On 10 Jun 2003 16:16:32 -0700, (simy1)
wrote:


The plastic is incredibly resistant to the snow load. I now use 6 mil,
but even with 2 mils and one foot of snow in one day in 1999 there
were no breaks. I switched to 6 mils because I often broke the plastic
by pulling on it while it was weighed down by snow. I have tried both
hoops inside the edges and outside the edges. Outside the edges keeps
the beds bone dry in the winter, but it is also more robust because
the snow weighs on the plastic sheet and keeps it down.
It is good to have a hoop house. It gives about one month of extra
harvest in december and one in april. I am in Michigan.

This is really good to know. We're building a hoophouse
later this season and we've ordered 6 mil plastic.

From your experience, it sounds as if we made the right
decision to order the 6 mil (which is comparatively
expensive). We're in northern PA, we'll get substantial
snow also.

Have you tried covering your plants with row cover inside
the hoophouse and keeping them going through the winter?

Pat