This is the exterior of the first raised bed with low tunnel as it was set up last weekend. This is assembled from 4 hoops of 1/2" grey conduit draped with 6 mil plastic. Because of my troubles with gusting wind, I have clamped the plastic to the top of the raised bed using 2 x 6s and one in-elegant 4x4.
In the background, you can see another bed covered with a brown plastic tarp, weighed down with planting containers and concrete blocks. That will be part of this month's project.
On the right is a look at the interior. You can see the conduit hoops (used because they are UV resistant) set into 1" pvc that has been fastened to the raised bed frame.
This bed has been planted for about a week. Kale is in the foreground, with chard in the middle and butter crunch lettuce at the far end. I watered it about 4 days ago but you can see that the soil is still darkened. The plastic creates a microclimate that conserves moisture, and condensation forms on the inside of the plastic.
With cool days as we have in March, I won't need to water much for the next several weeks.
I amended the soil with compost and turned under the leaf mulch that I covered the bed with last November. When planting, I added Espoma Plant-tone organic fertilizer.
Below is a closer view of the bed
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