Thanks, Joanne, for the forum!
I have always wanted a cold frame, and now that I live in the cool Pacific NorthWet, I also want hoop tunnels. And maybe lean some clear plastic panels against the south wall of my house for trays of seedlings.
I seem to have indecisive springs with temps fluctuating around freezing for months. If I can keep rain off the RBs and warm up the clay soil, I might be able to direct sow 2 or even 3 months earlier, seeds that go out "as soon as soil can be worked".
Fall rains come early, and last year they rotted seedheads I would have liked to collect seeds from. Something tall and clear that wouldn't blow away would be nice.
Winters are mild (Zone 8, avg minimum 10-15 F), so I might be able to grow Bok Choy all year.
And summers are so cool, especially at night, that ifr I ever hope to ripen a tomato or pepper, I think I may need plastic tents from transplanting dates through mid-July ... and then again in late August.
For hoops, I'm trying to decide among:
- bent metal wiring conduit ("EMT")
- PVC pipe (bent with heat?)
- black platic piping where the curl comes from the roll
- bamboo (some day, if my F. rufa ever grows up!)
For a solar cold frame, either corugated clear plastic panels or something designed for greenhouses ... yet I'm cheap cheap cheap and don't want to spend much until I identify the cheapest possible thing for each application.
I'm thinking that hoop tunnels and floating row cover fabric are the cjheapest design, and might serve all purposes (keeping raised beds dry & warmer in Spring, seedling flat holding area, and tomato warmers.
Corey
