View Single Post
Old July 30, 2009   #12
dice
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
Default

You could try a hoop house next year:
http://westsidegardener.com/howto/hoophouse.html
(That materials list may not be exactly accurate.)

One does have to leave the ends open in sunny weather
so that they do not bake in there, so one might need
some kind of windbreak beyond each end to catch late
blight spores and other disease organisms carried on
the wind. One also has to irrigate, as rain won't reach
the roots. (I was wondering about some kind of pvc half-pipe
gutter beside the 2x4s, at ground level, with perforated pipes
leading off of it underneath the edges of the plastic into
the soil beside the plants, so that one would get at least
some irrigation from rainwater. Just an idea.)

My only issue with these structures is that the plastic cover does
not last very long, figure 3 years maximum, whether you use cheap
6-mil plastic from a hardware store or more expensive greenhouse
plastic.
__________________
--
alias

Last edited by dice; July 30, 2009 at 04:25 PM. Reason: clarity
dice is offline   Reply With Quote