How to Build a Garden Tunnel

A garden tunnel is a protective plastic covering that you can use outdoors or in the greenhouse. The tunnel protects plants from frost damage, warms the soil, and can also be used to harden off plants you started indoors. You can buy elaborate commercial tunnels but it is much cheaper to make your own garden tunnel out of simple plastic sheeting and hoops of flexible piping. You can move the tunnel by pulling the piping up and moving it to another row.

1/2-inch garden stakes
5-foot sections of polyethylene water pipe
Plastic garden sheeting
Rocks or bricks

Instructions

- 1
  Drive the 1/2-inch garden stakes into the ground in sets along the garden row. Space them 18 inches apart on either side of the row.
- 2
  Slip the end of the first polyethylene water pipe over the first stake. Take the pipe across the garden row and slip the other end over the parallel stake. Go down the row, sliding the pipes over the stakes.
- 3
  Unroll a length of clear plastic garden sheeting. Drape the sheeting over the pipe hoops. Place a heavy rock or brick on the edges of the sheeting to keep it in place. Space the rocks every 24 inches along both sides.

How to Build Wooden Towers for Vining Plants

How to Build a Log Jack

Garden Tools & Supplies