Wall-O-Water "Cheap" alternative works well

We call these "Mini Greenhouses". They are just PVC pipes bent in the shape you see, then covered with 6-mil Greenhouse plastic (preferred - some use 4 mil).

By themselves they will keep plants quite warm in the day, and will protect against light frost.

To increase the frost protection significantly, just put one or two light bulbs (turned on, of course :) ) in, depending on the number of plants you're growing.

Many times people get 4-6 weeks head-start on the season this way, and they last forever.

By the way, when the days are warm, just flip the plastic off from one side, and to keep the plastic down, we cover the edges with dirt.

JIm Kennard

WOW! That is a healthy looking garden! Such perfect plants and no weeds in sight. Flowerbeds are lovely but the well maintained row garden is pure delight.

jim - thats a terrific idea. are these plants you have in the ground outdoors now?

Jim, good idea. I made a copy to show the fellow who works for me. What size PVC, the smallest available? About an hour ago it was 19 degrees outside, now it is down to 18, not supposed to work that way, supposed to warm up daytimes, isn't it???? Donna

The picture is from a previous year's garden.

The PVC pipe can be 1/2" Schedule 40, or 3/4" schedule 200 or Schedule 40. I have seen them last for 25 years with minimal care.

One of the "cultural practices" of the Mittleider Method is to eliminate all weeds as soon as they show themselves. Otherwise they become a haven for bugs and disease, as well as robbing the vegetables of needed nutrients.

One other note: We will often give away or sell vegi's as soon as they are mature, rather than leave them in the garden to become old, attract infestations of bugs, and get diseased. Share with your neighbors when your produce is at it's peak, and keep more plantings coming, rather than trying to stretch the single-crop varieties out over months. You will eat better and avoid many common problems with bugs and disease this way.

Jim Kennard

Questions: How do you bend the PVC without it breaking? Can you show us a closeup of it, how about using elbows at the top and just making sort of a u shape, or would water puddle on it too much and cause a cave in? I'm guessing you close the plastic over the end of the tunnel at night. How do they handle strong wind? Is dirt over the edges of the plastic all that holds it down or is it attatched to the PVC in some way?

Mary: I have done the bending two different ways. With 3/4" Schidule 200 PVC pipe you can place the pipe against the edge of a table, etc., and just bend it. It compromises the strength of the pipe somewhat, but almost never breaks it.

The best way, if you have the equipment, is to use a heat gun ($15). Put nails part way in a 3' X 3' piece of plywood as follows: 2 nails horizontal near the top middle- 4" apart; 2 more nails out and down 9" at 45 degree angles from the first two; and 2 more directly below the previous 2 at a distance of 10". Then place 2 more nails 1" immediately to the outside of the last two. Using a 4' piece of PVC, place one end between the two nails on one side, with 2" hanging out below the nails. With the heat gun, warm the PVC at the nail 10" above the bottom two, and when warm enough, bend the pipe 45 degrees toward the top nail. Do the same at the other three nails, until you have a pipe with 12" legs, 9" sides, and a 4" top.

This will cover an 18"-wide Grow-Bed or Grow-Box with 2 rows of plants, as you see in the photo above. Just push the legs into the soil about 4".

I have never used elbows, because you would need several 45 degree ones, and they're expensive. Don't bother.

Yes, we close the ends, and hold them with a rock or with dirt. They handle strong wind very well, if you have been careful to cover all of the edges with dirt, again - as the picture shows. The plastic is not attached to the PVC in any way. I have more pictures, if folks are interested.

JIm Kennard

Thanks, Jim. It sounds pretty easy.

Jim, the plants you show in the first photo appear to be cold-hardy crops to begin with. It would sure be easier and less time consuming to simply put reemay over all three rows and then only have to anchors two sides and the ends with rocks, wouldn't it?

I've spent quite a bit of time anchoring the edges of plastic and plant covers with dirt, it is VERY time consuming especially when you have to do it daily.

By the way, those plants don't look like they've been grown under plastic...plastic touching leaves will cause them to freeze. Did you only use the plastic cloches when the plants were much smaller and just being set out?

The "hoop system" is certainly a great way to warm the soil, too, folks. Do as Jim suggested a couple weeks b4 setting out tomato plants and the like and they get to move into warm ground. (Tomatoes hate cold feet!)

Good Point Horseshoe - the picture was taken quite some time after the plastic was taken off.

We use the "mini-greenhouses" for all plants - cold tolerant plants in March-April, and tender plants in May and into June, if it hasn't really warmed up.

And Horseshoe's right about warming the soil also.

I'm not an expert on remay, I just know the plastic can work well, it's inexpensive, and will last a lot of years, if used and taken care of properly.

Thanks for the insights. :)

Jim Kennard

Many of you are aware of our member Jim Kennard, who posts threads related to the Mittleider Method of Gardening which he teaches all over the world, mainly in Third World countries enabling those people to feed themselves. He has just lost his wife, and here’s the note:

Date: Wed, 08 Sep 2004 15:48:54 -0000
From: "Joe Kennard"
Subject: Death in the Family

It is with much sadness that I inform the group that Eleanor Kennard, the beloved wife of Jim Kennard, passed away last night.

Eleanor and Jim have fought a long and courageous battle with Breast Cancer for several years and today she is released from the intense suffering she has been enduring.

Services are slated to be on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004 at noon.

Thanks,

Joe Kennard
Jims' "little" brother