Electric fence wire work, snipping 6-foot pieces of 9-gauge wire for hoops to hold up floating row cover in the greenhouse. Hopefully this wire is stiff enough to do the job, supporting up to three layers of row cover, heavy with moisture from humidity and being dripped on by water condensed on the inside of the hoophouse plastic, or weighed down by ice, when the soaked cover freezes at night. This test batch of about 180′ came coiled, in a circle about 2½’ in diameter, and the built in curve is perfect for stretching slightly to span about 4′ of bed. So, no bending required, it’s all about the snipping!
Hi!
How did this work out for you? Did the wire fencing hold up?
Thinking about doing the same!
-Ben
It was OK, held up the row cover, but a lot of work individually putting in each rib every few feet, then getting weights (rocks) to hold down the cover. And then, collecting all the wire — it can get left behind and then overgrown with weeds…and later caught up in the rototiller. With plastic, rain and melted snow can weigh it down and need clearing. Overall, I didn’t find it too efficient, not a huge advantage over unsupported floating row cover. Maybe a bit of tweaking to the system would make a reasonable difference. Lemme know how you do and how you do it if you try! :)