Are you trying to figure out which hoop house size will work best for your garden?
Not sure how your climate—or your favorite crops—might influence your setup?
When it comes to choosing a hoop house, there’s more to think about than just dimensions. The types of crops you want to grow and the region you live in both play a huge role in determining the right size and structure.
Let’s walk through how your crop list and local weather conditions should guide your hoop house planning.
What Do You Want to Grow?
The type of crops you plan to grow can significantly impact the size you’ll need.
- Tomatoes need about 4 square feet per plant, especially if you're staking or trellising them.
- Bunching greens like kale or swiss chard prefer to have around 2 square feet per plant.
- Head vegetables like lettuce or pac choi are compact and only need around a square foot per plant, making them great space-savers.
- Peppers need about 2 square feet per plant.
- Cucumbers, especially if you trellis them, need around 2 to 3 square feet per plant.
- Root vegetables can be tightly planted and work well in smaller beds.
If you plan to grow a mix of crops—or want to leave room for crop rotation and succession planting—consider adding an extra 25–35% more space than the minimum. A little extra room now gives you more flexibility later.
Where Are You Growing?
Your local climate will also affect the ideal hoop house size. In colder regions, a larger hoop house helps retain heat, which can be essential for early spring or late fall growing. In warmer zones, you may not need the extra space for heat retention, but you’ll need to prioritize ventilation to keep plants from overheating.
The more you can tailor your hoop house to your local environment, the more successful your growing season will be.
Learn more about planning ahead for your hoop house in our latest article!
Optimize Your Space by Planning Ahead with a Hoop House
A successful growing season starts with smart planning. By thinking through what you’ll grow, and where, you can choose a hoop house that meets your needs now and gives you room to expand in the future.
Need help matching a hoop house to your crops and climate?
We’d love to help you design a setup that works with your space, goals, and growing conditions.
Let’s bring your garden goals to life—reach out today! 🌱

