Hoop House Cover Help

[Wannabee]

Finished the building on the hoop house this last weekend - structurally it is sound, but weather conditions were not the greatest last weekend when we hurried to put the plastic on the frame. We used 6 Mil plastic, but in hindsight I don't think it is tight enough to withstand the high winds we get at times, and it is too late to take it off and start again since I cut openings for the windows.

Any idea of something I can put on top of the plastic to make sure it won't blow off in the wind? I was thinking about using tarp straps, but it would be nice if I had something white or something else.... Any ideas???

Thanks!

[Harry Chickpea]

Polypropylene rope. Fix one end, and use a cleat or tie-down on the other. I hope you got greenhouse plastic? The construction plastic won't last more than about 18 mo.

[DebM]

>I was thinking about using tarp straps, but it would be nice if I had something white or something else.... Any ideas???

Strictly speaking, mine is not a hoop-house, it's a frame made out of cattle panels. Our area of the state is going to host the second largest wind farm in the country, and we used tie-downs which worked really well. This year all of it comes off when the weather is warm enough and I'm using the frame to grow vining things on. Between the sun and the wind, the tie-downs and the plastic were useless by fall. *sigh*

DebM
zone 5

[Wannabee]

Thanks, Deb. I am also in 5 with lots of wind. I built a nice Harbor Freight Greenhouse last year, and I am sure it blew into Ohio....Lost it in the big wind last summer before I ever got to use it!!!

This year I went with the cattle pannels as well. We will see how it holds up. I like the idea of the rope that Harry mentioned. I may give it a shot as well.