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Knopp, Germany

Due to our cold temperatures, I am about to use remay to cover one of my patches. I have never done that before and have some real basic questions:

1- Is there a temperature point during daylight hours that would be to hot for me to use it?
2- Should I develop some kind of support to keep it above the leaves, or just spread it out over them?

thanks!
owen

8/5/2005 3:49:34 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

1 - It will get too hot under it as soon as the sun shines on it for more than an hour or so. Leaving it on all day has worked for me when outside temps don't get over 15 or 18°C but the air under the Remay will get too hot with an outside temperature of 20°C or more. Remay is not as extreme as clear plastic but we usually can't let it on all day. I think I mentioned on the other post how I am doing it. I put it on early in the evening (about 5 p.m.) and remove it again before the sun shines on it or at the latest about an hour after the sun reached it.

2 - I just spread it over the leaf canopy of the plant. It is very light and will not damage the leaves. Also, rain gets through it which is another advantage of Remay compared to clear plastic.

8/5/2005 8:16:16 AM

Knopp, Germany

Thanks Martin. Taking a piece of remay, 100' meters big off and on every morning before I go to work will be a pain in the butt.

I wonder if I simply lift 2 of the sides off the ground about a meter or so to allow air flow, if that would work?

8/5/2005 8:48:37 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

"I wonder if I simply lift 2 of the sides off the ground about a meter or so to allow air flow, if that would work?"

I tried that as well as I wanted to save some time but soon found out it doesn't work. Gusts of wind will go under the remay and rip it apart and at the worst damage the plant.
The standard remay that we have available is 17g/m2, it is so light that the wind can really blow it around.

If you want to use it I think you have no other option as to put it on and back off each day. Also make sure to secure it down with sand bags or stones at the margins when it is over the plant. If you don't do it more damage will be done to the plant from the wind blowing it around than the remay will help.

8/5/2005 8:57:57 AM

Knopp, Germany

Thanks Martin, again...LOL There has got to be a way though, must think more on this.

How did the Greek philosopher Plato put it "Necessity is the mother of invention". And we AG growers sure do come up with crazy ideas.

8/5/2005 12:05:55 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

I use a Remay type fabric as a sun screen to keep my tender leaves from burning, works great in my opinion. Most of it is suspended above leaves from tomatoe stakes, but some just rests on leaves and it still keeps the "burn" to a minimum. Best of luck, Duff

8/5/2005 8:03:47 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

Pulling a big piece of remay off every morning may be a pain in the rear Owen ole' buddy, but...you need to ask yourself...How Bad Do You Want It???

Is it really that much of a pain if it helps the gains?

8/5/2005 9:30:52 PM

Knopp, Germany

Touche Bill.

8/5/2005 10:53:25 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Just saw the pic in your diary, Owen. Great job!!!
Now watch them pick up the pace and blow...LOL

Good luck!

8/6/2005 9:26:22 AM

C N Y

although i am a few days late to see this post, i would have to say that if you can see through the Reemay/Floating Row Cover, it is thin enough so that you are all right to leave it on the plants all the time if the other alternative is a frozen plant.
my own plants are doing better than expected even after having been subjected to WAY too much heat and confinement in my Pro-17 Floating Row Cover Houses in the spring.
i cannot see through this fabric, so it's Pro-15 from now on! i would not want the fabric to be touching the plants' leaves too much...need a buffer zone between the fabric and the canopy---i think a few inches above them would be a good idea. Joel Holland gets his few degrees of frost protection and peace of mind by stringing string (lol?)
across the growing area and laying the FRC over the top of that for the night and then he and his wife can just team-up and "walk it off" the following morning, according to a video of his i have seen.........eric

8/9/2005 6:33:14 PM