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mw44118
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Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 12:20 pm
Location: Cleveland Heights, Ohio

Need advice for using row covers

I'm in Cleveland, Ohio (zone 5). Last weekend, I planted seeds for carrots, parsnips, beets, chard, onions, kale, and a row of peas in my 8x16 bed.

I got some lightweight row cover material and put it over the whole bed after I finished planting.

I've seen frost on the grass for a few mornings, so I'm hopeful the row cover will give my seeds a fighting chance.

Anyway, our weather forecast has a few days of sunny days in the high 70s soon, then followed by more wet and possibly frosty mornings.

Is there a point or any harm in leaving the row covers ON during the sunny time? Should I only put the covers on when it is cold?

A nice side effect of the row cover is that it thwarts the rabbits from eating my asparagus sprouts.

All advice about using row covers effectively is welcome.

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applestar
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Posts: 30504
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Rabbits are better kept out with a 2+ foot high fence. Make sure to use small enough openings that baby bunnies can't get in. Lately, I've been using 28" Rabbit wire fences.

All the seeds you mentioned actually could manage without the row covers but will sprout and grow more vigorously with, according to a newsletter I read somewhere (I'll post it if I find it). But at high 70's, well tucked in floating rowcover will hold too much heat. Last year, during the sudden 80's~90's heatwave in April, I raised my row covers 24" by clothepinning them to the top of the garden fence and tying strings across as support to act as Shade Cloth.

You didn't mention, but make sure your row covers are lifted up away from the seedlings with hoops, etc. because there's a lot of movement from the wind and tender seedlings can get damaged.



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