After enjoying awesome fall weather with bright sunshine and mild temperatures, that darned “Polar Vortex” is in the news again. Gee, I never had heard of that term until last year–where has it been all my life?
Today’s temp was supposed to get up to 51 and the most it’s been so far is 35 and it’s time for dark now…..I can handle cold weather, but the plants in the high tunnel are protected for a reason. This summer a few of the screws holding the plastic down on one side of the tunnel started pulling out of the wood. No matter how hard I tugged and pulled, the plastic had shrunk and there was no getting the track back down onto the wood where I could screw the screws back in.
Night before last we had wind, lots of wind. Yesterday morning I awoke to this:
The wind had grabbed hold of that side of the tunnel and ripped all the screws out, tore the plastic loose from both ends, and stabbed the plastic over 4 metal fence posts in the garden.
The screws are self tapping so they can cut through the metal, then into the wood. I remember asking about these screws when I started using them and was told they would be fine…..hmmmmm. I contacted the manufacturer today and shared my experience and they informed me that 1-1/2 years ago they switched to 1-1/2 inch wood screws in addition to the self tapping screws. Yay for everyone who bought one after that!
Guess I’ll have to drag out the row covers until the new plastic arrives and it’s warm enough to put it on the frame.
Wild Things Farm 