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Hoop houses are a quick, easy type of greenhouse, but are they right for your gardening? Learning more about this technique can help you decide if your green thumb is ready for hoops.

What Is a Hoop House?

A hoop house goes by many names: a polytunnel, hoop tunnel, hoophouse, polyhouse or hoop greenhouse. They are all the same type of structure, however – a plastic-covered tunnel that protects and nurtures plants. The height, width and length of the house will vary depending on what plants you are growing inside it, and it may be square, semi-circular, triangular or dome-shaped.

Inside the hoop house, solar radiation heats up the soil, air and plants, and the plastic covering helps raise humidity and conserve moisture. This can not only extend the growing season in both spring and fall to allow more crops to be raised, but it can create a microclimate to allow you to grow plants that might not normally thrive in your area.

Hoop houses also provide great protection for plants. Damaging hail, severe storms, scorching sun and drying winds will do less harm to plants that are in a hoop house. Birds cannot get through the plastic to nibble on plants, and bugs are also minimized inside the house. This can greatly increase the yield of your plants as well as their quality.

Building a Hoop House

While you can buy kits for different sizes and styles of tunnels, it is easy to build your own hoop house.

1. Plan the house.
   Measure your garden area carefully to determine how large a house you will need. Also consider the height of the plants as they mature so they will not be crowded under the cover, and leave plenty of room for accessing the plants for care or harvesting. Decide where you will position the house and how it will be anchored to keep it secure.
   
   
2. Gather materials.
   A hoop house can be built out of any type of struts. PVC pipe is the most common choice, but you can also use rebar, thick wire, or even wood hoops to create the frame. It should be able to flex without breaking, and needs to be firm enough to resist wind and storms. You will need proper connecting pieces as well as cutting tools to create the proper pieces.
   
   
3. Assemble the frame.
   First assemble the base of the frame, then bend each rib to connect the sides and create the arch that will cover your plants. Ribs should be evenly spaced from 24-36 inches apart for the best support, and there should be a firm ridgeline or backbone to connect the ribs and hold up the cover. For very large or tall houses, interior braces or extra support may also be needed.
   
   
4. Position the frame.
   It is easiest to position your hoop house frame before it is covered. Stake the frame down firmly, using ties, sandbags or other means to be sure it stays in place even if it is bumped or in case of strong winds. Be sure you are not crushing your plants along the edge, and that you have sufficient room to access all sides of the house if adjustments or repairs are needed.
   
   
5. Cover the frame.
   Use thick painter's plastic or greenhouse plastic to cover the house. The cover does not need to be perfectly tight, but should be tight enough that it will not create a billowing effect that could make it blow away. Use clips, plastic zip ties or ropes to keep the cover attached to the ridgeline and each rib, and weight the edges down with rocks, bricks or suitable stakes.
   
   
6. Adjust the ends.
   You will want the ends of the house to be able to be opened so you can easily access your plants for watering, weeding, harvesting or other care. Adjusting the end openings will also allow you to monitor the heat and humidity in the house to keep conditions optimal for your plants. You can also add small "window" flaps in larger houses to adjust conditions as needed.

Once assembled, your hoop house will be ready to shelter and nurture plants. Be sure to check the house regularly, however, as it will naturally be stressed by weather conditions and overall use, and holes or rips can develop or the frame may loosen. If spotted quickly, these problems can be repaired without difficulty or damage to any plants.

Plants for Your Hoop House

Depending on the size and style of your hoop house, you can use it for all types of gardening. The season, soil type, time of year and other factors will affect what plants thrive in your house, but there are many options. If you plan on using your hoop house during cooler weather to extend the growing season, opt for cold tolerant plants such as carrots, radishes, beets, turnips, spinach, lettuce and onions. For warm season growing, consider heat-loving plants such as tomatoes, strawberries, eggplants, peppers, melons and flowers to be cut for bouquets.

No matter what your gardening plans, a hoop house can help you make the most of every moment of your gardening season – and even make many more moments you can take advantage of.