Building & Installing a Low Tunnel Hoop House

Have you ever wanted to garden or grow food in the cold winter months? Do you miss eating fresh greens harvested from your kitchen garden? Well, I’m here to tell you that you can! I have grown kale, carrots, cilantro and parsley in the past, with much success, and I live in NJ, zone 6B.

Just a word of warning, do not expect your plants to grow they way they do in summer. That just won’t happen because of colder temperatures and fewer hours of sunlight in winter. Also, plan your garden well - make sure that your crops are well established and not seedlings, before enclosing them in a hoop house, cold frame or low tunnel. Cold hardy veggies will survive the winter under a hoop house, low tunnel or cold frame and you will have fresh food to harvest for your winter meals.

To build a hoop house or low tunnel, like you see in the picture, here’s what you will need:
1. 10’ long, 1/2” thick electrical conduit pipe
2. Hoop Bender (I used a bender meant for 4’ wide beds)
3. 1/2” wide snap clamps
4. Greenhouse or farm grade plastic

How to:
1. Bend pipes according to package instructions on bender.
2. Install pipes in raised beds by simply pushing them into the ground. Alternately, you could push steel rebar into the ground and add pipes on top of that.
3. Install 3 hoops in one 4’x4’ raised bed.
4. Cover with plastic and use 3 clamps on each pipe to secure it (side, top, side).

Using PVC pipes is also an option as they don’t need to be bent, however metal pipes are stronger and more durable, especially when you have gusts of wind.

Hoop houses and frost covers help raise temperature inside and will protect your cold hardy vegetables from frost and snow. Are you planning to grow food in winter? Let me know your plans and ideas!