From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Hudsonville, Michigan (michiganpumpkins@sbcglobal.net)

Yesterday I put up a 6 ft. high clear plastic wind break on the west side of my garden. (Seems every year several leaves fold on me due to wind damage from our prevailing westerlies.)
Anyway, I drove in 2 x 4's every 8 feet, then stapled clear 4 mil plastic to the 2x4 posts. It's no Great Wall of Nesbitt or anything, but I'd rather not find out in the middle of 40mph winds that it's going to fail on me. I'm wondering whether it will 'hold' in a storm, or whether I should cut some holes in the plastic to let some air through, more like a wind baffle than a wind break?
Any thoughts appreciated...
Frank

6/13/2005 7:56:34 AM

huntsburg,ohio

You want 25 percent open space.I'm building a 8 ft tall board fence.8 inch boards with a 2 inch gap.Jerry

6/13/2005 8:46:36 AM

Berlin,mi.(zuhlke2@hotmail.com)

Frank: One thing that may help keep the plastic on is to use strips on the poles and nail it over the plastic. I used plastic for a temperary greenhouse last year and with just staples the wind ripped it off.I think 8ft. might be a little too far also but what do I know I let my 1058 Papez plant get broken because I didn't secure my wind break good enough. lol. My 682 plant is kickin but thanks for the seed and good luck.Steve

6/13/2005 9:12:58 AM

Rainbowlake Alberta

Check out the pic in my diary, I am no expert but I used some 4 ft pcs of steel tubeing, but wood stakes would do and shrink wrap, shrink wrap is about 12$ for 1500 feet, as the plant grows i will keep moveing the tubing and shrink wrap, you can stretch tight, works for me so far, is quick to do and quite strong.and you can leave gaps for air flow, or just dont go so high, Take care and good growing.

6/13/2005 9:29:54 AM

Sioux Falls, SD garyboer@dakotalink.com

How wide is the patch? How far beyond the fence do you need protection? I think I agree with the holes idea, it cuts down on swirls and eddies almost as bad as straight wind. . .its also healthier to have a little more flow on those light wind days

6/13/2005 10:17:49 AM

Hudsonville, Michigan (michiganpumpkins@sbcglobal.net)

Yeah, now that I think about it, I should reinforce it more with some horizontal cross beams, and cut some small holes to let some air through it, so it won't fail/rip free in very heavy winds. My problem in this patch is that I'm on the crest of a hill and the wind is funnelled between houses and directly at my patch. I've used 24 and 36" high wind breaks in years past but they didn't help much. So I'm hoping that 6 ft. will take the brunt of those winds. I am not totally encircling the entire patch, so there will still be airflow...
Thanks,
Frank
Peter, where do you get shrink wrap?

6/13/2005 10:31:47 AM

Hudsonville, Michigan (michiganpumpkins@sbcglobal.net)

I should have mentioned that this particular patch is 15 x 30 ft. The wind break is along a 30 ft. section.

6/13/2005 10:35:00 AM

Chico, Ca

stretch wrap... try staples,office depot, office max,
U-haul.

We also use stretch wrap to secure our pumpkins on the pallet for transportation to the weigh offs.

6/13/2005 11:02:09 AM