This is my winter play house.
Winter Hoop House
Nice. Is it airtight? Do you plan on heating it? Sorry if they're dumb questions, I have no experience with a hoop house. It's pretty close to the house, run a dryer hose out there and blow room temperature air in it, or would that work?
Will
Questions are great! I'll answer them all!
It's not quite airtight. My expectation is to extend the growing season - maybe 1 more crop of greens, 1 more flush of strawberries. I will be able to start seeds there in the spring.
I had not thought of running dryer or furnace vent out there. My only heat sink so far is black-plastic wrapped straw bales. I have some mylar-coated styrofoam panels to reflect some additional rays inside.
I think it's a great idea, hen. Yeah, that would be nice to start veggies and stuff early, a month or so early? I heard that mulch and probably hay, give off a small amount of heat because of the decomposition that's taking place. I see stray cats sometimes laying or sitting in my mulch when it's cold and I wonder if it's a little warmer there, maybe you could do one or two bales of hay.
Now, you can pick up billyporter (Sally) from IA. and come to our Roundup in the Spring!
I think she might be kinda near Iowa City.
Will
Yes, I may transfer some of the compost into the HH for the heat. On sunny days it's like a solarium, warm enough to sit inside and make a little Vitamin D.
What's a Spring Roundup?
Hi hen, fancy seeing you up this late. A Roundup is just a name for the gathering of DG'ers on a set day, it's usually done twice a year, (a Spring RU and a Fall RU). We will likely have a Spring Roundup in central Missouri at a state historic lodge (park) this coming May. We trade plants we bring and food and door prizes, the visiting with each other is invaluable. The thread that pepper started on it is here. - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1336100/ . We're all really nice people, you should come!
Will
Huh! Thanks, I may do that.
I hope you are able to make it!! The more the merrier!! Bring your spouse, kids and/or a gardening buddy if you want. Everyone is welcome!!
That is an awesome project .. !!!
I don't have questions , I will watch, I might think of few ..
And I also meant to add that is a great hoop house you have there!!
Yes love the hoop house. Love the name too. Was it a kit or did you look online for the directions? I do not do seeds at all. So I wojld jjst keep my plantsnin there.
I used a design I found on Lifehacker. I put it up about 3 years ago, and this is the first year since I haven't been too busy to put it up again.
Even on a day that is below zero, when the sun is shining in there, it's warm enough to sit in my shirtsleeves and soak up the rays. It helps my SAD immensely.
I always wondered where that word came from in a hoop house. It is from those hoops used in it's construction?! That never occurred to me until I saw the inside of your hoop house!
It does get cold in Iowa!
Yes, it's made of hoops. Mine are PVC plumbing pipe.
What kind of plastic is it made of? We do not have room for one. Wish we did. Looks so relaxing for a winter project.
The first year i used construction grade 6 mil plastic sheeting. This year I was able to find a reasonably priced UV tolerant plastic designed for greenhouse use.
Great. Did you have to look for a long time for this?
Google makes finding things so easy!
I was ready to just buy another roll of construction grade, but the price had gone up a lot. When I investigated the prices of gh plastic, I found a company called Agricultural Solutions. Their prices are great, I was able to order a custom size roll, and they have other handy doo-dads like patching tape.
I added some mylar-coated foam panels to the north and east sides today.
Looks good!! That will help hold the heat in this winter right?
It will help a little. It will still freeze in there.
It does look warm in there, hen! Now, that is some hay! Do you want to rent that out?! lol
I don't want to rent it out! That's where I'm gonna bask in the morning sun all winter. LOL
Iowhen, did you use your hoop house this spring? How did it go?
I have a raised bed with cement blocks I could easily hoop IF I can figure out how not to let it blow away. I live on a hill without any wind breaks.
I would really enjoy having this kind of thing. I am a winter person, by far, and have joked I would be more apt to actually maintain a garden if it was in the winter. My problem is the same as happgarden. Wind. We are out on the "prairie".