Hooping it up!

Damian and I are working on our next project for preventing bug and pest damage of our crops. Instead of spraying pesticides, organic farms often use "floating row covers" to keep bugs away. The floating row cover is made of a lightweight mesh that allows rain and sunshine in but keeps the bugs out. We have 1000 feet of row cover purchased, but have to build the hoop infrastructure to support the fabric. If we lay the fabric directly on the plants, heavy rains could crush weak stemmed plants or smother the plants into the mud. Making a hoop infrastructure for the fabric to lay over will create a small covered tunnel for the plants to grow and not get crushed or smothered.

Some of the gardening stores sell pre-made gardening hoops; however, we calculated that we would save over $120 if we purchased wire and cut our own. After hours of cutting, shaping, and pushing the wire into the earth, I am proud to announce we have 210 hoops arching over our small plants.

Without the floating row cover, I think the hoops look like a piece of installation art. It is only step 1 in the process, but step 2 will hopefully be completed this weekend. After we get the fabric in place, we will have 17 small tunnels. I can't wait to see what it looks like.

Soybeans growing under brand new hoops

Adding hoops under ominous skies

Hoops are finished!