How to create easy hoop row covers in the garden

After battling cabbage worms and losing, I decided to eliminate the problem by creating my own row cover hoops, which also work for frost protection, too. After setting up the row cover, I had no issues whatsoever with my next batch of cole crops. I even saw the pesky cabbage moths flying around.

You can buy premade hoops, but they can be expensive. You can easily do it yourself by buying flexible PVC pipe and sticking it in the ground. I decided to make it even easier by installing slots to easily be able to add it or take it away.

Materials needed for the hoop rows

• 3/4″ PVC pipe for slots
• 1/2″ flexible PVC pipe for the hoops – You don’t want a coil of tubing for irrigation purposes because it’s not rigid enough and you don’t want the super rigid pipe that can’t be bent. You need the kind that is flexible, but rigid at the same time. (I know! Makes perfect sense, right? We couldn’t figure out which was which online for a pick-up order so we went to the store to examine it ourselves.)
• Pipe clips to attach them (if you have raised beds) – There are all kinds, just pick one.

How much do you need?

You need to put the hoops on each end, and every 2′ in between to avoid sagging. I would say 3′ at a maximum.

For the 3/4″ pipe to use as slots, you need two per hoop — one on each side. We used approximately 6″ long pieces. You don’t have to have these. You can stick the pipe right in the ground, but for ease of use, I create these slots for easily adding the hoops or removing them.

For the hoops, it’s up to you how high you make them depending on what you are growing. Do you need it to cover young tomato plants for those frosts that occur after the supposed last spring frost? Do you want it to cover all of your greens for insect protection? I made mine pretty high so it would be versatile. We cut each piece of 1/2″ pipe to be 8’6″ feet long. You might decide what size to make them depending on the pipe lengths you can get. What I am able buy locally are 10′ pieces. I need a full piece for each hoop and then I cut it to size. If you wanted yours pretty low and made them 5′ long, you can get two pieces from one 10′ pipe piece.

Example hoop row cover material list for 4×8 bed

• (5) 1/2″ PVC pipe hoops – 8′ long – so you’d buy (5) 10′ pieces. $3.77 each x 5 = $19.85
• (10) 3/4″ PVC slots – 6″ pcs. – You would only need one piece of 10′ pipe to cut all of these to size. $6.29 x 1 = $6.29
• (10) Pipe clamps – package of 10 – $3.68
• Total cost is $29.82

Insect Cloth or Frost Cloth

Now that your row cover hoops are set up, you need the cloth to cover the plants. Keep in mind that whatever size you end up making your hoops is the minimum size you need for the cloth.

This multipurpose frost cloth is 10′ x 100′ for $38.73, which might be way more than you would need, but it works for taller hoops and there is enough for many, many beds. You can buy much smaller quantities and different widths.

This insect cloth is 10′ x 12′ and costs $15. In one of my garden groups, someone suggested using tulle and I think this is brilliant and will give it a try and report back. I found this bolt of 108″ x 50 yards for $12.58!

If you don’t have frost cloth, you can use painters plastic drop cloths or blankets for frost protection since it’s temporary for the cold nights.

How to hold the cloth to the hoops

I use two types of clamps to hold the fabric to the hoops:

• Snap-on clamps
• Clip style clamps – These large clips are handy for when I have a ton of excess fabric to clip to the pipe at the corners.

Goodbye, worms

No more picking cabbage worms off my plants!

Products I use

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