Four Easy Steps for a Garden Bed Cover DIY

Spending a cozy day Harvesting Flowers, creating a ground cherry salad recipe and decorating.

You ever have issues with pest getting to your seedlings?

I could not get my Kale to grow last year because of the cabbage butterlies!

I was determined this year to change this.

Ready for battle cabbage butterfly!

Garden Bed Covers

So much out there on what we can use.

I know, confusing, but understand exactly what you want it for, each is different.

You can find many different types of garden bed covers; from the ones that will help with frost or snow to the ones like mine that will protect your seed babies from those pesky pests.

The covers are great for protecting also from deer or rabbits, but this one in particular is more for other smaller pests. Though you could make the same but with a metal mesh and fasten well to the the soil for this use.

Critical Things when building your Garden Bed Cover

• REASON: Use stable materials that will withstand wind or snow weight.
• MATERIAL: Use durable materials if you are thinking of using this in an ongoing basis. PVC, bamboo, metal are excellent materials.
• PEST: Understand what you are defending your plant from to determine the size and material you will use.
• PLANTING MATERIAL: Research your plant and how big it will grow. This will impact the height and width of your Garden Bed Cover.
• PLANT SIZE: Determine if this is going to be a temporary use while your seedling grows or for inderterminate time. This fact will also determine the size of your Garden Bed Cover.
• BED SIZE: Determine the length of your bed in order to figure out how many hoops your will need. I like to do every 3′-0″ for hoop for support. You can go to 4′-0″ spacing if the depth is not more than 2′-0″.
• DURABILITY: Use materials that are UV resistant so they will last you through seasons.
• POLLINATION: Be sure that what you place under the Garden Bed Cover does not need pollination unless you plan to hand pollinate.
• AESTHETIC: Think of the aesthetic look also! Yes, I have to think of this, it is important to get a garden to flow and the cover to become part of it.

Material to make a Garden Bed Cover

• 3/8″ Roll of Bending PVC Tuber
• Heat Gun
• Garden Netting
• Measuring Tape
• PVC Pipe Cutter
• Twine
• Bamboo Poles
• Industrial Cables UV Resistant

Using the right material is always so important. Just as as important as the things you use to garden.

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Cast Iron Garden Twine Holder with Scissor; https://amzn.to/3Bj5zAP

Visit the blog for links of other materials on this project.

Steps to create a Garden Bed Cover

1. Cutting and Shaping PVC Tubing

• Measure lengths needed of the tubing to create your hoops. Remember to determine the length by how much the plant will grow if you are keeping it throughout the full season.
• Cut PVC Tubing into the length needed. (SEE CUT PVC VIDEO ON THE BLOG)
• Allow 1″ or 2″ overlap.

CUT PVC

• With the heat gun heat area that needs to be bend. It is critical you don’t over heat the tubing because it will melt. (SEE HEAT TUBING VIDEO ON THE BLOG)

HEAT TUBING

• With your hands begin to shape the hoop. Go through the process slowly, apply heat and shape, go back and forth until you have the hoop shape desired. (SEE SHAPE PVC VIDEO ON THE BLOG)

SHAPE PVC

• Place your hoops where you need them every 3′ to 4′ in spacing depending on the size of your bed.

• Cut bamboo sticks to the length needed. When cutting the bamboo, always cut them at the knuckle. This will make it much easier. (SEE CUT BAMBOO VIDEO ON THE BLOG)

Materials you use make such a difference on how everything in your garden looks. Bamboo is the greatest material, easy to use and affordable. Planning what you are going to do can really makes a difference.

2. Applying Bamboo Pole Support

Apply the bamboo from hoop to hoop after cutting.

CUT BAMBOO

Bamboo Intersections

Hold bamboo in place with twine.

• Add bamboo to the top between each hoop to add stability and hold the garden netting in place.
• To begin applying twine to the intersections. Start by applying a slip knot on the double bamboo area. (SEE APPLY TWINE AT INTERSECTIONS VIDEO ON THE BLOG)

APPLY TWINE AT INTERSECTIONS

• At the ends, make sure to allow 1″-2″ to extend from each end in order for the bamboo not to slip off when applying the twine or after.
• At the intersections apply your twine on a criss cross style. (Refer to video for more information)
• Tie off wrap the same way as the double bamboo. (SEE APPLY TWINE AT INTERSECTIONS VIDEO ABOVE)

Double Bamboo Area

• You can double the bamboo to add length. (SEE DOUBLE BAMBOO TIE OFF VIDEO ON THE BLOG)
• Add twine where both bamboo pieces meet.
• To begin applying twine to the intersections, start by applying a slip knot on the double bamboo area. (SEE APPLY TWINE AT INTERSECTIONS VIDEO ON THE BLOG)

3. Applying Garden Netting to Create the Garden Bed Cover

Add net above the hoops and bamboo support.

Tie the net on the corners with zip tides.

Gathered netting and use zip tide to hold it together.

Place it inside the planter after you are done tying it up. Use a couple of zip-tides to gather the whole thing up.

• Drape garden mesh above. (SEE GARDEN NETTING VIDEO ON THE BLOG)
• Add industrial cables at the bottom of each tubing.
• Tie each end of the netting on either end.

GARDEN NETTING

4. Close Front and Back of the Garden Bed Cover

We have to keep it stylish!

So I have a great way to close up the garden mesh on the front and back!

Gather your Bamboo sticks. Here we go!

• To close the front and back off the Garden Bed Cover add bamboo sticks. (SEE FRONT/BACK BAMBOO TIE OFF VIDEO ON THE BLOG)
• Cut the bamboo sticks 12″ to 18″.
• Insert bamboo pole through the garden netting, to hold it in place use small industrial cables. This will keep the garden netting in place and it is easy to remove when you need access to harvest. Most importantly, It looks Stylish as the final Garden Bed Cover!

FRONT / BACK BAMBOO TIE OFF

Grow Happily!

From now on, No Fear!

The pests will not win!

This a great way to battle in an organic way and have a successful harvest. It has worked out amazing for me in a small urban garden and I can’t wait for you to try it.

I have chased pests with fly swatters throughout the garden and I am happy to announce!

NO MORE!

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