Before my husband started building cold frames for my raised beds, I purchased quite a few “super hoops” from gardeners.com.  In case you have no idea what super hoops are, I am here to explain.  They are powder coated flexible steel wire  that can bent to cover your plants.  Each super hoop has two wires (rods) that are 58 inches long which are secured by cross braces making each hoop 4 inches wide.  Currently, super hoops come in sets of six for $14.95.  I own 3 sets or 18 super hoops. There are also “high rise super hoops” that come in sets of six for $29.95 and measure 116 inches long and 4 inches wide.  Some people make their own cold tunnel with pvc pipes.
Even though I have two cold frames so far (one made from wood and one from pvc pipes which we haven’t discussed yet), I still use the super hoops for a variety of reasons. Â In the winter, I use them with 6 mil plastic sheeting to protect some plants from the cold by creating a cold tunnel. Â In the early Spring or later Fall, I use the super hoops with All-Purpose Garden Fabric. Â This fabric is white, provides some frost protection and allows light and moisture to get through to the plants. Â In the Summer, I use the super hoops with summerweight garden fabric which allows more light and moisture to get to the plants without any heat build-up and protects the plants from insects. Â I secure the plastic and the garden fabric to the tunnel with close pins, landscaping pins, wood along the edges and stones. Â You really need to make sure that you seal out any drafts of air.
Under one cold tunnel, I have bok choi, arugula and romaine lettuce growing. This is the first year that I am protecting some of my garlic under a cold frame.  Since the weatherman is predicting another brutal winter, I thought I better add some protection to the garlic because last year’s crop wasn’t as spectacular as usual.  Another reason is that I also have some young seedlings of three root vegetables (parsnip, turnip and rutabaga) that I am trying to grow next to the garlic.   While I have never grown parsnip, turnip and rutabaga, I am not sure if they will survive the winter so I am just experimenting.  I will let you know if they survive.
