What's Better: Fabric or Plastic Row Covers? The Answer May Surprise You

gardenbetty.com Learn more

If you want to extend your growing season with a low tunnel, the first question that usually comes up is: fabric or plastic? What kind of row cover is best for your garden?

The short answer is they’re both good, but it depends on on your lifestyle, hardiness zone, what you plan to grow, and how much snow you get. Here are some questions to consider before you choose. Learn more

Can you get in the garden every day?

[{"selector":"#anim-e5be6efa-b76f-4146-963c-09f29c10fcca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7cf5f29a-9641-4fa4-87b8-42f042673be6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -95.93577%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

What are you hoping to grow?

[{"selector":"#anim-432d1836-b3b9-49b2-8a04-1e06784d442b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0ab13e9-1362-4e3b-8506-4975f03c7e2e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -95.93577%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] If you want to have salads all winter long but cannot use plastic, try to time your sowings so that your plants are in the baby leaf stage by the first frost and can survive under fabric the rest of the season. Learn more

Are you winter gardening, overwintering, or winter sowing?

[{"selector":"#anim-581f125d-bbdf-4fb9-bf9f-a8504961d761","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7319dafc-7579-484d-984b-cc980105a29b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -95.93577%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] You can try winter sowing by direct-seeding spinach, arugula, mustard, beets, carrots, fava beans, or parsley under the protection of a plastic cover. Learn more

Heavy snow should be removed from both fabric and plastic tunnels, otherwise the weight can cause your tunnels to collapse.

[{"selector":"#anim-c3858836-0614-4ebf-95ef-43e14e4f8386","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-082096df-9efd-4659-a57c-3cef45b3efce","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -95.93577%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

My low tunnel frames are permanent so I always have a structure in place to protect my plants year-round, whether from cold, heat, or hail.

[{"selector":"#anim-d883536b-32b3-473a-8917-9a36767f78f7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a9810ee-8c9a-48e6-9a22-a7ffab160a76","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -95.93577%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Swipe up to read the full post!

gardenbetty.com Learn more

[{"selector":"#anim-d5dcb801-7575-4cd8-a1e3-392c8b1cd78e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.12783%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c58a807-15ac-4b19-bbf7-8563ed0973b8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53a859f9-7d95-497d-8725-d15412621a10","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-71ae415a-a0e8-4e57-a603-eeb36dd88c34","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(101.12781%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f8af6a3-84f4-4f74-95e9-e001233f681b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd52ccb3-5ddd-4d24-ae7e-6cc66eedd9ff","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-78111e4a-e064-402f-98f3-04d466945bde","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1bb40f6-aca8-4138-93a8-b0f2d00cc236","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] Row Covers: What To Use in the Garden and Why How to Cheat Winter So You Can Grow Vegetables Without a Greenhouse

What's Better: Fabric or Plastic Row Covers? The Answer May Surprise You

If you want to extend your growing season with a low tunnel, the first question that usually comes up is: fabric or plastic? What kind of row cover is best for your garden?

Can you get in the garden every day?

Fabric row covers are permeable to air and thus self-venting. They can stay in place from late fall to early spring as long as you don’t get a freak heat spell.

What are you hoping to grow?

Are you winter gardening, overwintering, or winter sowing?

Heavy snow should be removed from both fabric and plastic tunnels, otherwise the weight can cause your tunnels to collapse.

How much snow does your garden get?

My low tunnel frames are permanent so I always have a structure in place to protect my plants year-round, whether from cold, heat, or hail.

Do you have to shade your garden in summer?

Swipe up to read the full post!