How to Build Low Tunnels That Open and Close Easily

Рет қаралды 98,504

Күн бұрын

Low tunnels are one of the most cost effective methods for extending the growing season in your vegetable garden in both spring and fall. Follow along as I share everything you need to know to build the best low tunnels with fully adjustable sidewalls for ventilation and the strength to resist wind and snow loads.
Here's a list of the equipment used for these low tunnels:
- 1/2 inch EMT conduit - 10 foot lengths
- hose clamps - amzn.to/48xqQHg
- aluminum carabiners - amzn.to/3PVBMqX
- 6 mil UV resistant plastic - amzn.to/48Dxuvxv
- 1/4" bungee/shock cord - amzn.to/3t5uPKP
- some 3/4" plywood scraps and a few screws for the hoop bending jig
- our wireless temperature sensors - amzn.to/3ZEObCS
As mentioned in the video, I collected temperature data from this low tunnel this fall to measure its heat trapping and insulating abilities. You can now find a summary of that data on our Field Journal page here: www.vegetableacademy.com/post...
To extend your growing season as long as possible, you'll also need to know the temperature tolerance of each of your vegetable crops which can vary significantly. I teach this subject in detail in my Seed to Table course.
LEARN MORE
⇨ Subscribe to this channel: / @vegetableacademy
⇨ Get started with my FREE workshop: www.vegetableacademy.com/yt-f...
⇨ Enroll in the Seed to Table course: www.vegetableacademy.com/course

Пікірлер: 170

@VegetableAcademy 2 ай бұрын

Join me in person at the 2024 Homestead Festival near Nashville, TN on June 7 & 8 where I'll be teaching a session on Mastering Cold Storage. Get 20% off your festival passes with the coupon code REGIER20 for regular admission and REGIER20PLUS for regular admission plus. Here's a link to the festival: www.hardisonmill.com/thehomesteadfestival

@dhersies2839 3 ай бұрын

This is the best hoop house tutorial I've ever seen

@jongraziano7408 4 ай бұрын

The pipe clamp carabiner move is 😘🌱

@alanmcrae8594 9 ай бұрын

This is where KZfaq really shines. When somebody smart & creative comes up with a brilliant, simple, inexpensive, diy solution to a problem. Just what I was looking for to get low, easy to heat & cool poly tunnels where I can micro control internal conditions for a group of plants that thrive in the same temperature, humidity and sunlight environment. And when it gets really cold outside, I only need to heat inside the low poly tunnels, not the entire volume of the glassed in greenhouse. A huge energy saver! Liked & subscribed EDIT: as a computer expert I do not like monitoring devices that log to remote servers thru a home gateway. I consider them both a network security risk and, eventually, these companies tend to erect a paywall once they have a large enough captive customer base. I'll be holding out for an open source system that runs totally on premises on an air gapped, high security home VLAN network. (But for your current R&D it is a quick & easy solution for collecting temp/humidity data.)

@dudeusmaximus6793 9 ай бұрын

Been doing low tunnels for a couple of decades with 4 mil plastic sheeting. Grow cold hardy greens, roots, and grains, we get down to -20F in many winters and they all survive fine with no damage. Have had half the length of the tunnel fly open and flapping in the wind in single digit temps, the exposed half of course gets smoked, the half that's covered still has little damage except at the end near the opening. It's almost magical how that works to be honest.

@chachadodds5860 9 ай бұрын

Priceless advice on that jig! I think even this almost 70-year-old can do that. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. Much appreciated.

@yearofthegarden 7 ай бұрын

Great demonstration. I've been using these type of low tunnels for over a decade, a design i took from some japanese farmers i talk to on instagram. These cheap low tunnels are what gave me edge over larger farms, because I could show up to market earlier before the huge growers show up when the weather works for them. a 50ft version of these used to cost about $50 back when EMT conduit was $3.50, and poly was cheap. There is still nothing as cheap as fitting two 50ft beds under, especially when each bed can make up to $300. Personally though I am not a fan of sticking the conduit directly into the ground, that's what the farm I work at does, and when you tie the string to the conduit, wind will rip the whole thing out. I personally use rebar and attach the hook to the rebar which has better grip in the soil.

@kenkrick7596 9 ай бұрын

Seeing a valuable video like this always makes me wish I could smash the like button multiple times! Thanks

@renatamarinoiu8156 9 ай бұрын

😂

@lemonbalm2604 9 ай бұрын

clear, clean, concise, informative, enjoyable. thank you

@jlindschmitt 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for this!!! I watched a lot of videos on low tunnels before watching yours and thinking: *THIS* will work! The jig instructions worked like a charm and now I have three beautiful, tidy, wind-resistant low tunnels protecting my ranunculus crop.

@promagnuman 14 күн бұрын

Easiest design I have seen yet. Making 3 today

@blenderbenderguy 9 ай бұрын

Very clear, concise, and clever! Thanks for your efforts.

@ecologytoday 9 ай бұрын

Last year, I created similar low tunnels utilizing dollar store hula hoops (there are different lengths and thicknesses) and thick Agricultural fabric sewn into small Quonset huts with tent style tubes and attachments. It worked really well in 6A to extend the season and have a low cost and small space option to have more cool weather crops in the autumn. Most people in my region quit gardening in the first week in September, but last year, my last harvest was the first week of December for an additional 15 bushels (post Sept 1) of cool weather crops. Yes- we did knock snow off the hoops in November and December.

@Alyss93 9 ай бұрын

I love how tidy those bungee cords make everything sit! I might try doing this next year with floating row covers next year for my brassicas 👍

@VegetableAcademy 9 ай бұрын

That might work if you're really careful. Floating row cover can't handle the same level of abrasion as the plastic though so all of the friction between the bungee cord and the conduit will lead to premature tearing. For that reason, when I use floating row covers over these hoops, I still use large bricks to hold them down. This isn't as annoying as using bricks with plastic though, because one really nice feature of the floating row covers is their breathability. Thanks to this ability to allow air transfer even when closed, it's not always necessary to open them for ventilation.

@Alyss93 9 ай бұрын

@@VegetableAcademy Good to know, thank you!

@garthwunsch 8 ай бұрын

@@VegetableAcademy I use reusable heavyweight commercial insect netting from Dubois Agrinovation in Quebec. Had to buy a humungous roll that was very expensive, so I posted some for sale on facebook to my garden community. Sold half the roll :-) I also built a "brassica barn" from a discarded Shelter Logic frame. I cut some of the pieces down a bit to make it fit my brassica garden bed and it's still tall enough that I can walk inside. You need a standard gable style frame to cut it down as the gothic and round top can't be cut down. I've used it two seasons now with absolutely no sign of wear. It is held in place with bricks and never flops in the wind. This year I'm building a door frame and door into the end... just easier access. I had a local canvas shop sew two pieces together to cover the entire length of the frame (footprint is about 8' x 14'). Cabbage moths can't get in! This year I planted garlic in the frame... one row down each side of where the cabbage/broccoli will be next spring. By the time the brassicas start to take up more room, the garlic will already be harvested... without leek moth damage. I'm in Zone 4, Sudbury, ON. Where are you? You created an excellent no nonsense video! Thank you. sub'd

@vickiwestlund1837 9 ай бұрын

Thank you for the details!! Had no idea they sold a UV treated poly!!

@OutsidewithTom 2 ай бұрын

This is the best instructional video I've found on this topic. Simple functional design and clear concise explanation. Well done!

@grncreek Ай бұрын

By far the best and simplest design I've come across. Thank you for sharing.

@yukonsmomma3562 9 ай бұрын

Very informative. I love the way you walk us through each step. You're a great teacher. After hearing you're growing in zone 3 I'm subscribing.

@VKelley 9 ай бұрын

I didn't have a jig. Only a small garden with 12' rows. So I use a 10' length of 9guage wire. Wire cut it in half, bend my hoop with hands. Each hoop spans a 2-3' width row. The cover is frost mesh or plastic as your video nicely demonstrates. Clothes pins hold the fabric to the hoop. Or sew a pocket for each wire hoop along the lenghth of the fabric (both work well). I needed 1 wire every 12-18 inches. Rocks on the sides and ends hold it down...as seen in your video. This is my 3rd year. We have 60mph winds and these super low hoops work well when rows run the direction of the wind.

@VegetableAcademy 9 ай бұрын

Yep, the 9 gauge galvanized wire is a good alternative for narrower spans especially when you don't need the tunnels to be very high. We use these simpler wire hoops to cover single beds usually with floating row cover as shown here: kzfaq.infoKgRomQzt8dw

@catejordan7244 9 ай бұрын

This is the absolute best way to both secure and easily adjust the plastic. Thank you.

@AnenLaylle7023 9 ай бұрын

I farm about 50 beds with low tunnels. They are so annoying to deal with. I'd much gather just save for high tunnels in the future. They definitely do increase yields, but they are still a lot of work. Your design is better than mine though, thanks for the video.

@MountainGardenGirl 9 ай бұрын

Love that you did not stop to talk to the pet and get all distracted. attached bungee cord a little fuzzy for me. I usually tie double cord over and through concrete mesh fencing bent into a hoop and tied from under to keep from expanding. Thanks, great video

@serenababy6358 6 ай бұрын

Wow you are so clever and you make this look so EASY while saving a lot of money!!! I wanted to buy low tunnel supplies but couldn't afford the pre-made kits from reputable companies, nor did I want to waste money on the cheap stuff from Amazon that had mixed reviews. Thank you so much for sharing this info! New sub.

@poofycat7556 9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Timely, concise, and easy to understand. Let's get started....

@ashley_wit_a_y 9 ай бұрын

Great demo!! Thank you 🌱

@CheezNrice4u 9 ай бұрын

We need this for our winds, on this hill.

@fyrerayne8882 8 ай бұрын

Awesome, thank you

@slaplapdog 4 ай бұрын

Very thorough, detailed and built to last.

@lonnieb4723 9 ай бұрын

Awesome information. We grow in 4 greenhouses we built ourselves with hoop benders we purchased. Planning on expanding our non-greenhouse growing space for our next market season. Your hoop bender jigs is such a money saver! Also your bungee design is awesome and such a time saver. In the past we have used the oversized plastic and brick nightmare. Thanks for taking the time to share such valuable information!!!!

@farmer-kitt 5 ай бұрын

Like you I do a lot of experiments for heating (zone 5) I've had high tunnels for several years now and without sunshine there is virtually no temp difference between inside and out so this winter we put up a very flimsy high tunnel inside one of the existing tunnels making an inexpensive temporary double walled greenhouse and it made a huge improvement. We are getting 5-7 degree F higher overnight temps than outdoors.

@HeatherLindsay 9 ай бұрын

This is exactly what I was needing. I have a bunch of the unused conduit hoops and was going back and forth on getting a greenhouse. For my needs a greenhouse is overkill but I needed a way to make the plastic more usable. Thank you!

@twinkletoes7248 9 ай бұрын

Excellent video. My only frustration is the astronomical cost of anything made out of metal these days.

@joanl2057 8 ай бұрын

Some use PVC pipe

@ecachuh 7 ай бұрын

Great instruction! Thank you so much for this step by step video. Money saving as well. We appreciate you!!

@RocketPipeTV 9 ай бұрын

Brilliant design! I’ve always stayed away from tunnels exactly because of the reasons you mentioned. Your design just made me want to give it a try this year. I’ve already got hoops, so all I need is the plastic. Thanks for sharing!!!

@julieroberson4349 4 ай бұрын

This is incredible. Thank you for sharing this! Truly the first DIY I have ever wanted to attempt because it looks great amd is so functional

@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 8 ай бұрын

Best tutorial on KZfaq !!!! New subscriber !!! Blessings

@greenthumb8266 Ай бұрын

My daughters went together and bought a couple 3.5’x 5’ by 17” tall, metal, raised gardens for this past Mother’s Day. I removed sod and leveled a 10’x 20’ area with a shovel, rake and wheelbarrow ( I’m nearly 60, female ) have gotten one filled and ready to go and the other one is built, positioned and ready to be filled, I need to dig a lot of soil from my back field to help fill the second one. I’m in zone 5 , really pleased to have found this video, so informative, finally after about 25 to 30 videos, I’ve got a workable plan! Thank you so much for this information!

@hannahgomes 9 ай бұрын

This is the video that I’ve been waiting for!!!!

@lilolgreyhairdlady4093 8 ай бұрын

This is one of the BEST gardening videos I've watched in awhile!!! Planning to watch more of your vids, thanks.

@sharonpreston2826 8 ай бұрын

Thank you thank you. I've been looking for an adjustable side tunnel design. And it looks so neat and tidy, love that too.

@tomlamey7823 9 ай бұрын

Great idea. For my tunnel hoops I use 10 ft pvc pipes and use 18 in rebar driven in ground 1 ft. The then pvc pipe ends are put over the 6inches sticking out of ground. Works great and cheaper.

@stevehatcher7700 8 ай бұрын

I do the same. I even welded a one and a half inch nub of rebar sticking out at the soil level point. It's my tie down point at the base of each hoop.

@IragmanI 9 ай бұрын

"I wouldn't build a synchrotron with that arc" Wait, that's no gardener! ;)

@VegetableAcademy 9 ай бұрын

Haha..busted. I was a physics teacher in a former life.

@Honey4280 9 ай бұрын

Great information, thanks for posting how to make the low tunnels and the jigg, hopefully I can convince my better half that we need to do this. We had a grasshopper infestation this summer so didn't have much of a garden, last year we got hailed out and hoppers, so the garden was a complete right off.

@jakehvazda 8 ай бұрын

Never sink farms has had out a manufactured product with the same concept with the tension wire secured at the base of the hoop. I can't help but think that's what inspired it given this was posted 3 weeks ago

@sixtwoinak 9 ай бұрын

I appreciate this video. 👍💪🙏

@Not_So_Weird_in_Austin 8 ай бұрын

For 2'x 10' raised beds I use 3/8 inch rebar and 1/2 inch Pex plumbing flex pipe for my frame and 6mil poly all from a local box store. Pex isn't UV rated so is stored in spring. You can is 1/2 or 3/4 inch EMT electricians conduit also at the box store. A Pipe bending tool eliminates need for a Jig you do more bends as you move down the pipe. I am in zone 8 and have occasional frost and ice storms and string incandescent Christmas tree lights as a heat source during freeze periods.

@bettyc.5070 9 ай бұрын

When your pipe is @ it's 1/2 mark, can you flip the pipe end and start over with your straight end? Love the carabineer idea

@VegetableAcademy 9 ай бұрын

Yep, totally. That will help you bend the hoop right to the bottom of the second end without an extension pipe too.

@jenniferfahnestock450 2 ай бұрын

This is an amazing video. I'm been thinking about low tunnels.... your bungee solution is great.

@suave47 9 ай бұрын

I'm excited to see the data on those low tunnels. Been trying to decide on how to extend my seasons cheap, and this seems like a great way. Thx

@tonimor9721 2 ай бұрын

Very good , looking for ideas at the moment and this is the best I have seen so far , thankyiu very much .

@paolomaggi8188 9 ай бұрын

wow!!! very good idea fo allowing ventilation! It's very clean and extremely useful! Thank you for sharing your experience!

@rosenurse7687 2 ай бұрын

Great tutorial! Thank you so much for sharing!!!!

@SpinDizzy-fr8bc Ай бұрын

Thank-you for freeing me from sand bags in my garden!

@nancynesytofreske 8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for this! Excellent instructions and thanks for giving us ALL of the information we need.

@losik01 9 ай бұрын

This is the best idea for low tunnel ❤

@ScratchMatters 9 ай бұрын

Brilliant! Thank you for sharing!

@Steve-od6hi 8 ай бұрын

Super excellent info, helped me to make use of some conduit I have lying around here.

@poplarridgehomestead162 8 ай бұрын

Excellent video…. Thank you!!! Cant wait until spring!!!

@dianeladico1769 9 ай бұрын

Fantastic-extremely useful and practical. Thank you so much.

@genahowe4206 9 ай бұрын

Incredible, easy way to do this! I've seen so many ideas, but none of them had any ease about venting/access when needed. This is definitely going in my "files" and I just subscribed (this is the first of your videos I've seen). Thanks so much!

@k.chriscaldwell4141 8 ай бұрын

Absolutely fantastic video. Thanks.

@user-wv5fq8di2m 9 ай бұрын

Excellent video - Thanks!

@JohnDoe-sz5jh 8 ай бұрын

Excellent design! Thanks for sharing!

@hisroyalblueness 8 ай бұрын

Very helpful clear information delivered with marvellous panache, thank you 😊👍

@racebiketuner 8 ай бұрын

Wow! That's a really good way of doing it. 👍

@donnavorce8856 8 ай бұрын

Nice demo. Thank you so very much. I need a few of these excellent tunnels! About my situation: Did something very primitive with weights and hand bent chunks of scrap steel rod. But the spinach in late December sure tastes good. I'm in zone 4. Temps can hit minus 15 easily. The tunnels keep cool season greens growing and nice till late Jan when they finally freeze. (Or sooner if we get cloudy days and snow for a week with low temps.)

@mikesander8551 9 ай бұрын

Awesome content - have to admit I laughed at the gag

@darlenehibbs9602 8 ай бұрын

Brilliant! Thanks.

@itsallasimulationman 8 ай бұрын

I'm excited to try this, thank you so much for showing the hoop-making process! We have very rocky earth below our beds, so I'm hoping to use rebar or concrete stakes to act as receivers for the hoops to slide over. Still need to consider anchoring for wind...

@heartshapedisle 9 ай бұрын

Living 42°S Tasmania Australia 🌏 grow tunnels are useful. Also shade tunnels. Love this pattern.

@sansomspressurecleaningpoo9519 8 ай бұрын

Nice job. God bless y’all.

@timmartin8191 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the awesome lesson!

@Siemus138 8 ай бұрын

These look awesome. Thanks.

@WillowsGreenPermaculture 7 ай бұрын

Great video! Very well done!

@rajkewat7298 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for knowledge

@user-ji4wm7qo3n 9 ай бұрын

Very helpful video, thanks!

@janicejurgensen2122 8 ай бұрын

I really like this! I forwarded this tutorial. Ty

@hughmanatee7433 9 ай бұрын

Great invention!

@wawayu6590 2 ай бұрын

This is amazing WOW!

@gailsegal6843 9 ай бұрын

Ingenious! Love this idea, saving your video and subscribed, thank you!

@trinabenyi8791 8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! We are on a low, fixed income and this will be a game changer for us.

@Mauro-K 9 ай бұрын

amazing content!

@belieftransformation 5 ай бұрын

Great information; thanks for sharing! I’m zone 3 in central Alberta & have considered this for my raised beds to keep the deer out of my produce. In town they’re used to helping themselves 😉

@LongislandnativeSanctuary 8 ай бұрын

Thank you, this was so helpful!

@calittlegarden-3311 9 ай бұрын

this is so awesome!! subscribed!!

@TheGuuurruu 3 ай бұрын

Thank you

@asma.nooruddin 3 ай бұрын

Thank you 😍

@lisamarengo8482 5 ай бұрын

brilliant!

@husamarab1385 8 ай бұрын

Amazing thank you

@raincoast9010 9 ай бұрын

Thank you.

@conniewright8080 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the video. I think I can even make this...

@stevenmoulton8446 3 ай бұрын

Thanks

@trish3580 9 ай бұрын

You are an awesome teacher, in zone 3....and Canadian...perfect! Just subscribed! Been using pvc hoop and lots of bricks/stoners to hold down plastic for 20+ years. Thanks so much for the excellent instruction and links. You've made this all sound doable for me -too late for this year but looking towards next year and really inspired me as this year wasn't great for veggie growing. Re the bungie cords did I miss how to attach the lengths? Since it is one long length I'll just tie the ends together to make a circle. thanks so much

@joanl2057 8 ай бұрын

He screwed the band attached to clip to metal pipe.

@zones4to11 8 ай бұрын

Thanks.

@rogerseed291 8 ай бұрын

Hi there Sounds great quick and easy. Could hold the plastic cover to the frame with bull dog clips(English name for clip)when ventilation is required only trouble is the. Tunnel is not very slug and snale proof .Digging the plastic in the ground is counter productive,maybe using thin piece of wood along the length pushed in the ground screwed to the rods so can use the clips trouble is the slugs and snails are a crafty lot in my garden they would attack the ends any suggestions otherwise a great idea.

@sanctuaryplace 9 ай бұрын

Thanks, might use this for a tulle wrap to stop bugs

@LINDASCHLOMER 8 ай бұрын

Excellent vide, instruction and information. We live in Idaho so I am really curious how low your temperatures go and how long your season lasts and what plants are the most hardy. I will be watching for the temperature difference inside compared to the outside. Thank you so much! Linda

@JustMe-gs9xi 9 ай бұрын

wow,, i Found The Channel i Need!!!!~~~~ Zone 5, -- to me it is too cold,, but i hate to waste any growing time,

@OnlyAzMax 9 ай бұрын

Thanks, I'm going to try and make one of those forms! Do you use the same system for netting brassicas or do you need taller structures?

@ronaldthoms2147 8 ай бұрын

I'm zone 5b has gotten to -30 have a walk in grow tunnel 10 x12 feet I use construction zippers on door with guerrilla tape on edges I've grown spinach arugula lettuce some brassica Swiss chard an more with no heat 😊