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Post by Weed on Apr 25, 2015 12:25:48 GMT
I'm undecided but giving serious consideration to start using row covers in the early spring (next year....perhaps the fall too, to extend the season). Curious if anyone here has any experience with them, past or present? Im in a area with a microclimate where the temp swings can get a little nuts! Overnight we got tagged with a rather heavy frost, unpredicted by the weather guessers of course. At first, I thought ahh...no biggie, I don't have anything planted yet. Then I got to thinking about my strawberries! The plants themselves are very cold hardy but the same don't apply to the new growth and flowers...so now, DUH, I'm worried! Check out this shot from the 6am news, I'm in the middle of the state between Philly and Cape May. At the time, temps had risen slightly up to 27, but I believe 25 was the low (click the image if it's too small)  |
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Post by Weed on Apr 25, 2015 12:38:48 GMT
Here are a few pics of the SB rows, the first one is just prior to "cleaning up" a few days before Easter. As you can see, I allowed them to runner out between rows ( not recommended  ). The 2nd pic was taken a few weeks later on the 16th. Since the 2nd pic was taken, the plants have doubled in size and are loaded down with tender buds and flowers   |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 13:00:58 GMT
No experience yet, but I am thinking about trying them next year.
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Post by here to stay on Apr 25, 2015 13:23:10 GMT
Are you talking about floating row covers? I have used them, both for bug protection and fall frost protection. The heavier weight covers work very well for short periods especially where the days are warmer and it's only the nights that are a danger.
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Post by Weed on Apr 25, 2015 16:21:55 GMT
Yes, the floating row covers are what first popped into my mind. I know very little about them, I'll need to do some research regarding the different weight fabrics to figure what will work best. Or, I could just get one of these bad boys!  The farmer a 1/2 - 3/4 mile down the road has several of these that he fires up whenever the orchards are in danger of frost. Fortunately, I live in a newer home with lots of insulation and good windows...but from my back porch I can hear them loud and clear. They sound like a dozen chinooks coming in from the south!!  |
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Post by Callie on Apr 25, 2015 17:36:38 GMT
I made short tunnels with plastic for many years. It just got to be to too much busy-ness. If spring doesn't warm up soon, I might have to use them again. They work very well. If it gets warm, you have to open them up and then remember to close them up at night again. I wasn't dilligent enough and ended up losing things from too hot as well as too cool. We are very windy here in the spring. It was hard for me to build them tough enough. I'd love to make a system of cold frames that could be placed over my plants though. Move them around from one area to the other as the temperatures become acceptible for the different plants.
I use the fabric covers in my greenhouse all the time though. Love them. I just lay them over the plants and it really helps. Most years, I still have the cool crops to harvest all year- the only thing that stops me is 2 ft of snow on the ground between me and the greenhouse.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 22:12:59 GMT
I'm thinking about row covers if they'll keep out the lousy lagamorphs who destroyed my strawberry plants.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 22:37:01 GMT
Yes, the floating row covers are what first popped into my mind. I know very little about them, I'll need to do some research regarding the different weight fabrics to figure what will work best. Or, I could just get one of these bad boys! The farmer a 1/2 - 3/4 mile down the road has several of these that he fires up whenever the orchards are in danger of frost. Fortunately, I live in a newer home with lots of insulation and good windows...but from my back porch I can hear them loud and clear. They sound like a dozen chinooks coming in from the south!!
That just looks like a windmill of some type, but I assume since you said that your "neighbor fires them up" they are not windmills. What exactly are they and how do they help?
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Post by Weed on Apr 26, 2015 2:49:31 GMT
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). The 2nd pic was taken a few weeks later on the 16th. Since the 2nd pic was taken, the plants have doubled in size and are loaded down with tender buds and flowers
