and elongate when installed within the metal channels. They are installed all around the structure.
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- Pete secures the wire at the top of the hoop house and along all the edges.
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- Here, Pete and Doug re-install the inflation blower. This centrifugal blower maintains the air in the space between the poly film layers to provide insulation.
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- Once it is turned on, the space between the two layers of plastic fills with air to keep the hoop house warm and insulated. The air layer prevents heat loss at half the rate of single-paned glass.
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- Outside, Pete moves onto the curtains. These manual roll-up curtains attached to a steel pipe that runs along the length of the hoop house will raise and lower the bottom section of the Polyethylene fabric for ventilation when needed.
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- Strong polyester curtain cords are looped through these screw eyes to hold the curtains in place.
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- The cords are also spread along the curtain in a zigzag pattern for best hold and even lifting and lowering.
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- Doug trims any excess plastic around the structure. On the front and back of the hoop house are polycarbonate clear wall sheets. Significantly lighter than glass, these sheets are easy to install and will help insulate the structure from both the front and back.
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- Look what Doug saw on a nearby plant – a praying mantis watching all the activity around the hoop house. Mantids are warm-region insects. The Chinese mantis, Tenodera aridifolia sinensis, and the common European mantis, Mantis religiosa, were both introduced to the Northeast for insect control. All are known by the common name praying mantis. Although 1,800 species exist worldwide, only 11 are found in North America. They are two to four inches long when fully grown. Ranging from green to brown in color, they blend in well among grasses and shrubs. It is the only insect that can rotate its head 180-degrees. They also have very good eyesight and may see possible prey from 60-feet away.
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- Here is the new skin – notice how full the top of the structure is after it is fully inflated. This Polyethylene fabric is designed to stand up to just about any climate. It also resists rips and tears, so it could last up to 10-years depending on the weather.
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- Here is Pete checking that all the edges are tight and secure around the structure, trimming wherever is needed.
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- The steep roof slope of this structure will also prevent snow accumulation during the winter months. It fits so well in this location. I am very fortunate to have the space here at the farm to accommodate these hoop houses for my plants.
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- The finished hoop house is now ready for storing my tropical plants. This greenhouse works by heating and circulating air to create an artificial tropical environment. It includes three fans and a propane fueled heater inside. It is an excellent way to ensure my warm weather specimens survive the cold winters of the Northeast. Wait until you see how many plants we can fit in here – you’ll be amazed.
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