How to build a Hoop House & Cold Protection for Pumpkin Plants

Yesterday I completed the hoop houses for the patch.  Similar setup for them that I've used in the past, although every year I get a little better at it.  Joe Jutras might not find my work up to par, but they are good enough.

I start with a simple frame using redwood 2x4s using stainless steel screws to put it together  On the corners I add braces using leftover pieces from the frame.  

I then drill holes for the pipe on the sides and a hole in the center of the hoop house door area.  I then put 1/2" pvc pipe through the holes that I then put end caps on.   I put a vertical pipe through the center of the door area that has a 90 degree connector at the top (not pictured).  Into the other end of the connector I run a horizontal "cross bar" under the hoops that gives them some support at the top of the hoop house.   I then use a zip tie to connect each hoop to the cross bar. All of this makes for a pretty sturdy frame for the plastic cover.

Next, I use clear 6 mil plastic to runs across the hoops.   The plastic is then stapled to the wood frame.   Using the same 6 mil plastic I put "doors" on each end that are stapled to the frame and using plastic clamps I clip the door to the outside hoops.

I've had hoop houses like these in snow, heavy wind and rain.  A 100 watt incandesent bulb, heat lamp or space heater inside the hoops at night will keep the plants warm (and not let them freeze).  The plastic gives no cold protection at night, but if the doors are closed, they heat up very quickly when the sun is out, so you have to monitor temperatures.

This morning I plug in the soil heating cables for the first time.  I had some clear plastic over the planting areas.  There was some ice on the plastic.   Just now I checked the temperature 8 inches into the ground.  The one hoop house soil was at a very nice 73.4 degrees and the other was at 66.7 degrees.   By Wednesday, when I plan on putting the plants in the ground, the soil temperature should be perfect for them.  You don't want to put your plants into a cold ground.  

The plants are vining right now and I'm very anxious to get them into the ground.

Pumpkin Patch Tour & Greenhouse

A little bummed that I'm going to miss both the Utah club's pumpkin patch tour and the RMGVG patch tour.  The Utah tour is the weekend before we move to Utah and the Colorado tour is the weekend after.  I couldn't be moving at a worse time.

I'm looking at getting this 24x28 foot greenhouse for the new house.  If anyone is familiar with the quality of the Grower Solutions greenhouses please let me know.  I want to make sure I make the right purchase.

http://www.growerssolution.com/PROD/24-ft-greenhouse-package-kit/24ftquonsetpkg

Make The Plants Think They Are in Maui

When I was on the south shore of Maui last year, near the base of volcano I realized that I might have found an ideal growing area.  Moderate rain, volcanic rich soils and 84 degrees, year around could be a place that a world record pumpkin could be grown.  It is no wonder that Monsanto is all over the island.

Denver is no Maui, Rhode Island, Ohio or Napa Valley when it comes to pumpkin growing.  Cool springs, warmer than ideal summer days and cool nights with low humidity make pumpkin growing challenging.  Colorado has its obvious plus sides however, so I'm staying.

When it comes to the pumpkins however, you have to make them think they are in Maui.  This is somewhat easier to do in the Spring, when the pumpkins are in protected hoop houses.  With heat sources at night, the hoop houses stay a minimum of 5 degrees warmer than the outside temperatures, humidity is higher and on a sunny 65 degree day it is easy to have a hoop house at a perfect 85 degrees with a perfectly happy plant.

You've heard me moan about the weather in Colorado this spring.  Very little sun and cool every day for almost three weeks now and it doesn't look like this trend is going to break until maybe next week.  So you make the best of it.   As you can see in the picture at the right I have a full spectrum CFL bulb in a brooder to add some additional light on cloudy days like today.  Also, have a heat lamp going to keep it a touch warmer inside.  Trying to make these plants think they are in Maui. We aren't quite there yet, but getting a little closer.

Hoop, there it Is! Hoop, there it is!

Got my new hoop houses out into the pumpkin patch today.  These hoop houses are a few feet wider and a couple of feet longer.  I'm guessing I'll be able to keep the plants in the hoop house 4-7 days longer with these and it will give me a little more room to move round with them.  I like to get my hoop houses out into the patch a couple of weeks before planting time.  Plants don't like cold roots and you can stunt your plant for a week if the soil isn't warmed up prior to planting.  A clear sheet of plastic on the ground will also do wonders for the soil.

Time to Get Back into the Pumpkin Patch

This week I plan on tilling the pumpkin patch.  On Thursday there is supposed to be storm, so I'm going to till on Wednesday.  I'll be tilling in some peat, alfalfa, humic acid, silica and expanded shale into the patch.  The expanded shale is something new that I'm trying this year.  From what I've read, it should be good for our Colorado clay soils.  I'll also be putting down about 4lbs of myco into the patch as well.  After the storm, I'll be seeding the patch with a cover crop of winter rye in all but the planting areas.  That cover crop I'll till into the ground when the plants vines start running.

Today I started working on two new hoop houses (kind of like a small green house) for the plants.  These hoop houses are about 2 feet longer and 2 feet wider than my current hoop houses.  I need hoop houses for my kids' plants, do I thought it was time for an upgrade.  These new hoop houses are designed just like my old ones, but with the increased size I"ll be able to keep the plants in the hoop house for another 3-7 days.

I'll be starting my pumpkin plants on April 15th, indoors under grow lights.