Super Hoops Set of Six Square Foot Gardens

Shelter Your Vegetable Garden under Supportive Super Hoops

Winter in Houston was tough on the vegetable garden this year – usually lettuce, spinach, cilantro and other salad-type vegetables produce at a time when the rest of the country stares out on cold, snow-covered landscapes. This year we endured far too many hard freezes with an average high frequently below the average low. Last October I picked up a package of Super Hoops to provide support for garden row covers and insulated garden quilts. I was quick to admit that my effort of planting the garden in early November was a gamble and was prepared for both failure or success. It was an educational experiment that succeeded.

Last night, in mid-March, I nibbled lettuce fresh from the garden and harvested cilantro for a beef-cilantro meal.  I’ve nothing but gratitude for these hoops and look forward to using them to protect seedlings from hungry birds this spring.

Small Ladders

It was surprising when the hoops arrived. They resembled short ladders rather than hoops.
They’re sold in packages of six hoops – more than enough for my Square Foot Garden. I have four 4-foot square foot garden grids but in the winter I generally use only one letting the other three beds rest until the more intense growing season. These were perfect for my raised garden beds.

Dimensions

There are two different styles/sizes. My Super Hoops are shorter than the Hi-Rise Super Hoops. They resemble galvanized wire – they’re powder-coated flexible steel wire frame (3.7 mm with the 2.7 mm cross braces). Each measures 58 inches long and 4 inches wide.  They’re very flexible and easily span the interior dimensions of my four-foot square raised gardens.  When installed they arch over half of the bed's width. The Super Hoop is sufficient for short crops and for seedlings. The Hi-Rise Super Hoops have a higher arch (they’re longer at 116 inches). These come with “staples” to secure the hoops in the ground but I found that wedging them against the walls of the raised bed and the PVC-pipe row dividers held them sufficiently to withstand wintry blasts – even when covered with a frost blanket.

Season Extending

If I lived in a typically cold climate these would remain over my garden beds throughout the growing season and I would keep my frost blanket handy to quickly shelter emerging seedlings that require protection from occasional cold nights. I have every intention of covering these hoops with a shade cloth to extend the season for plants that dislike strong sunlight. I also intend to use these to provide protection from insects and birds later during the summer. These aren’t limited to just raised garden beds but can stand alone (use the staples) to surround a tomato or pepper plant.  Cover the plant with an all-purpose fabric to protect it from summertime pests.

Final Thoughts

While seemingly expensive, these will endure multiple years of use and it’s a logical solution to sheltering herb and vegetable gardens during less-than-optimal growing conditions. I’m wondering if there is a shelter to drape over the hoops that can protect from summer hail storms.

Plus:   Sturdy, Weather resistant, Supports heavier frost blankets, Comes with staples  Minus: Relatively expensive for a set of six Consider extending your vegetable garden's growing season, both at the start and the end, by combining these hoops with a frost blanket or during the season with a lightweight summertime fabric.

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