Building a DIY hoop house for under $1,000

Two winters ago, my dad and I built a 12'x24' hoop style greenhouse in our backyard. I was trying to make a little extra money selling vegetable seedlings (read about it here). We were looking for something that would be fairly simple and inexpensive to set up, and came up with a design modified from others we found online.



DIY Hoop House Plans

1. First, we leveled the ground in the area and dug trenches around it. We installed pressure treated boards in the dimensions of the greenhouse. These would become support for the rebar later in the build.

2. Next, we installed landscape fabric as a weed barrier and backfilled on the outside of the pressure treated boards. 

3. In the top right, you can see rebar on the inside of the boards. Three foot pieces of rebar were buried two feet into the ground, leaving 12 inches above ground at two foot intervals.

4. I believe the PVC we used in this step was 1" schedule 40 in twenty-one foot lengths. With two people, it was fairly easy to bend and put the ends over the rebar. It looked a little "off" in places at first, but once the weather warmed in the spring everything evened itself out nicely. 

5. We also used the same PVC to make a midridge down the middle which would help in keeping the arches evenly spaced at the top. It was just zip tied to the arches at this point, but later in the build we secured it to the endwalls as well.

6. We built the endwall frames with 2x4s. At this point, make sure you figure out where the door and potentially windows will be. 

7. We screwed the midridge down to the top of the endwall frames but left it zip tied to the arches. 

Here's a picture of the inside of the door just to show how we framed it.

7. The endwalls were made of 4'x8' panels of a material called SmartSide Panels. It's more resistant to fungus and termites, so we chose it as a better option than plywood for a greenhouse that gets wet often. 

8. We added some extra support boards along the sides when we installed the endwalls. This would also allow us to make an air bubble between two layers of poly film covering for better insulation. We could double the covering, then sandwich it between two boards and leave some loose at the bottom. The end result would be a well insulated double layer covering with roll-up sides for good air-flow.

9. Before covering the greenhouse, we put pipe insulation over the tops of the endwalls to prevent tearing and prolong the life of the covering. 

10. Flexible plastic tubing laid along the outside and screwed down holds the covering in place. 

11. For the roll-up sides, we connected several lengths of one inch PVC and made a T at each end. We capped the sides of the T, leaving one uncovered, and filled it with play sand, shaking as much of the sand as we could into the whole pipe. This made it heavier to weigh down the sides in case of cold and wind. Duct tape held the pipe onto the end of the plastic covering. When rolled up, there are nails attached to the side boards which it can be rested on. We had problems with it trying to spring back and unroll, and the only solution we came up with was to wedge a board so it would prevent the T from spinning.

12. We installed a blower inflator to keep air between the layers of the plastic covering. This goes a long way in insulating the greenhouse. 

During the early spring months, we did heat with a small propane heater. I don't think I have pictures unfortunately. 

The entire project cost us somewhere around $800. We built some greenhouse benches and a potting bench, but this year my dad build some raised beds inside it and he's growing a gorgeous tomato crop. It would work well for just about any gardening application I can think of. You could even forego the landscape fabric and grow directly in the ground, as long as your tiller and other tools can fit through the door. The size of the greenhouse could be altered as well. There are plenty of calculators online to figure out blower size, covering size, and heater size, and the calculations for the length of PVC needed are fairly simple as well.

If you're considering building a simple, functional greenhouse on a budget, this setup was super straightforward. If you have any questions about the process, don't hesitate to contact me via email or in the comments below.

-Rose

Crop Rotation and its importance to organic farming

I took a Fruit and Vegetable Production class in college and wrote this paper on crop rotation. If you've read my other posts, you'll know I'm not too fond of the organic industry, but this is one practice that I believe should be used by all organic farmers.

Crop Rotation

Soil health is one of the most important aspects to organic food production. In monoculture operations, soil health can be very poor due to insect and disease pathogens incubating in the soil as part of their lifecycle and repeatedly re-infecting the crop. In order to avoid this problem and keep soil nutrients from being completely used up, crop rotation can be used. Crop rotation is the practice of growing a different crop on each section of a growing area each year in order to starve the pathogens of a host. This is a very valuable method to increase yields and prevent use of pesticides in low-spray operations.

It seems that the consensus is that a four year rotation protocol is the best method to follow. This four year cycle consists of consecutive plantings of (1) plants with high nitrogen requirements such as fruiting plants including tomatoes and squashes , (2) brassicas which require rich soil, (3) plants with light nutrient requirements such as carrots and onions, and (4) legumes which fix nitrogen in the soil. Manure or compost are then added and the cycle is repeated. This can also be seen as “fruit crop, leaf crop, root crop, legume”. This is a general rule of thumb which will allow you to get the most out of your soil.

When crop rotation is used, it reduces the prevalence of pests and disease. Many of these pathogens live in the soil and are specific to a host crop or family of crops. By changing the crop planted on each plot of land every year, the pathogens present in the soil are starved of a host. For example, corn rootworm requires corn as a host. If corn is grown one year in an area, corn rootworm may be present in the soil. If no corn is planted there in subsequent years, the corn rootworm will not become a problem due to the fact that it has no host to inoculate. This drops pest and disease numbers to a manageable level and reduces the number of pesticide sprays needed.

Crop rotation also creates a healthier soil than conventional farming practices. The nutrients in the soil are replenished often by adding more organic matter. This encourages a healthy biological presence in the soil as well as creating a fertile, rich soil. In addition, by using these practices, synthetic fertilizer use can be reduced. Planting vegetables with high nutrient needs first and working down to the plants with the lowest nutrient requirements allows the farmer to only add organic matter once every four years. This can also save money for the farmer if they do not produce their own compost.

In monoculture operations, farming one crop can be risky, because if a disease breaks out with that specific commodity, you will lose your whole crop. This is avoided with crop rotation by growing many different products, so that if one fails, the others can still bring in a fairly secure profit. This also provides some security against poor weather conditions. If the weather is too cool for tomatoes, it might be just perfect for leafy greens such as lettuce and kale. Additionally, having multiple crops will allow the farmer to bring multiple products to market throughout the year, extending the season during which their crops are bringing in a profit.

In conclusion, crop rotation should be used in all organic farming operations. Organic monoculture would not be profitable due to such high occurrences of pests and disease, as well as necessity to fertilize and amend the soil every growing season. Crop rotation increases soil health, reduces pest and disease problems, and reduces fertilizer needs. Healthier soil will ultimately produce a healthier crop with higher yield. If planned properly and mapped out, a crop rotation protocol is a worthwhile part of any organic farming business plan.

Sources Cited

Crop Rotation. N.p.: Integrated Water Resources Management, n.d. PDF.

"Healthy Farm Practices: Crop Rotation and Diversity." Union of Concerned Scientists. Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d. Web.

Reza, Shamim. "Crop Rotation - A Vital Component of Organic Farming." Www,permaculturenews.org. The Permaculture Research Institute, 15 June 2016. Web.

Square Foot Gardening

As the weather officially begins to warm in the northern US, many of us are eager to start planting our flower and vegetable gardens. We've spent all winter fantasizing about the perfect set up, picking out plant varieties, and mapping out a garden plot, and it's finally safe to start planting without the fear of frost.

When I was in college, I had a project that required us to map a 1/4 acre garden that would supply enough produce to sustain a family of four for a year. During that project, I came across a concept known as Square Foot gardening. This is a method that was developed by Mel Bartholomew in 1981. Supposedly, it is more cost effective, saves water and time, and far less weeding is needed. It's being used worldwide by both beginner and experienced gardeners. Like other raised bed gardening methods, it can be applied in spaces where a conventional garden would not be suitable, like in rooftop gardening, or if there just isn't enough space in your backyard to dedicate to a larger garden.


How it Works
First, lay down weed barrier in a four by four foot square on level ground. Then, build a frame out of untreated wood, bricks, concrete blocks, vinyl, or any other durable, food safe material. Again, this is just a four foot by four foot square. Next, fill the box with this formula of soilless media provided by Square Foot Gardening Foundation:
1/3 coarse vermiculite
1/3 peat moss or coir
1/3 compost
Finally, you can mark out a grid using any material you prefer; yarn, wood slats, or I imagine masking tape would work just fine. The material will need to hold up all growing season.

Now, you could make this setup much larger. However, it's suggested that a four foot width be kept in order to make reaching the plants in the middle easier. The depth should be 12 inches or deeper to allow roots plenty of room to grow.

There are several guides online like this one by Bonnie Seeds as to how many of each plant can be grown in one grid square. For example, 16 radishes could be grown in one square, or four lettuce plants, or one cabbage. Plants like cucumbers can be trellised, and varieties of tomatoes that stay small and bushy could work in this setup.

If a highly organized garden is your thing, or if you'd just like to grow vegetables in a simple raised bed setup, Square Foot Gardening may be just the solution you've been looking for.

-Rose

Which rototiller is right for you?

Whether its for incorporating amendments or loosening packed soil, a rototiller is one of the most important tools to a home gardener. We just moved to our new house over the winter, and though the growing season has already started here in zone 7b, I have yet to actually get my vegetable plants in the ground because we don't know anyone with a tiller and hadn't had the extra money to buy our own until now. I have a place picked out which has been grazed by horses for several years and seems to be less clay-rich than the soil elsewhere on the property. Before I go shopping for a tiller that will hopefully last me several years (potentially decades), I'd like to know more about the difference between front tine and rear tine tillers.


Rear tine tillers are the best choice for starting new plots. Unfortunately, these tillers are heavy and large, requiring some strength to use them, but they make up for it in their ability to work dense, rocky soils. They are more expensive than front tine tillers. The engine drives the wheels, moving the tiller at a steady slow speed for easy control.

Front tine tillers are typically harder to use on previously unworked ground because they require some leverage to dig the tines into the soil. Though it's smaller, simpler, and more maneuverable, it may scare some gardeners with its tendency to jump forward when hitting obstacles. They come in a variety of widths that make them a good option for weed control between rows.

A quick note on mini-cultivators: Mini-cultivators are even smaller than front tine tillers and are a great option for raised beds or on already tilled soils between plantings. Johnny Seeds sells this mini-cultivator called a Tilther that uses a 18v drill for power. I have used it in the past for breaking down the remains of a crop of baby greens into the soil after several harvests. I highly recommend it for applications such as this, or for incorporating amendments into the top few inches of a soft soil. It's inexpensive, relatively small, and simple to use.

For my application, I plan to purchase a used rear tine tiller. The area I need to prepare for my garden is fairly large (about 30 feet by 50 feet) and the soil is too dense for a front tine tiller.

Regardless of which type of tiller you choose, there are plenty of options across brands in a wide range of prices, and they are pretty easy to find used on Facebook or Craigslist.

I can't wait to finally get my plants in the ground! Updates to come :)
-Rose

https://veggieharvest.com/info/tiller.html
https://learn.compactappliance.com/tillers/

Bone, Blood, and Feather Meals: What they are and why they're used

I was specifically asked by a woman on Facebook to write a post about bone meal as a soil additive. I figure I'll include blood meal and feather meal as well, since they all kind of fall under the same category. I'm going to be honest, I have very little experience with any of these. However, I would love to learn more about them, so that maybe I can use them in the future. Here's some information I've gathered about each of them. Sources are linked in each section.

Bone Meal

• What is it?
• Bone meal is powdered bone, typically from cattle, that has been steamed to release some of the fat and make it easier to work with. The Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium content (N-P-K) of bone meal is between 3-15-0 and 2-22-0, making it a phosphorus-rich fertilizer.
• Why is it used?
• Bone meal is phosphorus- and calcium-rich. Phosphorus is essential to the flowering of plants as well as strong root development, and calcium aids in fruit development, combatting Blossom End Rot. Bone Meal is a readily available organic soil amendment.
• How do I use it?
• The soil pH must be acidic (below 7.0) in order for bone meal to be effective. Ten pounds of bone meal per one hundred square feet incorporated into the soil will give a continuous release of phosphorus for up to four months. Alternatively, a few tablespoons can be added to each hole before planting, or about half a cup sprinkled around the plant and watered in just before buds begin to open. Bone meal can also be used to balance out a compost that is too high in Nitrogen. Incorporating bone meal into manure will yield a rich, quality fertilizer.

Blood Meal

• What is it?
• Blood meal in gardening terms is a slow-release soil amendment made from (usually) cattle blood. Its N-P-K is 12-0-0. 
• Why is it used?
• Blood meal provides Nitrogen which is essential in the production of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in leaves which allows the plant to photosynthesize. Although it is considered organic, the blood it is made from does not necessarily come from organically raised animals. Be careful about the origin of the blood meal you purchase, and know that it can contain pathogens such as Mad Cow Disease, though it is highly unlikely. 
• How do I use it? 
• Blood meal is not intended to be used as an immediate fix for a problem. It can take up to a month to begin working in the soil, so small amounts applied often are more effective. One cup per twenty square feet is plenty. It is not recommended to apply blood meal directly to the hole as it can burn the roots or discourage fruit and flower production.

Feather Meal

• What is it?
• Feather meal is similar to blood meal in its NPK value and its slow-release nature, but is made from hydrolyzed poultry feathers. It is made by steaming the feathers, then dehydrating and grinding them.
• Why is it used?
• Feather meal is used in a very similar manner to blood meal. However, since the cell bonds within this source of nitrogen are tighter than those in blood meal, it breaks down even slower.
• How do I use it?
• For large applications, three to six pounds per one hundred square feet, incorporated into the top three inches of soil. For individual plants, two teaspoons per hole. Like other highly concentrated amendments, be careful of root burn.

I hope that you were able to learn a thing or two about these three natural soil amendments. If there's any information I left out, feel free to leave me a comment and I will do my best to find the answers to your questions.

-Rose

Welcome!

Welcome to my first blog post!

I've never done anything like this before, so bear with me.

In this blog, I plan to share some of the knowledge I gained while earning my Associate's degree in Horticulture Technologies from UNH, as well as share the ups and downs of my gardening and home farming experiences. This is the first season I've been in my new house since moved from New England to Mississippi, so learning to adjust to the different soil types and climate will be interesting for sure. I'm most excited about the fact that I can grow pretty much year-round here. I do plan to focus mostly on vegetable gardening, but tending to our small group of farm animals is also a huge part of my life and I feel that they often go hand-in-hand.

I also have a three year old daughter who loves learning with me in the garden. I know that gardening with toddlers is a struggle for a lot of you, and maybe I can share some of the projects we do together in hopes that they inspire you to involve your kids more in the garden.

"Know before you Grow". I want you to learn from my mistakes and avoid making the same ones I do, because inevitably, I WILL make mistakes. We're still getting established in the new house (confession: my poor veggie seedlings are being neglected as we speak, sitting in the bed of my fiance's truck because I don't have a tiller to start the garden). I'm looking forward to bringing you with me as I navigate through my first southern growing season! It's sure to be an adventure.