The hoops I built over the beds of greens worked so spectacularly well that I’ve hooped the tomato bed and planted the tomato seedlings a little early. I did discover that it makes a difference whether you use thin or heavy plastic — I think I’ve lost one seedling, and a couple others got a little burned up, but once I replaced the thin plastic with the heavier, the tomatoes are looking better. I think it’s not only the warmth, but the humidity.

I also moved a bunch of greens out of one hooped bed, arugula, spinach, and some endive, and planted the whole bed with peppers. The pepper seedlings are really tiny, they haven’t popped yet, so I’m hoping that warm and wet will work for them as well.

Here’s how well the hoop house worked on the Chinese greens. I had to take the cover off because ti was getting too hot in there. Dont’ they look beautiful? I love that chartreuse Chinese cabbage. They taste great too …