Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: ruralblue on May 28, 2012, 21:48

Title: making crop covers
Post by: ruralblue on May 28, 2012, 21:48
re the blue piping, how much would be needed for a four foot by 12 foot bed??? four lengths of the stuff?????, also for say cabbage I would have a smaller sized hoop - how much to cut each piece to? and how much would you cut each piece to for something larger like brocolli???

Hope someone able to help! Just joined the forum by the was so if I am asking something thats already been asked, please point me in the right direction rather than flog me! :-)

Kind thanks

Jim x
Title: Re: making crop covers
Post by: mumofstig on May 28, 2012, 22:12
Hi there and welcome to the Forum  :)

I've moved your post here where you should get the help you need  ;)
Title: Re: making crop covers
Post by: savbo on May 29, 2012, 07:35
Four pieces are just enough to do 12' (I know cos most of my beds are 12-14') - five is ideal with little sagging. I cut my pipe to 2m (have a 2m section of drainpipe, push the blue pipe through til it pokes out, then cut...easier than trying to measure the curve...). Often I push the pipe into the soil but if my fabric is wide enough I'll do the canes-in0the-end technique

sav
Title: Re: making crop covers
Post by: boldondig on May 29, 2012, 08:20
I had an old gazebo - one of those green plastic things which you buy for your childrens parties when it is going to rain - cost me about £10  - anyway - it got put in the garage as surplus to requirments. HOWEVER - I did find that the metal plastic coated poles fit snuggly inside the blue plastic water pipe. The poles are about 3ft long and if you hammer them into the ground a 1 metre intervals along the bed - then use 2.5 m lengths of blue water pipe - you get a great rigid frame - a giant cloche so to speak - covered with netting -worked a treat for me!!
Title: Re: making crop covers
Post by: Rangerkris on June 11, 2012, 19:29
I cut my blue pipe just a little longer than the netting i am using so i can push it in the ground and have a tail on the netting to weigh down.