With so many lights running in the basement, I’ve started tripping the circuit breaker several times a day.  That gets pretty old pretty quick.  Plus, it’s not so good for the plants to sit in the dark all day!

So I undertook to build a mini-hoop house in the back yard.  A hoop house is a bit like a greenhouse.  It differs in that it’s not heated, and it’s built out of light weight materials that make it easy to move.  I designed it as a small scale version of the house I’m planning to put in the field out at the farm.  The one out there I’ll use not only for plant starts, but also to store tools and equipment in.  The one in the back yard is just tall enough for me to stand in, is about 14′ long, and is wide enough for one row of seedling trays along each side.

It’s made using 3/4″ PVC pipes bent into hoops and placed over rebar stakes.  Two pieces of 1″ x 1″ lumber are zip-tied to the hoops to form a purlin that runs the length of the house at the peak.  Pieces of 1″ x 3″ are screwed to the hoops about 36″ up from the ground, and serve as a place to anchor the 6 mil builder’s plastic covering.  The plastic covering is attached to the end hoops using clips made from split 3/4″ poly irrigation pipe.  One side of the house is designed to roll up using chain link top rail. 

So far it’s working out great.  The plants are all getting plenty of sun, and with the shade cloth I put over the top, it doesn’t get too hot in the afternoon.  Here are some pics: