Hoophouse greenhouse? Good idea or not?

freemotion

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I have been eyeing the hoophouse we made for use as a chicken tractor and raised the meat chicken in this fall/winter. It is sitting in one of my gardens for the rest of the winter. I was wondering what it would be like if I took the tarps off and covered it with heavy clear-ish plastic and called it a greenhouse?

It cost $40 for two cattle panels (16'x4' if you are not familiar with these easy fencing options, and under $20 each) and whatever 4 studs cost...I used pressure treated 2x4's, 8' on the sides and 10' in the front, braces diagonally at each corner with a scrap of 2x4 from other projects.

Since I put it in a fenced garden for the meat chickens after the garden was done, I didn't finish the front and back yet. The plan is to get two more cattle panels and put part of one on the back, and to divide up the rest and finish the front with a door. Then for chickens, cover it with a couple of tarps and put chicken wire around the bottom to keep them in. For a temporary goat shelter, like a weaning shed, just tarps. Tarps for winter storage of whatever.

And in spring, maybe an early start to the garden with clear plastic? Any flaws in my reasoning? Is it too big to get warm enough without a heat source?
 

ohiofarmgirl

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i am soooooo planning something just like this. so i think its a great idea.

SKR8PN knows more about the logistics and heating and such.. but you can do passive heating by using painted-black-water jugs (or 55 gal drums) that will warm up in the sun during the day and release the heat gradually at nite.

be sure to see the turkey hoop thread that shows how Bourbon Red build the doors - easy peasy and worked like a dream

yay you!
:)
 

Woodland Woman

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I have thought of doing something like that. I am interested in hearing more about it. How big is the hoop? Will it cover 1 row or more?
 

freemotion

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The footprint is about 8'x10' so how many rows depends on what plants....I use wide rows, about 2.5-3' wide, for most of my veggies. Then I plant in rows or just broadcast in that space, depending on the crop. It saves a lot of space, because most of my garden is planted in veggies. With single rows, most of my garden was pathways. So it would only cover a small area compared to all of the gardens, but maybe I could start stuff that could be harvested early or that would transplant well. Or just put it over a few tomato plants and get an early start.
 

ohiofarmgirl

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you've seen this book, right???:

The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses
Eliot Coleman
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/16..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1JT3GPDPS4ZEJGF9W6AY

while good ol' Eliot and i would probably get in a fist fight, he has great how to's. some of it is way above a regular person but he knows his stuff. (if you can get past the smarty pants attitude)

;-)
 

Damummis

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My only problem with hoop houses is we live in New England. Wind and snow take their toll on them. I very rarely see one that last more than a year. And it seems the sun is so strong now it will disintegrate the plastic in a summer. Hate to be a buzz kill. :/
 

Denim Deb

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Damummis said:
My only problem with hoop houses is we live in New England. Wind and snow take their toll on them. I very rarely see one that last more than a year. And it seems the sun is so strong now it will disintegrate the plastic in a summer. Hate to be a buzz kill. :/
You need to get the plastic made for a green house. I have one I put up 5 years ago. I haven't really used it much because I couldn't find an economical way to heat it, but the plastic is still good.
 

Bubblingbrooks

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Denim Deb said:
Damummis said:
My only problem with hoop houses is we live in New England. Wind and snow take their toll on them. I very rarely see one that last more than a year. And it seems the sun is so strong now it will disintegrate the plastic in a summer. Hate to be a buzz kill. :/
You need to get the plastic made for a green house. I have one I put up 5 years ago. I haven't really used it much because I couldn't find an economical way to heat it, but the plastic is still good.
Yes, construction plastic from the home improvment store will not hold up.
Hoops have to supported by a wood frame as well.
 

tortoise

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How about doing a row hoophouse right in the garden in early spring? Take it off when weather warms up?
 

FarmerDenise

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I see hoop greenhouses around here all the time. Many farmers use them to extend their season and possibly to protect their tomatoes from early rains. Here we have to deal with sun, rain and wind, and usually only frosts not freezes (this year we had an exception of course, with a real freeze).

Having worked for a plastic company, I agree that you need greenhouse plastic, if you want it to last. We can get construction type plastic to last for 2 years, but we take it down for the summer. I have found that vinyl (as in shower curtains) lasts a bit longer.
 
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