How to Extend Your Growing Season with Row Covers

As nurseryman , we pour our hearts into our garden all season long , so it ’s only natural to want to draw out that growing time of year as much as possible . I bed how thwarting it can be when an early frost threatens to cut your harvest short or when you ’re trying to get a head start in the spring but the weather just wo n’t get together . That ’s where row cover get along in — they’re a dim-witted yet incredibly effective tool that can assist you protect your plant from the factor and keep your garden productive for longer . Let ’s plunge into the world of run-in covers and discover how they can be a plot - auto-changer for your garden .

Row covers are fundamentally lightweight framework that you could come in over your plants to produce a microclimate that ’s a few degrees warmer than the surrounding air . They offer protection from frost , wind , and pestilence , allowing you to originate your garden earlier in the saltation and extend your harvest well into the crepuscle . Whether you ’re growing ship’s boat vegetables or brave cat valium , words concealment can make a big difference in the health and productivity of your garden . And the right part ? They ’re easy to use and incredibly versatile , make them a must - have for gardeners of all grade .

Types of Row Covers

When it come up to run-in covers , there are several type to choose from , each with its own benefits and uses . The most vulgar types are lightweight float run-in blanket , medium - weight covert , and heavyweight covers . Lightweight float row covering are made of slight , breathable fabric that allows sunlight , air , and water to pass through while supply protection from pests and wakeful freeze . These are thoroughgoing for extend the originate season in the bound and evenfall , as they provide just enough warmth to protect your plants without overheat them . I love using these covers for my early spring greens — they keep the tender leaves safe from cold snaps and pestis while still leave them to thrive .

Medium - system of weights and heavyweight run-in book binding extend more frost aegis , take a leak them idealistic for use in recent fall or even winter in milder climate . These cover are compact and can raise the temperature around your plant by several degrees , which can make a big remainder when the weather turns chilly . However , they do bar more low-cal , so they ’re best used for short flow or with frigid - sturdy crops that do n’t require as much sunshine . One of my favorite US for heavyweight cover is protect my root vegetables like carrots and beets in the fall — these cover version tolerate me to keep harvesting well into the colder months .

Setting Up Row Covers

place up row covers is surprisingly soft and does n’t require any special dick or materials . To get startle , you ’ll need some hoops or supporting to hold the cloth above your industrial plant , as well as the row cover textile itself . you’re able to use wire , premature ventricular contraction pipework , or even pliable branches to create the hoops , spacing them about 3 to 4 feet asunder along the length of your garden bed . Once the basketball are in place , merely drape the row cover over them , making sure the fabric is loose enough to appropriate for plant growth but snug enough to keep out blighter and retain warmth . I always anchor the edges of the cover song with soil , rock , or garden staples to keep it good , especially on Laputan days .

One of the not bad thing about row covers is their flexibility — you may easily pilfer them to check on your plant , water , or harvest , and then put them back in stead . For marvelous harvest like tomatoes or pepper , you may practice tall ring or even fabricate a uncomplicated frame to support the concealment . Just be sure to monitor the temperature under the cover , especially during warm days , as it can get quite toasty underneath . I ’ve found that a small second of visitation and error is all it takes to find the perfect apparatus for your garden , and once you do , the benefits are well deserving the effort !

Protecting Plants from Frost

One of the most common economic consumption for run-in covers is protect plant life from frost , and they do this job exceptionally well . By create a microclimate that ’s a few degrees warmer than the surrounding melody , row screening can keep your plants safe from those early and late - season frosts that can damage or kill tender crop . I ’ve used row concealment to protect everything from lettuce and Spinacia oleracea to more finespun plant like peppers and tomatoes , allowing me to extend my growing season by several workweek on either death .

To get the best hoar protection from your run-in cover , it ’s important to utilize the right case of cover for the conditions . Lightweight covers are capital for light frost , while medium - weight and heavyweight masking are better for heavy hoar or when you involve to leave the covert on for long periods . I ’ve establish that cover my plants in the recent afternoon and removing the natural covering in the morning , once the frost has melt down , is the most effective way to protect them . And do n’t forget that row screen can also protect your plants from cold nothingness , which can be just as prejudicious as freeze itself !

Extending the Harvest with Row Covers

One of the biggest advantages of using words book binding is their power to protract your harvest well into the fall , and even into winter for some crop . By providing protection from frost and cold winds , row masking allow you to keep harvest home fresh vegetable long after most gardens have shut down for the season . I specially love using run-in cover to prolong the crop of cold - hardy harvest like kale , spinach , and carrots — these plants thrive in coolheaded weather , and with a small surplus protective covering , they can keep produce for months .

To maximize your fall and wintertime harvest home , it ’s important to choose crops that are well - suit to cool temperature . Leafy super acid , ascendant veg , and brassicas are all great candidates for late - time of year growing , and they respond well to the tribute that row covers provide . I wish to institute these crops in late summer or early fall , then cover them with row covering fire as the atmospheric condition starts to cool down . With the right frame-up , I ’ve been capable to reap smart greens and roots well into December , even in a insensate clime . There ’s something fantastically satisfying about picking refreshed , homegrown vegetables in the middle of wintertime , and row cover make it possible !

Using Row Covers for Pest Control

In addition to extending the grow season , words covers are also an excellent instrument for keeping pests at bay laurel . The ok meshing of most row covers is little enough to foreclose worm like aphids , cabbage louse , and beetle from reaching your plants , while still allowing sunlight , melody , and water to travel by through . This throw row track a corking alternative to chemical pesticides , especially if you ’re trying to grow your garden organically . I ’ve used row covers to protect everything from brassicas to carrots , and the reduction in plague damage is noticeable .

To use row cover for pest ascendancy , it ’s authoritative to cover your plant life as before long as you engraft them , before pest have a hazard to find them . check that the edges of the masking are securely anchored to prevent dirt ball from pinch in underneath . I ’ve get hold that using row cover early in the season is specially effective for preventing pestis infestations before they start , chip in my plants a healthy , pest - free environment to grow in . The best part is that once the plants are established and the weather cools down , you may often move out the covers and bask a pesterer - free garden for the rest of the season .

Choosing the Right Crops for Row Covers

While row back can benefit a wide chain of mountains of crop , some plants are particularly well - suited to this type of protection . coolheaded - time of year vegetables like lettuce , spinach plant , kale , and radish are ideal candidates for row screening , as they prosper in cool temperature and can be harvested well into the tumble or even wintertime . I also lie with using row cover charge to protect fond crop like love apple , peppers , and cucumbers in the early spring , give them a school principal protrude before the weather condition warms up .

It ’s also important to debate the size of it and increase habits of your crops when choosing row covert . For instance , low - uprise harvest like lettuce and spinach plant can be easily covered with a lightweight row cover , while taller industrial plant like tomatoes and pepper may need a taller chassis and a more durable cover version . I always verify to prefer a screening that ’s large enough to accommodate the plants as they grow , so I do n’t have to disturb them by flip covers mid - season . With the right combination of crop and covers , you may make a garden that ’s generative and protected from the first hoarfrost of spring to the last Robert Frost of fall .

Conclusion

Row covers are a versatile and effective tool for extending your growing time of year , protect your plant from frost and pests , and maximizing your garden ’s productiveness . Whether you ’re a veteran nurseryman or just starting out , row covers can help you get the most out of your garden , allow you to savour fresh , homegrown garden truck for foresightful . With a little bit of planning and the right setup , you ’ll be stunned at how much more you could grow and harvest throughout the yr .

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