Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Plastic Tunnels
These structures are made of plastic or metal hoops with plastic
sheeting secured over the hoops. Sizes vary depending on your
needs. Your tunnel can be large enough to walk through or just the
right size to protect your vegetables.
The plastic tunnel is used in much the same way as the cold frame,
just on a larger scale. It is used to give young seedlings the protec-
tion they need in early spring, to grow heat-loving vegetables in the
summer, and to grow winter crops for harvesting in the fall. It is
usually unheated. It is not necessarily a permanent structure; in
fact, it can be easily moved to different areas of your garden each
season as you rotate your crops.
Smoothie Garden Solution
Why should you rotate your vegetables? First, rotating vegetables
within the same family will help prevent disease and insect dam-
age to your garden. Second, different vegetables use different
amounts of nutrients. By moving them to a different area each
year, you help prevent the depletion of the essential nutrients in
your garden soil.
The plastic tunnel is less expensive to construct than a glass
greenhouse and can be just as effective. Plastic tunnels are often
easier to vent than glass ones since the plastic is usually moveable.
Some are even constructed to allow you to manually roll up the bot-
tom sides, letting the cool air in and the excess heat out. You have
to be aware that by opening the sides or ends you are also allowing
pests to reach your veggie plants, so it is important to plan what you
will be growing and why and vent accordingly.
