skyhightree1
Well-known member
Does anyone in here garden using a high tunnel? I need to spend some $ this year and am considering one. Is it worth it?
High tunnel
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dave_shelby
Well-known member
Such problems.
I've long wanted one so I can get garden plants started early in spring, extend fall greens into december and put chickens in during cold snowy months. To answer your second question, I'd say no. I can make do with cheap row covers. My mom has gotten into winter sowing using old milk jugs like here. I'm going to try that this year.
I've long wanted one so I can get garden plants started early in spring, extend fall greens into december and put chickens in during cold snowy months. To answer your second question, I'd say no. I can make do with cheap row covers. My mom has gotten into winter sowing using old milk jugs like here. I'm going to try that this year.
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pnw-farmer
Well-known member
We built 4 out of top rail and used them for our market garden. Mainly to get tomatoes and cucumbers to market early.
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skyhightree1
Well-known member
I want one but rather a greenhouse where I can grow corn and tomatoes all year round... I don't know what to do. A greenhouse is way more costly
pnw-farmer
Well-known member
We put 2 layers of plastic with fan to inflate between the 2 layers. Ran pellet stove to heat and heated soil. Used 2" foam board on sides to help hold heat in.
We started tomatoes and cucumbers in late Feb.
Guess it was a hoophouse but used as greenhouse. I built my own because greenhouses are way too expensive.
GoWyo
Well-known member
We have a cold frame hoop house 30'x70'. It adds a month or so to each end of our relatively short growing season. After 3 years of growing tomatoes started getting myriad problems with virus, fungus, etc. making each successive crops harder to get good production. Top blew off a year ago so let it go fallow last summer. Will get a new top on this spring, but I don't know what the crop plan is -- that is my wife's area and I am not a very good farmer.
mwj
Well-known member
You will find it very hard to keep it cool in full sun. I never grew anything other than container plants but late spring and summer are horrible to keep watered. Roll up plastic might help but we had to much wind to use them.
GoWyo
Well-known member
Mark Reynolds
Well-known member
Needing to spend money is a serious problem!
It's up to you how to spend money. I would say apply for an NRCS contract, but that would save/stop you from spending money. 
Actually, NRCS, and extension would be good to talk to. A high tunnel's true purpose is to moderate growing conditions and not completely control them. They are intended to extend growing seasons by keeping the garden area a little warmer further into the winter or a bit cooler into the summer. Once outside growing conditions reach a certain point, a high tunnel will no longer help. NRCS and Extension can provide some technical assistance about construction, orientation and location of the high tunnel to help you avoid pitfalls at the very least, and maybe get you some funding if needed.
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skyhightree1
Well-known member
Thanks I will check them out and see what they say.Needing to spend money is a serious problem!
Like you I am investing in a high tunnel and I came across RIMOL.com They have several different shapes and sizes. I am looking at the "Bobcat 16x48 ~$1500 to give you an idea. I don't have an association with them if you find something better I would be interested to know.
