This year we decided to up our gardening game by adding a hoop house (which is basically a cheap greenhouse). We looked at kits you can buy online, but Ryan felt like he could build a bigger, better one for less money. 

And so, the hoop house experiment began. Ryan measured, bought materials, and got to work building the frame. He ended up using PVC pipe, which he secured in the ground with concrete. 

Apparently PVC pipe can erode polyethylene plastic, so we put some tape on the PVC pipe to create a barrier. Hopefully that helps give us a little more use out of our plastic.

We first attached the plastic with PVC clips, but we soon learned that they pop right off in a wind storm… So we ended up putting a screw through each clamp. So far it’s holding up well. Only time will tell!

Our plants seem to like the warmer environment. I planted some tomato seeds that I thought for sure were goners, but they popped up!! We’re gonna have twice as many tomatoes as anticipated… Even the eggplant is beginning to emerge! 

Tomato plants with wheat growing in the background

Brussels sprouts and broccoli

Oat grass

Pole beans

Spinach, sunflowers, and lettuces

Another tomato plant

Watermelon popped up with the wheat! I thought it was dead…

Flowers on my brandywine tomato plants ❤

For details on how we ventilate the hoop house on hotter days, check out the post Ventilating The Hoop House.