Row Cover & Fabric for Every Bed
Protects frost
Enter bed length, width and an overlap allowance to get the floating row cover fabricyou need — fleece or agronet to protect crops from frost, wind and pests.
Size your row cover
Next: buy about 1,200 m² of fleece — that is your bed area plus 200 m² (20%) for draping over hoops and burying both edges so wind and pests cannot lift it.
Float cover loosely so plants can push it up as they grow, or drape over hoops for tall crops. Bury or weigh down every edge — an unsecured cover blows off and loses its frost and insect protection.
Row cover — key facts
- Cover area
- bed area × (1 + overlap %)
- Bed area
- length × width
- Flat cover
- 15–25% overlap
- Low tunnel
- 30–50% overlap
- Fleece
- frost, wind, a little warmth
- Agronet
- insect exclusion, breathable
- Edges
- bury, weigh or pin to seal
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
Cover the crop, not just the soil
A floating row cover is one of the cheapest, most flexible bits of crop protection there is: laid loose over a bed or draped on low hoops, fleece or agronet shields tender plants from frost, knocks the edge off cold wind, and shuts out the insect pests that would otherwise need spraying — all while letting light, rain and air straight through. The catch is buying the right amount of fabric, because a cover cut to the exact bed size has no slack to drape over the crop or to anchor at the edges.
This tool gives the cover area, the bed area and the overlap percentage from your bed length, width and an allowance for draping and burying. Use it to order fabric for a single bed or a long market-garden row, and to size low tunnels over hoops. Pair it with the Plastic Mulch Film, Greenhouse & Shade Net and Frost Date tools for a full season-extension plan.
Beat the frost
Hold a few degrees over tender seedlings.
Exclude pests
Agronet keeps insects off without spray.
Buy the right amount
Allowance for draping and burying edges.
Extend the season
Start earlier and finish later in the cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a floating row cover?+
A floating row cover is a lightweight fabric — spunbond fleece or fine agronet — laid loosely straight over a crop or draped over low hoops. It lets light, air and water through while protecting plants from frost, cold wind and insect pests. "Floating" means it rests on the crop with slack, so plants can push it up as they grow without being crushed.
How much row cover fabric do I need?+
The fabric needed is the bed area plus an overlap allowance for draping over the crop and burying the edges. Cover area = bed length × bed width × (1 + overlap %). For a 10 m × 1.2 m bed with a 30% allowance you need about 10 × 1.2 × 1.30 ≈ 15.6 m² of fabric.
Why add an overlap allowance?+
Fabric laid flat at exactly the bed size leaves nothing to anchor or to let plants grow. The overlap allowance adds slack so the cover can drape over the crop's height, sag between hoops, and have enough margin at the sides and ends to bury, weigh down or clip — keeping wind and pests out.
How much overlap should I use?+
For a flat, ground-level cover on short crops, 15–25% is usually enough. For taller crops or low tunnels over hoops you need more slack to clear the height and bury the edges, so 30–50% is safer. The more vertical room the crop needs and the windier the site, the larger the allowance.
Fleece or insect netting — which do I use?+
Use spunbond fleece (e.g. 17–30 g/m²) for frost and wind protection and a few degrees of warmth; heavier grades give more frost protection but less light. Use fine agronet or insect netting for pest exclusion when warmth isn't the goal — it has larger, precise mesh that blocks insects while staying cooler and more breathable.
How do I secure the edges?+
Bury the side and end margins in a shallow trench, weigh them with soil, sandbags, boards or rocks, or pin with ground staples. A sealed edge is what keeps pest-exclusion netting working and stops wind from lifting the cover. The overlap allowance in the calculation provides the spare fabric for this.
Does the cover need hoops?+
Not always. Light fleece can float directly on hardy crops that tolerate contact. Hoops (a low tunnel) keep fabric off tender or fast-growing plants, improve airflow, stop abrasion in wind, and make harvesting easier. If you use hoops, increase the overlap allowance to cover their height.
Can I reuse row cover?+
Yes — good-quality fleece and agronet last several seasons if handled gently. Lift it on warm sunny days to avoid overheating and to let pollinators in for crops that need them, store it dry and out of UV when not in use, and patch small tears with tape so they don't spread.
Does this work for any bed size or unit?+
Yes — enter any bed length and width and the tool returns the cover area in the same area unit, plus the bed area and the overlap percentage used. It works for single beds, long market-garden rows or low tunnels; just scale the length to match your planting.
Are the figures precise?+
They're solid planning figures for ordering fabric. Real usage varies with crop height, hoop spacing, how deeply you bury the edges and the fabric width available in a roll. Round up when buying, allow extra for joins and end-caps, and keep offcuts for patching.