Looking for an economical, effective way to help protect your plants from frost? How about an easy-to-use tool that will keep flying insect pests away from your vegetable crops? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then you will be very glad to hear that an economical, reusable, convenient, effective product that does both of those things does exist. It's called floating row cover, also known as frost blanket. Floating row cover is often called by the manufacturer's name: Reemay, Agronet or Argyl.
Among its many uses is its ability to be used as a barrier to frost, insects, wind and animals. Floating row cover can be used on almost any crop, from strawberries to sweet corn to cabbage. Many commercial vegetable growers rely heavily on it. It's such great stuff that home gardeners are likely to fall in love with it too.
Floating row cover is a very lightweight, translucent material (usually spun polypropylene) that is placed directly over crops in order to protect them from various unfavorable conditions. Floating row cover is so named because it doesn't have to be supported with hoops. It can just be set right on top of the growing crops, where it will float above them.
When should floating row cover sit?
There are a couple cases in which you should consider using hoops to help support your floating row cover. If you're using the row cover primarily for frost protection, it's a good idea to support it with wire hoops because an icy, frosted, row cover in direct contact with a frost-susceptible plant leaf will damage the leaf just as surely as if it were uncovered. The hoops will keep the row cover from touching your plant's leaves and freezing to them.
You should also consider using hoops if you are growing summer squash, tomato or pepper plants. While the majority of plants are completely undamaged by contact with the row cover, these plants might be. In windy conditions, the row cover can damage these plants' tender growing points or break some of their leaves.
How to choose floating row cover
When you are deciding which floating row cover to buy, consider the following criteria:
The weight of the row cover.
The row covers on the market today can be as light as 0.3 ounces per sqare yard or as heavy as 2.0 ounces per square yard. Heavier row covers provide maximum frost protection but only allow a little light to shine through them. They will have to be removed during the daytime in order to for you plants to get some sunlight. Lighter floating row covers provide minimal frost protection but can be left on your crops the whole growing season if you so choose. You should at least peek under the cover on a regular basis in order to make sure that weeds or insects haven't taken over your garden beds while they were under cover. A medium-weight row cover (1.0 to 1.25 oz. per square yard) will give you the best of both worlds: about four to six degrees of frost protection in the spring and even more in the fall when stored soil warmth keeps things toasty under the cover, and the option of leaving the cover on for extended periods of time.
The width of the row cover
Row cover is sold in widths of 6 to 50 feet. Widths of 6, 8 or 10 feet are ideal for most home garden beds. If your row cover is much wider than that, it becomes very hard to handle, especially on a windy days.
The size of the roll.
The cover comes on a roll, just like a giant paper towel. It is sold in lengths from 25 or 50 feet up to about 800 feet. Keep in mind that larger rolls are cheaper but also much heavier than shorter ones.
The price.
Heavier row cover is more expensive than lighter row cover. The wider and longer your cover is, the cheaper it will probably be per square foot. The fabrics of the row covers themselves are generally of uniformly good quality, no matter where you buy your cover. Make sure that you do some comparison shopping in order to get the best price.
Once you discover the joys of using floating row cover in your organic garden, you'll be hooked.
 | If you are a gardener, it is is very important that you know in which planting zone you reside before purchasing any perennials. A plant hardiness zone tells you what perennial plants will survive the winter where you live. |
 | Your organic vegetable garden doesn't have to hibernate this winter. It can be alive and well if you choose to try some season-extension methods. |
 | There is something to do in the garden all seasons of the year. Gardeners should realize, however, that everything needs to rest from time to time. |
There really is no one answer as to what the best plants to grow in a garden are because flowers, and plant arrangement are very much like an art. How one weaves colors and textures into a tapestry or mosaic upon the canvas of a yard is probably different every time. |
Successful low-cost gardening requires patience. If you forego instant gratification, and patiently scout for your needs, you'll have a great low-cost Garden. Your cost depends on your time and patience. |
