DIY easy project

I could not find garden hoops that didn't cost a fortune, so I made my own. These hardly need instructions. I used 1/2" thick walled PVC so it would be sturdy enough.

Where are your hoops going? You can make true hoops by bending 10' lengths of PVC over short pieces of rebar. To do this you need 48" rebar cut to 24" with an abrasive blade on a circular saw. It's a pain with a hacksaw but can be done. But, the advantage is you can easily store the single lengths and have no spare parts. Whatever works for you. I used these hoops to keep out cabbage worms through the early season they are now supporting butternut squash.

Or, do sockets pounded in the ground using larger PVC. I used 18" long pieces; they aren't going anywhere. On the plus side, no tripping over rebar in the off season. On the downside, the sockets collect enough water to breed mosquitoes, maybe.

The 12" bars are simply stuck in the ground 6" down with 6" left to anchor the PVC. No pounding required. When not in use they are easy to pull and store along with the hoops. There are many methods that lead to the same results.

What size rebar are you using and what diameter of pvc? I used way too thin PVC in my initial DIY hoops, so once they were covered with the cloth, they just flopped together.
And what do you mean by "sockets". Can you respond with a picture?
Thanks

Here are photos from earlier in the season. I used 1/2" PVC, 3/8" rebar and the lightest weight Agribon held in place with clips from the office supply store; one on top and one one each side. Actually the clips came from a dollar store which was incredibly cheaper. The hoops wobble when the row covers are dragged across them but I never had a problem with them collapsing or coming off the rebar. I was about to get full lengths of rebar when I noticed precut 24" lengths that would only need to be cut in half. The hoops are about 6' apart. I've seen similar set ups where people have tied lattice or 1"x2" across the tops and sides to stabilize the hoops before covering. Once the onslaught of cabbage worms ended and the plants were mature I removed the covers and stored the clips but left the hoops in place in case of further problems. It works out great for me because I spray once with Bt, cover and then inspect the plants weekly. This year the twenty three heads of red and green needed no further treatment.

PVC HOOP TUTORIAL (mine)

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=8543712

There are many, many more ways to do this out there...

Any tips to bending PVC without kinking it? Do you do it when it is warm or warm it up somehow? Do you slide a spring(s) over it?

It does not kink, just bends but if it is left in place for a time the arch that's created is retained. It's easier to position with two though one can do it.

Thanks - I have been meaning to try this. I was hoping to start in spring with a frost blanket, then bug netting, then hail screen/shade cloth, and eventually back to a frost blanket. I have seen the frost blankets warmed up with strings of old-fashioned Christmas lights - but finding old-fashioned energy inefficient lights might be a problem.

Don't know much about frost blankets but Agrabon comes in a frost weight. Here's a general search on the product. Mine came from Johnny's. I used it for three years before needing to replace some of it. At the end of the season the several lengths used were hung across fencing and clean after a couple of rains. Since I got the big roll there was no need to reorder. I use the lightest weight for insect control and like it because of the width. One warning about storage...it is attractive to critters for nest building.

10' 1/2 inch pvc sch 40 pipe these hoops are loose on one side so I had room to run my mini tiller but this should give you the idea.