Hello:
The tarps will be much better for the sides, because they will prevent wind from taking the heat from inside the structure... You should be able to put the sides up and not even remove them until the threat of winter freezes is over in the spring... Yeah, I then just throw a frost cloth over the top of the tree when a freeze is expected. You donÂt really need to worry about removing the frost cloth until temps outside reach 50-60F or so. When I have a really bad freeze, I just throw a heavy blanket over the entire setup to make sure that temps inside stay as high as possible...

Tropical fruit trees (for the most part) can handle quite high temperatures, so it will be very hard to cook something when the temperature outside is 20F!

Better yet, you can buy a roll of 4 mil winter plastic (it is clear) and build your walls/sides with that instead of tarps. The clear material will allow light to reach the lower tree canopy and that way your tree should be just happy all winter long. Just make sure that the plastic or tarp does not touch the foliage or it will burn wherever is touching... You can just use PBC pipes (hammered into the ground) to support the material for the sidesÂ

Hope this helps...

Good luck again!

Thanks Mostro! Appreciate all the advise and suggestions!!

ÃÂ

Here is TarpsPlus products for agricultural purposes. They must mean green
houses and grow tunnels? http://www.tarpsplus.com/clear-tarps.html

Our
clear tarps are super heavy duty and are meant to last. The clear
tarps have a thick nylon thread shaft to assure a long lasting
life. The material is clear with square nylon thread sewn in little
squares. Most clear tarps are used for agricultural purposes. So if you
need a clear tarp to go the distance, we suggest these clear tarps.



Clear Tarps - Super Heavy Duty Poly
Tarpaulin

6.0 oz. Per Square Yrd. -1200 Denier - 14x14 Weave Count

• Water Proof

• Mildew Resistant

• Tear Resistant

• Acid Resistant

• Arctic Flexibility

• Grommets Approx. Every 18''

• Heavy Duty Poly Tarp

• UV Treated on Both Sides

• 14 Mil Thickness

• Has reinforcement grid 1/4'' x 1/4 ''

That stuff works great. That is what my portable greenhouse is made out of.