A hoop house is a plastic-covered, unheated growing structure that extends your gardening season using passive solar heat.
If you have watched a neighbor harvest lettuce in November while your beds lie dormant, a hoop house is the tool that closes that gap. It is a simple, low-cost frame of bent pipes covered in plastic that traps sunlight, warms the soil, and protects crops from frost and wind. This guide covers what a hoop house is, how it works, how it differs from a greenhouse, and the practical details of sizing and placement.
How a Hoop House Works
A hoop house works through passive solar gain. Sunlight passes through the polyethylene covering, warms the air and soil inside, and the plastic traps that heat—creating a microclimate several degrees warmer than the outdoors, even with no supplemental heat. Ventilation is entirely natural, relying on manually opened ends, roll-up side curtains, or simply leaving doors open on hot days. New Mexico State University defines hoop houses as plastic-covered structures that typically do not have supplemental heating or cooling—that passive design is the defining trait separating a hoop house from a full greenhouse.
Hoop House vs. Greenhouse: Key Differences
The distinction matters for your budget and expectations. A hoop house is generally less expensive, more temporary, and simpler than a rigid greenhouse, but it offers fewer climate-control features—no built-in artificial lighting, thermostats, or automated temperature regulation. The table below summarizes the practical differences:
| Feature | Hoop House | Greenhouse |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Bent pipe or PVC frame with plastic film | Rigid frame with glass or polycarbonate panels |
| Heating & cooling | Passive solar only; manual venting | Often includes supplemental heat and automated vents |
| Cost | Lower initial investment | Higher materials and installation cost |
| Longevity | Semi-permanent; plastic replaced every few years | Permanent; structure lasts decades |
| Best for | Season extension, row crops, starting seedlings | Year-round growing, tropical plants, controlled climates |
If you are weighing your options, our roundup of the best small hoop houses covers tested kits that fit a backyard footprint.
Sizing, Materials, and Placement Basics
Hoop house dimensions vary widely between designs. Washington State University describes a portable field hoophouse design about 10 feet wide, 6 1/2 feet high at the center, and 42 feet long.
Placement decides success more than brand does. The University of Wyoming recommends level ground with good drainage, year-round access to a frost-free water spigot, and an orientation parallel to prevailing winds so air currents ventilate the structure on hot days. A Texas Master Gardener guide adds that a north-south orientation maximizes southern exposure across the growing area.
Building a Hoop House: The Core Steps
Whether you buy a kit or build from scratch, the construction sequence stays the same:
- Lay out the footprint. Mark the corners and square them using the 3-4-5 rule, which applies the Pythagorean theorem to guarantee right angles.
- Drive anchor stakes.
- Bend and set the hoops. Use galvanized steel conduit, PVC pipe, or the kit’s steel bows, sliding each end over the rebar stakes.
- Attach the ridge and purlins. Run a top rail and side supports along the length to stabilize the frame.
- Cover and secure. Drape UV-stabilized polyethylene film (6-mil is standard) over the frame, bury the edges in soil or weight them with sandbags, and add end-wall coverings.
- Add ventilation. Install roll-up side curtains or design the ends to open fully so you can release heat on sunny days.
When the frame feels rigid against a firm push, the hoops are secure and the structure is ready for its first season. Proper anchoring matters most—the most common hoop house failure is a frame lifting off its stakes in a gusty storm.
FAQs
Do hoop houses need to be heated?
No. A hoop house runs on passive solar heat alone, keeping costs low. If you need to grow heat-loving plants through deep winter, you would need a fully controlled greenhouse instead.
What can you grow in a hoop house?
Hoop houses excel at season extension for cool-weather vegetables. Common crops include tomatoes, peppers, leafy greens, lettuces, strawberries, and brambles like raspberries. Many gardeners also use hoop houses to harden off seedlings in early spring, gaining several weeks of growing time before transplanting into open beds.
Will a hoop house survive winter snow and wind?
It depends on the design and your site. Hoop houses are semi-permanent, non-engineered structures, so snow and wind loading varies by frame strength, hoop spacing, and cover quality. Most kits handle mild snow if the plastic is kept tight and the hoops are properly anchored, but heavy, wet snow can collapse a light frame. Clear snow promptly and reinforce anchoring in exposed locations.
References & Sources
- New Mexico State University. “Hoop Houses: A Passive Solar Season Extension Option.” Defines hoop houses and their typical lack of supplemental heating or cooling.
- Merriam-Webster. “Hoop House.” Provides the standard dictionary definition of the term.
- Wikipedia. “Hoop House.” Offers a broad overview of hoop house construction, use, and variations.