# Flting. Row Cover Substitue?



## babysteps (Sep 11, 2005)

I don't have a lot of experience with floating row covers, but really want to extend my season in the garden and the cold greenhouse. I was thrilled this summer to find an old shower curtain at Goodwill to cover my cabbage and control worms. However, now that I go back I can't find any old shower curtins.

BUT! There are a ton of bedskirts at Goodwill. Now if you've ever put a bedskirt on your bed you know that they don't use the pretty fabric to cover the box springs, but that cheap gauze like fabric. I was wondering do you think the gauze like fabric would make a good row cover? It's white, it's pourous, it's big. It's about the same weight as cheese cloth or some other row covers I used to use for our strawberries in IN. This would be a really cheap alternative to buy row covers at the local garden store or catalouge. 

So what do you think--brillant idea or waste of time? 

Christine, taking babysteps toward extending the season.....:walk:


----------



## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

I think if you watch sales and coupons you could get cheap gauzy fabric cheaper at a fabric store without the repeated trips to goodwill. That's what I think.


----------



## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I used old lace and sheer curtians.


----------



## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

You speak of extending the growing season, but also of using row cover for damaging insect control.

I'm of the opinion that two different products would work best, one for heat retention without cooking the plants, and one simply to prevent a barrier.

I suppose it would depend upon the size of your current garden and those for the coming years, but generally buying in bulk produces great cost savings.

Robert Marvel company sells two kinds of row covers. One is 7 feet in width and is less than 15Â¢ per running foot when bought in quantity. Granted there would be shipping on top of that cost. Another kind is just over 4Â¢ per running foot for a 6 foot wide cover. Surely has to be competitive against the cost of a shower curtain and should/would work better by design.

Maybe you wish to take a look to consider if you could ever use those quantities.
http://www.robertmarvel.com/Plastic_Mulch.html#ROW COVERS

You may wish to read descriptions at Johnny's Seeds for better information/description of several kinds and weights. http://www.johnnyseeds.com/c-461-agribon-row-covers.aspx


----------



## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

I would test a couple before getting very many. I would be concerned about water retention(sogginess and added weight) and thus the possibility of mold or fungus, or plant crushing. Just a thought. Manufactured spun row covers wouldn't have this problem.

geo


----------



## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

I bought a garbage bag full of old wedding veil and that stuff they use to make stiff petticoats at an auction for a dollar. It seems to be working pretty well against bugs. Any fabric provides a little shade in summer, so I put some over some greens, spinach, etc. If you decide to buy row-cover material, investigate expected life. The cheap kinds aren't cheap, and they sometimes tear up during the 1st or 2nd season. Ditto the thoughts about the fabric you mention. Sue


----------



## babysteps (Sep 11, 2005)

Wow great ideas! Windy in Kansas thanks for the tip on the supplier. 

We don't have a big garden (it is amazing what a small garden can produce!) and just built a greenhouse. I would need to do two things this fall with row covers. First, I would like to give the brocolli and cabbage some warmth as Sept. and October roll around. I bought some brocolli and cabbage the 1st of Aug. for fall growing cheap. So nothing ventured nothing gained. 

Second, I would like to try some winter growing in the cold greenhouse. So I need another layer of protection there from say October to however long I can get it. 

So right now I'm thinking as cheap as I can because extending the season is a big experiment --especially here in WY. 

Thanks!


----------

