My Tropical Hoop House Gets a New Cover
Cold weather preparations are in full swing in my greenhouses.
Now that it’s autumn, my outdoor grounds crew is busy preparing the greenhouses for all the tropical plants that need to be stored indoors for the winter. Most of them are kept in one of three hoop houses designated specifically for these warm weather specimens. The hoop houses are constructed from steel frames and Polyethylene panels. While they are extremely durable and long lasting, it was time to replace the existing cover and curtains on the structure located next to my hay barn and across from my vegetable garden. My crew took on the tedious task this week.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
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- This is my large hoop house where I keep many of my tropical plants during the cold season. The plants that are displayed at Skylands, my home in Maine, and at Lily Pond in East Hampton, are also brought back to Bedford every fall for proper storage and care.
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- This is what the hoop house looked like earlier this week after the cover and side panels were removed. The house was originally constructed in 2011, so it was time to replace the Polyethylene cover.
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- The entire structure is built using heavy gauge American made, triple-galvanized steel tubing. I chose this gothic style because of its high peak to accommodate my taller plants.
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- Before the new cover is installed, Chhewang touches up any wooden supports and baseboards. As with all my outbuildings at the farm, this hoop house is painted in my signature Bedford Gray.
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- Fernando power washes all the greenhouse latches that secure the greenhouse fabric to the frame.
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- The fabric comes in two rolls – one is a heavy-duty, woven polyethylene that features an anti-condensate additive to reduce moisture buildup and dripping. The other side contains UV additives that allow the fabric to maintain its strength.
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- Each roll is placed on a long steel rod for easier installation.
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- My foreman, Chhiring, and Chhewang, hoist one roll on top of the frame and position it for unrolling.
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- The other roll is then brought up and placed on top of the first roll, so they can be installed simultaneously.
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- The greenhouse is 60-feet by 40-feet so there is a lot of space to cover. Both fabric pieces must be perfectly in line to cover the structure properly and fully.
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- This process takes about 45-minutes – the greenhouse fabric is very heavy, but my crew is very strong.
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- Here is a view from the side to show how the two rolls are spread on top of the greenhouse.
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- Down below, my curious peacocks have come to check out the activity – they never miss anything at the farm.
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- Here is a view from inside the greenhouse looking up at the fabric layers being placed over the frame. The two sheets are well labeled, so there is no confusion as to what side faces up and what side faces down.
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- The last couple of feet of fabric is draped over the front of the greenhouse.
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- Next, the crew unfolds the fabric over the sides – they do this slowly, so the fabric pieces remain together and perfectly straight.
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- It fits just right. This Polyethylene fabric is designed to stand up to just about any climate. It also resists rips and tears, so it should last another seven or eight years or up to 10-years depending on the weather.
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- Chhiring walks around the perimeter to ensure the fabric is completely flat.
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- Next, the crew works together to pull the fabric taut and secure it with long spline latches.
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- The eight foot latches are then pushed into the lock channels all along the length of the structure.
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- The same is done to the other side.
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- Chhiring then secures the fabric on the front and back ends of the greenhouse.
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- These end wall bars are made of high grade aluminum for added durability.
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- Meanwhile, Fernando moves onto the straps of the curtains. He cleaned them with a solution of bleach and water to remove any mildew and dirt that’s accumulated.
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- The plastic is held in place at the ends of the framework with a double spline extrusion.
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- It’s coming together very quickly. Soon, we will be moving many plants into this temperature and humidity controlled space.
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- The curtain clips are also returned – these will hold the straps in place.
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- Chhewang secures the straps onto the clips one by one on both sides.
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- Chhiring works on the manual roll-up curtains, which raise and lower the bottom section of the Polyethylene fabric for ventilation purposes.
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- Finally, Chhiring uses a special tape to secure the edges.
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- Here is the finished hoop house – ready for storing my tropical plants. This greenhouse works by heating and circulating air to create an artificial tropical environment. It includes three fans and a propane fueled heater. It is an excellent way to ensure my tropical specimens survive the cold winters of the Northeast. How do you keep your plants protected during the cold season? Share your comments below.
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