errantember: (Default)
errantember ([personal profile] errantember) wrote2008-11-08 09:15 pm

Hoopsta!

Today I built this hoop house over my front garden bed.



It will need a little adjustment, but overall it's a success. With all my tomatoes finally producing like gangbusters, the last thing I want is for some random freeze to come in and wipe them out.

[identity profile] troyisburning.livejournal.com 2008-11-09 01:36 pm (UTC)(link)
What is that running down the ridge line? Also, how did you anchor the sides? I've been noodling on building one of these myself, but I wasn't sure how to keep the structure laterally stable.

[identity profile] errantember.livejournal.com 2008-11-09 10:49 pm (UTC)(link)
I used the instructions from here:

http://westsidegardener.com/howto/hoophouse.html

One important thing to realize is that those vertical "supports" aren't actually attached to the outer frame at all. They're just risers to grow beans or something.

As the author mentioned, I'm going to remove some material from the ridge line so that the total length is slightly smaller than base length, which adds stability through tension.

[identity profile] worldmegan.livejournal.com 2008-11-09 06:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow... super pretty.

[identity profile] errantember.livejournal.com 2008-11-09 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks!

...at least until I put the plastic on. Then maintaining the "pretty" will be more challenging.

[identity profile] worldmegan.livejournal.com 2008-11-09 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
That's what preettty painted flooowerrs are foooor! ::sticky sweet!::

[identity profile] errantember.livejournal.com 2008-11-09 10:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I was considering some macroscopic bamboo prints. Or fake blood splatters everywhere.

[identity profile] worldmegan.livejournal.com 2008-11-09 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I am 100% on the side of the latter.