Tucking the Tunnel in for the Winter...
The Gro-Guard agricultural fabric row cover arrived and it took me a long time to get around to installing it. I scoured the internet for ideas. I wanted to make sure that it would work, and more importantly... that I could do it.
Finally, I did get it done.
Now a little more about how the Low Grow Tunnel is constructed.
I had already installed the pvc hoops in September (mentioned in The September Garden). Now, I unrolled the fabric, laying it the length of the garden. I gathered up the end and wrapped it tightly with baling twine and then used a heavy duty tent stake to secure it to the ground a couple of feet beyond the end of the garden bed.
Then, I gently pulled the fabric over the hoops. The fabric was very light weight. It slipped on the hoops and was a little bit difficult to handle. Not only that, but it tended to catch every wisp of a breeze. The breeze would catch it and it suddenly became like a sail. I realized that in order to get the fabric over the hoops and evenly secured, I would have to use some weight to hold down the edges.
I first tried a couple of 2' X 6" boards. But they were too smooth and the fabric slipped right out from under them. I had some leftover paver bricks from a previous project... so I used those and they worked very well.
I would put one paver down on the south side, then walk around to the north side of the bed, pull the fabric over and down, and then lay a paver on it. Then I'd return to the south side, pull the fabric down into place and lay a paver on that edge, then go to the north side, pull the fabric down and place another paver. I repeated this process until I had the fabric evenly placed over the hoops the entire length of the beds (40 feet).
Once the fabric was evenly draped over the hoops, I gathered the other end, wrapped baling twine around it (like I had done with the first end) and secured it to the ground with another heavy duty tent stake.
I did not trust the pavers to hold down the fabric in a heavy wind, so I put in tent stakes along each side and used baling twine to secure it; first on one side, then throwing the twine over the top of the tunnel and securing it under a tent stake on the other side; continuing back and forth, all the way down the length of the tunnel.
Finally it was done.
I think the low grow tunnel is ready for the winter!
I credit two sources as my main inspiration: Curtis Stone from Green City Acres and Cathy Rehmeyer who authors Mother of A Hubbard blog and has written an ebook titled Garden Under Cover. Both of these individuals have facebook pages and both of them have lots of great information on their facebook pages and blogs.
Finally, I did get it done.
 |
| Low grow tunnel |
Now a little more about how the Low Grow Tunnel is constructed.
I had already installed the pvc hoops in September (mentioned in The September Garden). Now, I unrolled the fabric, laying it the length of the garden. I gathered up the end and wrapped it tightly with baling twine and then used a heavy duty tent stake to secure it to the ground a couple of feet beyond the end of the garden bed.
 |
| End of tunnel fabric; gathered, wrapped with baling twine and secured to the ground with a tent stake. Loose edges held down with brick pavers. |
Then, I gently pulled the fabric over the hoops. The fabric was very light weight. It slipped on the hoops and was a little bit difficult to handle. Not only that, but it tended to catch every wisp of a breeze. The breeze would catch it and it suddenly became like a sail. I realized that in order to get the fabric over the hoops and evenly secured, I would have to use some weight to hold down the edges.
I first tried a couple of 2' X 6" boards. But they were too smooth and the fabric slipped right out from under them. I had some leftover paver bricks from a previous project... so I used those and they worked very well.
I would put one paver down on the south side, then walk around to the north side of the bed, pull the fabric over and down, and then lay a paver on it. Then I'd return to the south side, pull the fabric down into place and lay a paver on that edge, then go to the north side, pull the fabric down and place another paver. I repeated this process until I had the fabric evenly placed over the hoops the entire length of the beds (40 feet).
 |
| Paver bricks in place, holding down the long edges. |
Once the fabric was evenly draped over the hoops, I gathered the other end, wrapped baling twine around it (like I had done with the first end) and secured it to the ground with another heavy duty tent stake.
I did not trust the pavers to hold down the fabric in a heavy wind, so I put in tent stakes along each side and used baling twine to secure it; first on one side, then throwing the twine over the top of the tunnel and securing it under a tent stake on the other side; continuing back and forth, all the way down the length of the tunnel.
 |
| Baling twine looped over top of tunnel, then secured around tent stake and back up and over to other side of tunnel. |
Finally it was done.
|
| Low grow tunnel |
I think the low grow tunnel is ready for the winter!
I credit two sources as my main inspiration: Curtis Stone from Green City Acres and Cathy Rehmeyer who authors Mother of A Hubbard blog and has written an ebook titled Garden Under Cover. Both of these individuals have facebook pages and both of them have lots of great information on their facebook pages and blogs.
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