HOW TO MAKE A DIY BEAN TUNNEL (OR HOOP HOUSE)

Grow more in less space by going vertical with a bean tunnel (aka tomato trellis or hoop house). Never miss a new video! Subscribe to our channel to be notified whenever we publish a new video!
Click "SHOW MORE" if you're new to our channel and "MORE ABOUT US" for some freebies!
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Be sure to catch the step-by-step process (with photos) on the blog: homesteadingfa...
Building a DIY Bean Tunnel can be a fantastic way to gain more space in your garden, maximize the growth potential of your crops and make a functional area to extend the growing season for those crops that love the cooler temperatures of Spring.
This DIY structure also makes a perfect frame for a hoop house, tomato trellis, and even a cucumber or melon trellis.
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MORE ABOUT US!
WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: bit.ly/HFWelcom...
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#hoophouse #beantunnel #tomatotrellis #beantrellis #cucumbertrellis

[@AnneTemple6175]

I built my tunnel using garden stakes and managed to get the cattle panels up all by myself. It was a chore for sure but I was quite proud of myself when I was done.

[@amybackhouse6952]

How lovely to have a strong young helper!

[@missioncreekfarm7715]

I built my small hoop house this way - solo, no help. But I used rail road ties, so just getting one end up against the tie made it easy to do alone. I have used it for 13 years!!

[@sincerely-b]

Love that you do this together. Tristan seems to be a man of few words!

[@janiefox3458]

I don't have grandsons to help - but have a 15 year old next door neighbor who I would be glad to pay to be m helper.

[@Clarinda787]

Love your tunnel! A little advice for those of you who are not seasoned homesteaders who might be building a "greenhouse" hoop house in town or new to homesteading. Those panels come in various sizes with various size openings. They make them 8' long and 16' long so be sure you order the 16' so you won't be surprised and disappointed. They make styles for hogs, cattle, horses, and generic "stock". Check out all the different types to find the least expensive one that will fit your needs.

[@frugalprepper]

Modern Pressure Treated Lumber is not toxic. It is pressure treated with copper, which is actually an essential nutrient for plants. Great Video!

[@1LuckyGirl1975]

Brother you're my type of people! Great video and just what I was looking for! Blessings to you and your family 🙏💪

[@HomesteadingFamily]

Glad it was helpful!

[@1LuckyGirl1975]

@@HomesteadingFamily Very much so. I've got my shopping list together and plan to get started right after this rainy weekend. New subscriber to your channel and look forwards to watching and learning from your families homesteading success. A blessed and safe upcoming weekend to you and yours brother! 🙏

[@bettywhittington9654]

Enjoyed watching this. Nice to be able to train up your children to help on the farm. Makes them realize how important they are.

[@denisestone8491]

Best tutorial I’ve seen so far on cattle panel hoop house. Thank you for sharing!

[@capitaldd3693]

Great video indeed.... wished I had seen this earlier - I went with an electrical conduit for my hoop... ..cheers....from Dan stone in Canada

[@DagaanGalakticos]

For everyone being inspired by this build: saw a vid on how to attach rain gutters to the sides. You add a strip of plastic about a foot wide that lands inside the gutter. Along the bottom of the strip you lace #8 wire to weight it down and can add fishing weights (lead. no good.) or lathe steel bolts for added weight. Here in the desert a huge advantage.

[@clairedgaia3626]

If you run that plastic to hold gutter at an angle,up one side, and opposite the other side,and put cisterns at each end, you have water available to both ends of greenhouse.putting rain barrels up,elevated on cinder blocks, or strong built wood shelf for velocity flow out of hose.

[@elisabethjones4917]

Can birth of you explain a little more please, or tell me how to Google or KZbin this? Thanks

[@RobCooper]

kudos to the camera person. Great work! loved the follow while the panel was being put in place and the journey through the tunnel as it was being built. nice job.

[@wandafields4165]

FYI, There are hog panels and cow panels. Hog panels are about 34" high and cattle panels are 50" high. Cattle panels are probably best for this awesome project. Love it!

[@arvellataratuta2150]

He said his are 16’. Doesn’t seem like you could walk under that

[@wandafields4165]

@@arvellataratuta2150 I have never known them to be longer than 16'.

[@arvellataratuta2150]

Wanda Fields My mistake. I was looking at ads for the panels and I thought it said 4’ x 50’, but it is inches not feet.

[@flutey28]

He is showing hog panels here. You can tell by the small holes at the bottom, so the piglets can't get through. Cattle panels do not have that

[@davidparrish3538]

Does anyone know how long they are to make that 6ft arch.

[@capitaldd3693]

Great video guys. Just wanted to say the youngster seems like a solid worker and a big help..🙋‍♂️ I love the simplicity of this design. I would like it a bit taller but I'm sure I can raise it up a bit... Thanks for sharing....🍻

[@Not_So_Weird_in_Austin]

Really good step by step instructional video step by step for a low cost cattle panel setup for a bean tunnel that can double for a hoop house in winter. A ratchet strap will keep the panel bent while carrying/moving if doing by yourself. Bending 2 foot rebar on the end can make a heavy duty "tent stake" for high wind areas too

[@positiveme4063]

Great idea... i will be using growing bags as I am just renting so nothing permanent... i will look for cattle fencing and rebar .. sounds like my garden will be more ABUNDANT... FEELING EXCITED

[@FarmerC.J.]

Great design! I used cinder blocks w tpost>..bought a clear plastic heavy duty tarp to cover the cattle panels ..used 12x12 tarps tied on each end and had fresh greens all winter! This winter I’m expanding and adding a small wood burning stove!

[@sharonkeef0522]

How did the expansion n wood sto e ho

[@ajalicea1091]

How did your wood stove work

[@mffmoniz2948]

I used 4 arches connected one year for our beans. It worked fantastic. You need to help the beans spread out as they are growing, so that they cover all the space. In the end we had this cool green tunnel full of beans, super easy to harvest. This year we need to plant beans again and I want to buil an arch again.

[@0824rl0824rl]

You are an amazing teacher. I want to do this, this year. God bless you and your family abundantly.

[@flyty2134]

I just love your channel I’ve learned quite a bit from you,And your wife I can quite a bit as well thank you so much for sharing.

[@dianebailey7868]

Love this! I want to see an update when things are growing!

[@anthonyashmore6955]

⁹9⁹

[@Audrey-km9in]

Fabulous tunnel. I have room for one panel but one is sufficient. I appreciate your tutorial. Great work, Tristan. You are a terrific hand.

[@dchubb42]

I keep seeing everyone using Zipties to connect the panels. The plastic is most zipties is not UV stable and I've found it to go brittle within as few as a few months. Not to mention they are relatively expensive. A roll of bailing wire is like $10-20 and a bailing wire pliers are also fairly cheap. Not to mention a much more secure connection.

[@NalamPenu]

Great vid buddy ❤❤❤

[@vickiparrish3235]

Hog paneling is shorter and the steel squares are closer together. You have cattle panels. Super video.

[@joanies6778]

Since I don't have any help when I move cattle panels to make hoop tunnels, I just use 2-3 rachet straps to pull them tight into the hoop position on the ground. Much easier to get them to stand up and put them into place without whipping open, plus keeps the shape. I am in a high wind area so I will have to attach them if I put a cover on them. I use these to grow my tomatoes using tomato hooks, nylin string, and tent stakes. But I may do it with greenhouse cover this year because I need the extra weeks growong for my San Marzanos. Thanks for the tips!

[@dillydilly7693]

We just put up a 20' long trellis with the cattle panels and rebar. We're very excited to see the veggies and flowers grow up over it!

[@tlcpollyabrahams1919]

Love this! Can’t wait to see it grown up. Great helper you have there.

[@alfredmcintosh16]

You have some great soil!

[@MyButtercup]

I just hung my sunflower head for drying from my hoops. The best bean crop ever used light shade cloth and it helped with our scorching hot sun in NM. I used U shape rebab so I have no ends to watch for.

[@karenbuckner1959]

In AZ we had a 16' cattle panel hoop between centers of 2 raised boxes. (Loved them.) We had shade cloth to help with temps. Huge temp difference. 😎 Later in season high winds literally broke the 4' T-stakes. We'll use 6ft stakes after that.

[@Jenoveryonder]

This is my fear… wind here is brutal. In BHC.

[@karenbuckner1959]

@@Jenoveryonder the 6 ft heavy duty t-stakes is what we use now. The 4 ft ones were much thinner metal.

[@deanwa8581]

What a great garden. The kiddos are growing up so quickly. Tristan looks like a great helper. I would love to get these panels in garden soon. It will free up a lot of garden space for sure for other plants.

[@katsutsuki]

nothing more satisfying than the zip tie sound :) Looks great - been wanting to do this for our tomatoes and squash to prevent mildew

[@WayToVibe]

I love this idea. Cattle panel seems to have so many uses on the farm.

[@mikhailkalashnikov4599]

We do the same type of thing with heavy gauge rolls of concrete mesh. Also use it for making great tomato cages.

[@triciasklodowske5653]

We plan on using them for our green house, building it this summer for fall, God willing. Didn't know/think about one side or the other side, so THANK'S for that tidbit !! Look's like your weather is alot better then our's in northern MI. 30's and 40's day time high's with snow flurries since Friday.Tell Carolyn Happy Mother's Day. Thank's for the video. Stay safe and healthy. God bless

[@mievanlee]

Well, Tristan, you look exactly like your pretty Mama. Good work, you and your Dad.

[@capitaldd3693]

Just what every boy wants to hear...ya look like your mom...lol..

[@stevebond4916]

Tristan rocks

[@donbethune383]

Thanks for the demonstration and explanation. I did look up, BLACK ZIPTIES have the most UV resistance. GREAT JOB!

[@SaltyAndSassy]

Not sure how I got into the hoop house rabbit hole of KZbin but, I’m planning one out now. Tip: first video I saw, the guy used ratchet straps to keep the hips an exact distance apart. (One strap about 1/2 way down the arch and two at the base….just ratcheted them to the exact measurement he wanted. )

[@RanchExplorerHQ]

Thank y’all so much for this, what a big help! Luv it “Cattle 🐄 Panel Garden 🪴 Tunnel”!

[@shannonessig5959]

Have you measured the drop in temperature under the trellis once the vine crops have covered it? I saw in a harvest video last year that you grew colder crops under the shade of the tunnel. I know that there's a big difference between summer highs in your northern Idaho versus my California Central Valley, but I'm curious about the differential in temperatures. Thanks for your content, your calm, and carrying on.

[@felixreali7101]

thanks for sharing this.

[@harmonysalem9377]

Merci from Montreal, Canada.

[@ronmarine7494]

I really like the way you did them , give me a lot of ideas to use cattle panels

[@markjardis5393]

I ran 1x2 along the top and every other rib. Zip tied them. Ran plastic on top on the 1x2’s. Did 8 different cucumbers last year. Mine I t-posted and zip tied the panels 1.5ft off the ground. Gave me about 7.5’ inside height. Mines only 21’ long. Works great.

[@GrowYourGroceries]

Always excited to see a new homesteading family video :)

[@zhazha123]

Thank you I found you on KZbin and I will copy you exactly 😀

[@cherylinoklahoma9624]

Thank you for your very informative tutorial. I am going to modify some of my raised beds. I have several cattle panels, but have hesitated to put them into use. My original idea was a mini greenhouse as seen on Texas Prepper's channel. Baling twine, also called Hay string, is very strong, cheap and has many uses. I have also used it to tie pieces of pipe to t-posts to extend the height for trellises. It does not degrade so fast like zip ties and is easily reusable. GOD Bless...

[@mrmacgregorshomestead233]

Use ratchet straps in sets of 3 or 4 on the inside to help control them until you can get them stood in place. Still remain cautious. Make sure the ends of the ratchet hooks face downward.

[@tanstaafl5695]

thank you

[@theheritagehousesc]

I have done that with beans and luffa gourds. Works great !

[@dexterking7662]

Nice 👍

[@curly-hairedcountrygal1275]

I can't wait to try this for next year!!

[@wooby9898]

There is a difference between cattle panels and hog panels. Hog have section on one end that’s closer together so when hogs small they can’t get through.

[@benjaminmccarter4318]

Great content. Try a ratchet strap or two on your cattle panels to keep them in place in the arch shape. Just a thought that might help.

[@lisanoble7782]

I love your gardening videos! I just built my cattle panel rows last week for cukes and squash. How to you water your gardens? Drip irrigation? Sprinklers? Soaker hoses? I’d love your insight into this important part of gardening!

[@juliefleming6165]

I have watched loads of these videos. By far, your video is the best! Thank you!

[@oilspeculatorhater]

Thank you for making and sharing this great information.

[@bobbiewilliams3109]

Thank you Josh for taking the time to show us how to put a hoop together house together! Very, very helpful!

[@saltycowgirl]

what a beautiful garden you have, we live on 5.6 acres of ROCKS, so we have raised gardens with our cattle panels... awesome video

[@JamesSmith-io4ge]

Here in Nova Scotia, that rebar would have hit bedrock granite on about the third hammer blow! 😂

[@joycebuck8997]

Love this video! We made one last summer. It worked great,in fact we built another this season....Thanks so much!

[@mtman673]

Love this idea.

[@user-ed7si9no7i]

Love your high fence. People don't realize how high a deer can jump.

[@kathleenredick275]

7 at least, or 8 feet in the Cascade foothills in Oregon. 🙁

[@deborahrutherford5244]

I use these also. Use T post 2 on each side to hold in place.

[@charlottejustesen6375]

That's how mine r done 👍

[@shawnhorton4559]

Great video, thanks for the share! Can also be used as a portable or static chicken coop.

[@charlenerogers1730]

Would like be to see how you put the plastic on and keep it in place.

[@Marylmac]

Next video...Really organised too.

[@edcollier2526]

Sir, I thoroughly enjoyed your video! Excellent presentation! I'm curious as to your method of building your beds and where you acquired your mulch? Thanks a bunch!!

[@Dotalina33]

This tunnel is fabulous for it looks like you can optimize space to the maximum! One question though in what direction do you face the open end figuring the sun sets in the west?

[@cindygr8ce]

I love this you can make one of these even in a city backyard(which is what I have) Just one of those cattle pannels would allow me to cover my entire veggie patch and maybe even give me time to grow two crops since I live in WNY I don't tend to be able to get both summer and fall veg I have to choose one or the other

[@ruthchen613]

Great job!

[@CollinsFamily9]

We did it!! One afternoon!! So excited 😍. Thanks for the video!!

[@rodney73991]

like see picture stuff grown on it.

[@rodney73991]

they must grow beans in summer out side. . when put plastic grow lettuce in the in side. also hope kids in FFA amount awards for farm they win but lot. probley win state and national.

[@fourseasonsnorth]

What does your mulch all consist of? That is such a splendid set up! Really appreciate how much care you all take to do well at what you set your hands to. Thank you for another great vid :)

[@cluckieschickens]

I'd recommend metal zip ties if it is going to be there for a long time... I used those on my chicken hoop house.

[@nathangiesbrecht2263]

Thanks for this tutorial. Looks great!. I've got some salvaged 2×6s and t posts. 👍 Not sure what color zip-ties you use. My experience is the clear breaks, blk ties last 3-4 times longer.Nice work!

[@shellymb]

Thank you so much for the idea and the details. One of your best videos

[@Garythedog3]

Thanks!

[@d.j.robinson9424]

Very inspiring, can't wait to get started. 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱💚💚💚

[@chip63us]

Thank you Sir

[@tracyportersr]

We use hog panels to make mobile chicken coops. The best way to tie them together is with a hog ring using hog ring pliers. They are a lot stronger than zip ties.

[@sandragillingham6255]

Came over from WHOTH they mention your channel with this video. Subbed. Cheers.

[@teresamexico309]

Good video, thank you!

[@TheJoeg2005]

you can also use a metal fence post to help stabilize the panels

[@VaultBoy1776]

This is great, thank you.

[@sheilazangrilli1710]

I love seeing your son helping. Being a homeschooling, are there any activities away from home that they participate in? Sports, 4H, scouting, etc ?

[@sheilazangrilli1710]

@Karrie Dee Ya, my mind just goes in strange directions. 🤪

[@martyjouett9949]

Well done sir! Thank you.

[@chelseagarchar4338]

Hog panels and cattle panels are different. Hog panels are generally shorter in height and the squares on the bottom are smaller the first few rows then open back up to regular square sizes. Cattle panels are taller and the squares are all the same from top to bottom. 😊 it drives me nuts when people use those interchangeably because they are different. Love this idea though I’ve seen several people do it. Now that we are in our forever home. I’m going to be putting a few in.

[@munemrabadi809]

I used both hog panels for Sheep to keep lambs in and cattle panels for cattle and as you stated they are different. I don't use them for cattle because they are not going to last long with cattle.

[@reneammundsen669]

From my Canadian perspective, the terminology depends on where you live. Asking for them by height and length works just fine and doesn't have any confusion.

[@kirsten4896]

Actually, there are more varieties of panel than those two but we don't judge when somebody calls them cattle panels. We just use contextual clues and give grace because we hope to receive it in return.

[@dfishman76]

Ready to see the updates on these

[@ericswatzell5091]

Wanna do some for beans, peas, and gourds

[@michaelsallee7534]

You may call them by different names; though you do not know the difference between them, the stores do. Yes, they may be so similar; the height and spacing of the lateral bars determine the type. Also, the total height can be a factor. Does this mean you may not use cattle panel for swine; at times you may.

[@patwilliamson4701]

Wonderful tutorial!

[@MidwestHomestead23]

Love your video, thank you for the idea. Definitely trying this in the summer.

[@sn232]

16:20 THANK YOU for explaining why you should put the short bars to the inside of the tunnel if turning into a hoop house! I was wondering the same. I also was wondering if you are not turning into a hoop house, if it would be easier to scrape off old dead vines from the inside if I would put the long bars to the inside??? Any advice???

[@FermentedHomestead]

What a great idea! I will be using cattle panels for a tomato trellis this year but I might give this a try too!

[@permamulcher2656]

very clear. thank you!

[@allison2941]

Wow! This was so helpful!

[@JeanBaker]

When you're growing vertically, how do you adjust the distance between plants, please (I'm a newbie to trellis, but we are totally doing this (on a much smaller scale) this year!)? Thank you for your great videos and encouragement!

[@Wildevis]

Great instruction video!

[@Tinyhomedeals]

Love your channel. We are looking for a small 2-5 acer lot to start homesteading. Will have to wait. Broke my heel fell off a roof. So have used this time to work on our channel. Also looking on tax registrations for open land. Again great channel.👍🏡