Topic: cloches and water

[Si D]

if I use cloches to get a head start on the planting will i have to go along and water the plants in them regularly, or will the amount of water seeping sidewards in the ground be enough until the cloches come off?

[Tee Gee]

Can you clarify what you plan on planting and when you plan on doing it, plus where is your plot?

 Without this info  it is difficult to give relative advice.

[Si D]

I'm still at the stage of considering making cloches and whether they'd entail having to do extra work to get stuff wetted.  Now that I've dug it all I'm gagging to get stuff planted rather than having it just sit there idly.

Probably be for peas (cos the choche ought to let me get them in earlier and protect from rodents and pests, plus maybe 'gettes, parsnips and sprouts so that I can get stuff in early to get an early harvest and to stop weeds taking over.  Soil is a nice silty loamy stuff in the Midlands.

[Old bird]

Hi - this time of year I would think that it is already moist and I cannot think that it will dry out very quickly as there is no heat in the sun - if you are lucky enough to see it at all!

I would play it by ear really but I doubt you will need to water very much at all as there should be sufficient moisture coming in from the sides!

Old Bird

[Si D]

thanks!

[Susiebelle]

Hi Si d I start my peas in guttering to give them a head start and have now planted out under cloches. My ground is moist enough not to require further watering and the plants are happy enough for the time being but they will not do much until temperature starts to rise and they then have a head start and I am picking pods well before the pea moth gets a look in - I am a novice but it works for me so I hope this is helpful in some way

[Norfolk n Proud]

Hi Susiebelle, i acquired some guttering recently, but have no  idea what i could use it for, any ideas? ???

[Old bird]

Hi Andy

Guttering is brilliant!!

What you do is put put compost in the gutter - block up the ends so that it doesn't fall out! - the put seeds in and germinate them either indoors or greenhouse or what have you.  then when it is time to put them outside you remove one of the end blockages and slide the plants out into a bed where you have made a shallow trench roughly the depth of the guttering and hey presto they are planted!

Have fun!

Old Bird

 ;D

[manicscousers]

just done a gutter full of meteor peas in the poly..always works, hung up to keep the meeces out  ;D

[Rob08]

Hi Andy

Guttering is brilliant!!

What you do is put put compost in the gutter - block up the ends so that it doesn't fall out! - the put seeds in and germinate them either indoors or greenhouse or what have you.  then when it is time to put them outside you remove one of the end blockages and slide the plants out into a bed where you have made a shallow trench roughly the depth of the guttering and hey presto they are planted!

Have fun!

Old Bird

 ;D

Very clever this!  Not the kind of advice you would find in a gardening book either...

[Si D]

Actually....having sat here staring out the window all day, I think i will reverse my question: will my cloches provide enough protection from water?  >:(

[Old bird]

Should do Si D!  Depends on how wet the weather is and how soggy the soil is round where you intend to put them is though!!

It will certainly protect the plants from direct rainfall which will help the plants enormously!

Old Bird