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Raised bed cover

Jason millyJason milly Posts: 546
in The potting shed
I have a raised bed that I will be growing vegetables in, its 9 foot 8 by 5 foot 5, I would like to put up a tunnel was thinking of water pipe and plastic sheet, I would need access from sides, any suggestions on thickness of water pipe to use. 

Posts

  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
    MDPE Pipe 25mm x 25m★★★★★★★★★★
    Product code: 31388MDPE Pipe 25mm x 25m
    £15.74
    ex. VAT £13.12

    I bought this from Toolstation it also come's in 50mt lengths. Have added hinges to one of the long sides so I can open it for ventilation, I prop it open with a piece of wood each end.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Are you thinking semi-rigid water pipe that you can bend to make hoops? To get it rigid enough to hold its shape in hoops you might have to go quite chunky.

    I have 2m long green plastic bendy hoops, about 1cm dia, bought from a garden centre for 1€ each which are just avout strong enough to support bird netting but not much else (I use it to keep the cats off the veg)

    Or are you looking at rigid drainpipe to make a jointed structure?  
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    The late Geoff H did these for his raised beds.  Make a basic wooden frame the width of the bed you wish to protect and using metal brackets to secure it at the corners.  Use dowel rods fixed to the corners and along the sides as supports then push on blue water pipe.   Cover with plastic sheeting and staple that to the frame base, pleating at the curved ends.   Fit over the bed as needed.

    Use a notched post to hold it up for access or ventilation on warm days.  Let it down again at night.

    You can follow the method on You Tube - "Geoff Hamilton: A man and his garden.  Episode 4 Cheap and Cheerful" 13m56 seconds in.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Jason millyJason milly Posts: 546
    Thanks for good information. 
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