Hopestar 6Pcs (49.2" x 27.6") Greenhouse Hoops, Plant Support Garden Stakes, 6.9ft Long Steel Rust-Free Grow Tunnel with Plastic Coated Support Hoops Frame for Garden Fabric
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There is no way to connect these. They've been bent into a semi-circular shape ahead of time.
I don't recall, but I made a donut-shaped strawberry raised bed and easily bent the hoops over it with about 4" on each side of the 8" wide raised bed. I draped (and clipped) greenhouse film over the hoops until the temperature rose and the strawberries started to thrive. When the strawberries are ready, I'll probably drape bird netting over the hoops.
I believe that the majority of the cost is in the hoops, so skipping the hardware won't save you much, even if you could, which I doubt. The hoops are strong and rigid in themselves.
They can be bent and are both flexible and strong. My beds are 47" wide and work fine; I just bent them a little more and made them 45" wide. It shouldn't be an issue if you're 5 feet tall. They're very sturdy, keep their shape, and the cover fabric can be pulled tight to keep it from draping down. This year, they helped me save my greens from hungry critters.
Selected User Reviews For Hopestar 6Pcs (49.2" x 27.6") Greenhouse Hoops, Plant Support Garden Stakes, 6.9ft Long Steel Rust-Free Grow Tunnel with Plastic Coated Support Hoops Frame for Garden Fabric
It did a fantastic job of protecting our tender greens from whatever unknown creature had been nibbling on them. It's simple to put together; simply drive the stakes into the ground. Because they are precurved and made of one piece, they are quite sturdy. I protected them with a transparent cover that allows light and water to pass through. The cover can be attached to one or more surfaces using the provided clips. I used rocks to hold the cover down along the sides and ends after clipping them on the tops of both ends to keep it taut. I didn't have to make any changes because it fit perfectly in our 4 foot wide raised beds. These are something I would strongly suggest. We're not going to the garden store any more to replace tender plants that have been gnawed to death.
This appears to be very effective, and I received everything that was mentioned in the description. However, there are no instructions for putting this together at all! What the ground stakes are supposed to attach to is a mystery to me. If there had been instructions, this review would have been a 5. Once I figure out how to put this together and see how well it holds up over a season, I'll update the review.
I did, however, learn a valuable lesson. I ordered these in February and forgot to double-check that everything was included in the box. We have a late start to the growing season in Upper Michigan, so it was well past the return window when I went to set up the hoops. The hoops appear to be well-made, but the Fixed Supports (6 pieces) and Connecting Pipes (6 pieces) were missing. Also missing were the 100 cable ties. I guess I'll just have to put up with it and consider it a learning experience.
These hoops are the perfect fit for my three raised beds. My plan is to use them with greenhouse plastic for winter vegetables in late winter/early spring, and then netting for summer vegetables in late spring/early summer. My vegetable plants are being eaten by a variety of critters in my garden. This will be far more effective than the method I previously employed. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming growing season!.
The hoops are my favorite part of the game. That is, however, the end of the story. With netting, row cover cloth, or a plastic cover, the clips are far too tight. The flimsy, hollow poles that run the length of the row are plant stakes that can be found at any garden center. They're attached with zip ties and are too long for the row, causing them to catch on your row cover material, poking holes or tearing it. I expected better-fitting accessories with such a high-priced kit.
This arrived promptly and in excellent condition. It's simple to put together and keeps birds and small animals out of our garden. It is extremely cost-effective.
I wanted to make a rounded strawberry bed (4" tall x 8" wide), but I needed support for greenhouse film/cover (during the winter and when the strawberries were first transplanted), as well as bird netting. These hoops were ideal for my requirements. Bending them to fit in the strawberry bed was simple. They're strong enough for this application.
Basic pieces are strong, durable, and easy to assemble. I'm going to buy another five sets of these.