Building Your Garden's Defense: How to Make a PVC Row Cover

 

PVC Row Cover

A PVC row cover is a simple and effective way to protect your garden from frost, pests, and wind damage. Here's how you can make your own PVC row cover:

Materials:

PVC pipe

PVC pipe cutter or saw

6 inch pieces of rebar or cut wood that can insert into the end of the pvc pipe

Plastic sheeting (clear or white)

Zip ties

Clips or Bungee Cords

Instructions:

1. Measure the area of your garden that you want to protect with the row cover. You will need PVC pipe that are slightly longer than the width of the garden bed.

2. Cut the PVC pipe to the desired length using a PVC pipe cutter or saw.

3. Insert pieces of cut rebar or wood sticks in 6 inch length on the edge of the garden to help hold the pvc in place. The pieces of rebar or wood sticks will help the frame to be sturdy and able to stand on its own.

4. Insert each end of the pvc pipe into the rebar or wood sticks that were inserted into the garden ground.

5. Use zip ties to help fasten the top of the pvc together.

6. Cut the plastic sheeting to the same size as the PVC frame. Make sure to cut the plastic sheeting slightly larger than the PVC frame, so that it hangs over the edges.

7. Secure the plastic sheeting to the PVC frame using clips or bungee cords. Start at one corner of the frame, and work your way around, securing the plastic sheeting to the PVC frame every few feet. The row cover should cover the entire bed, and the plastic sheeting should hang over the edges of the bed.

8. The PVC row cover can be anchored down with stakes or weights, to keep the frame in place and protect the plants from wind.

9. The PVC row cover can be easily removed when the plants are ready to be exposed to the full sun, or when temperatures become warmer. You can also consider attaching a roll-up mechanism (pulley, ropes) if you want to have an easy way to access your plants under the row cover, this will make it easy to roll up the cover to ventilate or to check your plants.

PVC Raised Bed Cover

Note that when making a PVC row cover, it's important to make sure that the plastic sheeting is UV-stabilized, so it will withstand exposure to the sun without breaking down. Clear sheeting allows light to reach the plants while white sheeting reflects sunlight and can act as a thermal blanket to keep the soil and plants warmer on colder days.