Both evergreens and deciduous trees will provide great shade in the summer. In winter, deciduous trees will let in more sunlight and help heat up trees during the day and the thick canopy of evergreens trees act as a heat blanket trapping in heat and preventing warm air from rising. The thick canopy can also prevent frost damage. We mention several trees for creating microclimates in our initial blog on microclimates.” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1557979225941{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”5. Making a Hoop House Shade Structure” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:24|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1559239987013{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”During the second gardening season at Solitary Bee Gardens, I made a hoop house to help my garden through the summer, I worked very well and was easy to make. This was at my previous residence and I no longer have one.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:18|text_align:left|line_height:1.2″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1557979153579{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”MATERIALS” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:24|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_single_image image=”1208″][vc_column_text]
- Pvc pipe 1 inches thick 20ft long with a bell end (Lowe’s or Home Depot)
- 2ft rebar, 2 for each piece of PVC pipe (Lowe’s or Home Depot)
- Galvanized wire fencing
- Wire cutters
- Shade cloth
- Zip ties (high quality, UV protected)
- Hammer
- A friend
- Firstly, figure out how long you want the structure to be, keeping in mind that you will space each hoop 4ft apart. For example, I built mine to be 12-feet long initially. I needed 4 pieces of PVC piping for that. You will also need one extra piece of PVC to use across the top to help stabilize the structure. The beauty of this design is that you can easily add more length to it later if you wish.
- Mark out the area you want to build the hoop house in. Once you know how long you want it to be you can calculate how many pieces of PVC you will need and how many pieces of rebar. I had the PVC cut to 15ft, which I felt just barely gave me enough headroom, I recommend you keep it at 20ft if possible, or only have it cut 2-3 inches less that 20ft.
- Next place you first rebar stake in the ground. Put the one end of the PVC in and get someone to help you bend it with it’s natural bend across, making your first hoop. You may want to force it a little closer to create a taller structure with less width, but make sure it will accommodate your height. Mark this area where the other rebar stake should go.
- Once you hammer the second stake in, place the PVC over both rebar stakes to ensure the hoop formed, is the width and height that best suits you. If not, you could move the rebar and manipulate the PVC to accommodate you.
- Mark out and secure the rest of the rebar stakes making sure they are equally 4ft away from each other along the length of the structure. This is because the fencing wire is 4ft in width, and will fit perfectly between two pieces of rebar. Also, make sure that they are all perfectly straight and aligned with each other.
- Next you will want to place all the PVC pipes in place over the rebar stakes.
- At this point you could join up all the cut pieces to run across the length of the hoop house at the top center point of the hoops, or you could use the additional piece of PVC purchased. Secure with zips ties. It will not feel very sturdy or solid as yet, but the addition of the galvanized wire will change that.
- It’s time to add the galvanized wire. You will carefully drape it over the PVC between 2 hoops, to measure the correct length to cut. Then undrape and cut that length of fencing.
- Cut the remaining needed pieces to exactly the same size. Drape one piece on at a time and secure with more zip ties until you have completely covered the hoop in fencing. By this time it should feel very secure.
- Finally, add the shade cloth. I cut to the same measurements as the fencing wire. I also secured this with zip ties and did not use grommets. The zip ties were still very secure and in good shape after a year, mostly I think because they are essentially also protected by the shade cloth. I threaded them through the weave of the shade cloth, to hold the cloth in place and then tightened them. The ends were snipped off leaving a small tag that was not really visible.
afternoon shade for the first year. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1559239021563{padding-right: 3% !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”VEGETABLES” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:24|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_single_image image=”1208″][vc_custom_heading text=”Eggplant” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Okra” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Corn” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Melons” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Squash” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Peppers” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text el_class=”small”]Won’t produce when temps
are about 95F degrees[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Amaranth” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”HERBS AND FLOWERS” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:24|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_single_image image=”1208″][vc_custom_heading text=”Garlic Chives” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Basils, all varieties” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Rosemary” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Lavender” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Zinnia” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Vinca” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Sunflowers” font_container=”tag:p|text_align:left|line_height:1.5″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1559239036113{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Gardening Consults” add_button=”left” btn_title=”CONSULTS” btn_color=”turquoise” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gardeninginthedesert.com%2Fgardening-consults%2F|title:Gardening%20Consults||”]If you need additional help with creating microclimates in your yard, consider our garden consulting service.[/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Great post! This is something that I’ve been playing with the past couple of summers. Believe it or not I had too much shade last summer with my shade cloth. I had tall lanky plants that never produced.
Bridget, thanks so much for your comment! I did the same thing with my mangoes – I put shade cloth on too early this year. I took it off and they pushed a bunch of new growth. So much is experimentation here in the desert!
Great tips! Can’t wait to try
Thank you Ryan!
Great tips. When searching for our home, my #1 priority was the size, microclimate of the yard, and exposure. Luckily we found the exact home we wanted (by we, I mean me, hubby just kinda went along with it…). West facing backyard with plenty of large trees. It was a clean slate aside from the trees so garden beds were put in according to exposure, same with trees. It gave me several years head start on my microclimate. I know the backyard isn’t exactly one’s priority when purchasing a home but I suggest to others looking, to at least take it into consideration if you’re looking to garden for a significant time as it greatly reduces all the headaches and frustration. I find a lot of gardening troubles I read in the desert happen because not only watering, soil and feeding, but the lack of a good microclimate! My motto in my garden is that location is everything. Everything is planted in a spot that tailors to every plant’s needs, exposure, watering, wind break and soil considered. And all of these are always affected by microclimate.
Thank you Sandra. Completely agree. Your garden is amazing. We see all the lovely harvests you post. Is also why I love working with gardeners, as a realtor I can advise them and help them with the yard aspect too.
Thank you for the tips! As a first time gardener I’ve been nervous about the Arizona summer. As far as the list of plants that are ok to be planted in June, would it be better to plant in pots or is it ok to plant in ground?
Either one is fine. The trick is large pots and lots of mulch. Always lots of mulch. Tepary beans won’t do well in a pot. They need to go in the native soil. You have made fantastic progress, don’t be nervous.
Great post. Answered a lot of things I have been mulling over.
Thank you Shu-Shu, and congrats on the picture of your cats being featured.