Building inexpensive garden hoops for shade or row cover and weeding and weeds in the SFG

John shares how he uses common 1/2" PVC pipe to make inexpensive garden hoops to cover his plants from direct sunlight. He also answers the question, "how do you deal with weeds" in the Square foot Garden?

Category:

Education

Tags:

• garden
• hoops
• row
• cover
• gardening
• hoop
• PVC
• inexpensive
• SFG
• weeds
• weeding

[rhino104]

Hey John! I love your videos, I just have a couple of questions about the melon trellis. I actually plan on building a similar trellis with pvc pipes this year, and was curious how you would rate your experience growing on this type of trellis. Did it work out for you? Is it something you'd recommend or are planning to do again? Thanks, Nathan

[growingyourgreens]

Yes, it worked, I would do it again.

[TheGonzoBeat]

Sorry.. one more question :)

What sort of clamps are you using to a attached the shade cloth to the hoops?

[growingyourgreens]

I think we used some inexpensive clamps from harbor freight. In addition, we secured a piece of pvc to the bottom of the plastic to "weigh" it down.

[TheGonzoBeat]

Hi John. Couple of quick questions..

1. How far below the soil to the ends of the hoops extend?

2. You don't seem to use any mulch like pea straw etc. Why is that? Does the hot California sun not dry your soil out?

Thanks very much.

[growingyourgreens]

1. The hoops only go maybe 6"-8" below the soil.

2. I choose not to use mulch, as I find some critters will sometimes get under the mulch ie: slugs, and it will provide them a nice place to live..

[newsalert24]

Awesome video! Do you have a floor in your raised beds? How deep is your compost? Thanks!!

[paulo1149]

Awesome garden. The hoops are great, but that melon trellis looks weak. Better to run full verticals of the pipe and secure to end hoops.

[1BiterMama]

I like it! Especially the crazy melon trellis.

[AromaticDogwood]

i do it for about 8 bucks. i have a bunch of invasive chinaberry/texas umbrella trees, so i kill two birds with one stone; i rip off the first year growth and bend the branches into hoops. not always as clean-looking but it gives it a rustic/survivalist feel heheh. great vids btw!