Using Floating Row Covers

I use AG-19 floating row covers in my garden both in the Spring and in the Fall.  Here are some tips to get the most from them in your garden.


 Since this is the end of October, I will start with the Fall applications.  If your temperatures are dropping in the overnight like ours are, you might want to consider getting the row covers back out and covering those peppers and tomatoes.  Gently lay the cover over the plants, securing them anyway you can to keep them from blowing away.  Tie them to the garden fencing if possible or to a tomato stake that is supporting your plants. This will help extend the garden season by as much as a few weeks depending on the weather. 


 I also use the floating row covers in the Spring.  I use nine gauge wire to make hoops as a support system to keep the row cover up off the plants, creating a tunnel effect. This is done after I have planted the seed or set out the transplants.  The benefits of using the row cover in this manner are many, among which is warmer temps to help the seedlings sprout and grow.  The additional benefit of reducing insect damage and keeping the mice and birds from eating the garden vegetables as soon as they come up is even better.

The row cover I use allows for 85% of the sun and light to come through so the vegetable seeds will grow.  I use a soakerhose system for irrigation so I don't have to water by hand but the row cover allows for water to come through anyway so you can water by hand if need be.  I leave the covers on until the first blooms appear and then remove them, making sure they are dry before I fold them to use again later in the season.
Helpful tip:  If you store your row covers in a container of some sort, mark the outside of the container with the garden section that the covers were used in.  That will save time the next time you use them because you won't have to keep dragging the covers out one by one and finding they are too short or too long for the row you're wanting to use it on.