Topic: Using Blue Plastic Water Bottles as Cloches

[MutantHobbit]

I'm aware that you can use clear plastic bottles as cloches for protecting plants, but was wondering if those blue transparent bottles used for holding spring water were suitable as well.  I'm probably just overthinking it but would the blue transparent plastic absorb part of the UV spectrum of the light needed by the plant?  ???

If anyone has used both types of plastic bottles in this way, I'd be interested in hearing if they noticed any difference! ;D

Dave

[sandersj89]

I have seen them used with some sucess and remember the cloches wont be in situ the whole of the growing season.

HTH

Jerry

[MutantHobbit]

Cheers Sanders

Just wondered if I'd be breeding mutant veg due to UV deficiency or somethings when they were seedlings! ;)

Dave

[grawrc]

Don't take this wrong MH, but wouldn't mutant hobbits prefer mutant veg? ;) ;D ;D ;D

[bupster]

What about opaque plastic milk bottles? They're more or less the only things going into my plastics recycling at the moment, but if I can use them as cloches that would be handy as they're much bigger than my clear plastic mineral water bottles etc.

[sandersj89]

I think the ones Dave is referring to are the large 50litre? bottles used in offices and such like.

The opaque milk bottles may reduce light levels too much but would be fine to use over night or for a day or two if hard weather is forecast. The hardest bit will be securing them to the ground so they don't blow away. I guess you could punch a hole in the and push a cane down into the ground.

HTH

Jerry

[bupster]

I'll stick to the clear ones then - and start dashing out at midnight once a fortnight to liberate more from my neighbour's plastics recycling crates :D