I picked up the plastic for the hoophouse this week from Greenhouse Supply in Brewer. They kindly sold me at a discount a 50′x20′ piece off a damaged roll. With help from friends Karen and Bill, we got the cover on today. Currently it is held on with clamps and straw bales; we will secure it as soon as we can.
Earlier in the day Dan had laid the plastic, which was folded, out in the sun to warm up. Then, we unfolded one half, measuring to be sure, and carefully cut it in half using a utility knife with a new 
blade. Then, the four of us each took a corner and lifted it over the hoophouse frame from the side. After making sure we had it evenly placed, we placed straw bales over the excess plastic on the sides to hold it in place.
Within minutes it was much warmer in the hoophouse than the outside air temperature, and within 60 minutes it was 82°F, while the outside temperature was about 66°F (although it felt warmer in the sun).
Once we had oohed and aawed, made plans for breakfast in the 
hoophouse some cool November morning, and Karen and Bill had gone home, I planted my poor seedlings. The seedlings have been ready for planting lo these many weeks, but life just wasn’t cooperating. My once beautiful brassica seedlings were ravaged by the evil green cabbage worm, and the chard was looking spindly and weak, but I’m hoping that they’ll recover. At least most of the lettuce looked terrific.
First, I raked all the straw cover back (uncovering a toad in the process, which I promptly relocated to the tomato area) and loosed the soil, compacted by Dan and I tromping around during construction. Then I applied a very generous dose of compost I’d been denying my other plants hoarding for this application. I raked in some Plant Tone organic fertilizer, planted the seedlings, and watered them in with some dilute Neptune’s harvest seaweed fertilizer (high in P for root development).
On a future weekend, we need to tack the plastic to the side purlins and the ends, and fix the sides so that we can roll them up when we need ventilation, but this can wait until we have a bit more time. At least the seedlings are in the ground and the tomatoes are covered and warm. Maybe we will get some ripe tomatoes from this project!
October 11, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Awesome!! Good job!
Watch out for rodents nesting under the straw bales. It’s warm under the bales at night and close to a delicious, tender food supply.
October 12, 2008 at 12:03 am
Wow, so jealous! Maybe next year I’ll join you in greenhouse bliss!
October 12, 2008 at 9:56 am
Yay! Looks like some great winter eating coming your way, Ali!
Tip du jour: I have roll-up sides on my new greenhouse, but won’t be installing them until next spring. So, I will bury the loose ends in some dirt on the two long sides of the house instead of stapling it to the baseboard. Nothing will dig under the plastic that way, and that’s the way European hoop house folks have done it for years. Anyway, it’s a thought.
October 12, 2008 at 9:09 pm
This is so great. I’m keeping close tabs on how well the HH works for you this winter: I really want to try one of my own.
October 13, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Very cool! I’m giving a much smaller hoop house a try this year, but I’ll keep watch to see how yours turns out. What sort of plastic are you using?
October 13, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Sorry, that post wasn’t supposed to be anonymous…baby amnesia still engaged.
October 20, 2008 at 6:29 am
Chris– I used 6 mil greenhouse cover from Greenhouse Supply in Brewer. It is much clearer and more flexible than the roll plastic I have used for my low hoops and the hen’s snowdome.
K&A– my first lesson is learned — get the plastic on earlier! But keep an eye on how the greens production goes. I will need to cover the greens inside the hoop with row cover as the cool weather progresses.
Robin & El– We plan to bury the plastic on the sides, both for rodent protection and to get the plastic under cover for anticipated snow shoveling. We just haven’t managed to get there yet, and the straw bales were available. We will also be fastening the plastic to the side purlins as soon as we can pick up more pieces of 1″x3″ lumber.
Ali