Cloches - year round

[Sarah-b]

Does anyone have a fantastic plan for using a cloche on a year-round basis? So if I bought one I could get maximum value for money?
For example, on what crops do they give maximum advantage at the beginning of the year. Then could you pick the clocke up and put it on something else to act as a mini-greenhouse for another crop mid growing season - and then where to put it in September?
Any ideas?

Thanks,
Sarah.

[sandersj89]

The beauty of cloches are they increase temperature, protect plants from adverse weather and some pests.

I use them in the string and again in the autumn, tending not to need them in full summer.

Spring they are used to warm the soil a bit faster and enable earlier planting. They also will keep frost at bay, not really long hard frosts though. Once things are happy and the threat of frosts is past I will remove them to a new site for whatever next I am going to sow.

Once we are into June they get put in the shed as they are not needed here in the south. This also helps extend their life as plastic is degraded by sun light. (Glass obviously is not effected)

Then come late September I start to sow winter salads for instance, once these are up and away I will protect with a cloche to extend the growing season into winter.

There are some problems with Cloches to consider, especially the plastic ones which can easily be damaged by wind and can be blown away if not adequately fixed to the ground.

Also they do get very warm in sun and need some ventilation in case this stresses the plants/seedlings. This usually involves small panels at each end of the tunnel that need removing on a morning if a sunny warm day is forecast.

Glass cloches are not so common now but if used the panes are fragile and can be dangerous if broken, may allotments do not allow glass on site for this reason.

Cloches come in various shapes and sizes. They can be round, domed or tunnel shaped and made out of plastic, glass, fleece, propanet, environmesh etc. They can be cheap but some can be very expensive. You can also make home made bell type cloches from mineral water bottles ranging in size from the normal 5 litres up to those you see in office water fountains, 50 litres??

All in all they are a great tool, flexible, mobile and effective.

Jerry

[Sarah-b]

Thanks for the low-down Jerry.
So in June, your cloches become redundant for around 3- 4 months.
Do you think it would be possible to use them for say peppers or something like that through the summer - or would it just get too hot inside?

Sarah.

[sandersj89]

Thanks for the low-down Jerry.
So in June, your cloches become redundant for around 3- 4 months.
Do you think it would be possible to use them for say peppers or something like that through the summer - or would it just get too hot inside?

Sarah.

Peppers would probably  be too latge to fit under a cloche, depending on the actual cloche. None of mine would be big enough.

I don't see why you cant grow something like a trailing cucumber of melon under a tunnel type cloches. Never tried myself as I have 3 greenhouses.

Jerry

[tim]

A great exposition, Jerry -

1. Do so agree with anchoring plastic cloches.
2. But they are so much lighter than glass ones.
3. But one cloche??  I would want at least 5 for starters?
4. Buy the tallest you can afford.
5. You could cover carrots against the fly?
6. But certainly, lettuces through the winter, parsley if it's kept short enough - etc.
7. Flexible. And breakable.
8. Fleece etc have to some extent taken over.
9. And, of course, ripen outdoor toms under?
This after 3 glasses of wine - sorry! = Tim