green-shade-hoophouse? container veggies?

[keaaukizzau]

Have been trying, rather unsuccessfully, to grow my own veggies. Am trying to blame it on poor soil, hungry chickens, nematodes, and other pests. I've finally built up a bit of good-ish soil, have worm bin and compost pile going, so it can only get better, right?. Tried containers for veggies this year and got a few edibles.

Now I'm finally ready to go for an enclosed space of some kind, from reading posts on here, it sounds like some of you have a lot of success this way. Seems like a small PVC hoop house would work, but not sure what I should cover it in. Plastic? Shade cloth?

We're in Orchidland, have a spot that would get direct sun about half of the day, partial sun morning/afternoon. Would rather not have to water everything inside a plastic-covered greenhouse, so was leaning away from that unless someone can explain why that's the best way to go...

Also, any advice on container veggies vs. in the ground? Raised beds seem like a good idea, but I'm not quite ready to commit the energy and money right now, especially after having minimal success with some beds we tried a couple of years ago (dug up some ground space and added soil and amendments). Best size of containers for various veggies?

Basically, I'll take ANY advice I can get on growing: Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, sweet potatoes (anyone tried growing them in a tub of straw?), carrots, any kind of squash, beets, chard, other easy basics that I haven't thought of.

Many, many, many thanks,
Kelli

[Larry T]

We are down on Kaloli Point and we get so much rain that my young veg's drown in the water. I have used a white tarp from Ace to cover my 20 X 20 green house (made out of farmers market metal parts)and black screen cloth on the sides which keeps the bugs out. Inside I have 4 raised beds and about 10 1/2 55 gal. plastic drums with good soil for plants. Some plants are raised outside, but I always start them inside. We just get to much water and I water them about 2 X a week.

[DickWilson]

We live in Nanawale, my greenhouse has screen on all 4 sides, roof covered with UV stabilized polyvinyl from Greenhouse specialties, same with the screen. Raised beds, have been able to grow just about anything.

dick wilson
"Nothing is idiot proof,because idiots are so ingenious!"

[keaaukizzau]

Thanks, guys, for the replies. I guess I will have to seriously consider the plastic, sounds like it works for you... I guess watering the containers or beds isnt a big deal... Til the cAtchment tanks is empty. The screen sides make sense for temp and airflow. Will have to check out greenhouse specialties. Mahalo, kelli.

[Larry T]

If you want to see What others are doing in this area check out
http://sensiblesimplicity.lefora.com/
I am bill and if you want to see what I am doing send a PM.

[Rob Tucker]

I built a Greenhouse Specialties house with plastic roof and screed sides and ends. One thing I did was to add a rain gutter on each side with the downspout turned into the greenhouse. So there are two water tanks inside which make watering easy. Controlling the water and the bugs is the trick. Zero bug problems. Water tanks are most always full.

[keaaukizzau]

Good recommendations all around - spent the weekend leveling the area. Going to have to devote some serious time to the sensiblesimplicity site - looks like a great resource.

[asly]

When I was researching screenhouses and greenhouses it seemed like a lot of folks had a seperate catchment tank designated for that.... and it did not drain any of the supply for household use. A great idea if still in the planning stage...

Enjoy the day! Ann