With a light frost coming in tonight. I am covering a couple of beds with cheap clear plastic. Not aesthetically pleasing but does the job. I can't help but wonder. What do you use for row covers to extend your growing season?
row covers
- Thread starter peppersproutfarm
- Start date
peppersproutfarm said:
That's what I used but I added a string of 100W incandescent bulbs (Not the 25W's seen below.) in the tent for heat. It might be tough to find both in this day and age.
skullbiker
Extreme Member
I used these in my greenhouse when I was in MN. I just laid it around the inside perimeter, it kept the 10 X 12 greenhouse about 3°f above outside temp. They are available in 6 different lengths from 30 ft to 200 ft.
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/pipe-insulation-heat-cables/heat-cables/frost-king-reg-electric-roof-de-icing-cable/rc60/p-1444444947433.htm
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/pipe-insulation-heat-cables/heat-cables/frost-king-reg-electric-roof-de-icing-cable/rc60/p-1444444947433.htm
For light frosts I used fleece when I was living in Europe. I used it also to gain a few degrees in early spring and speed up growth. Worked remarkably well... I even used it in the greenhouse. I grew my own lettuce all year round 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J7Yc8d2eDU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J7Yc8d2eDU
I use reemay for my low tunnels this time of year, and we've had temps run into the low teens already. It wouldn't keep peppers alive at those temps but does give me 6 or so degrees of protection, which makes all the difference when over wintering brassicas.
Agribon makes a great quality frost blanket. I purchased mine from Johnny's
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/tools-supplies/row-covers-and-accessories/frost-protection/agribon/
I've found that clear plastic can actually make freezing temps worse. As water condenses on the inside of the tunnel during the sunshine, then causes the plants to feeze overnight wherever it touches the plastic. If you can set up a heated tunnel with plastic that would work, but with wind and rain and weather I've found it almost impossible to keep it off the plants. You can also layer with the reemay over your plants inside a plastic tunnel which would give you the most protection.
Agribon makes a great quality frost blanket. I purchased mine from Johnny's
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/tools-supplies/row-covers-and-accessories/frost-protection/agribon/
I've found that clear plastic can actually make freezing temps worse. As water condenses on the inside of the tunnel during the sunshine, then causes the plants to feeze overnight wherever it touches the plastic. If you can set up a heated tunnel with plastic that would work, but with wind and rain and weather I've found it almost impossible to keep it off the plants. You can also layer with the reemay over your plants inside a plastic tunnel which would give you the most protection.