Topic: Outdoor tomatoes & peppers

[wivvles]

I want to grow some of these down the allotment, but we're a tad exposed on the northern side (I remember going down there in August last year and finding my sweetcorn virtually lying down in a gale!). 

I was thinking of putting up some low boards - about a metre or metre and a half high (actually old louvre doors) - along the northern edge of the plot, and painting them white - thus creating a south facing 'wall'.  At that height, they won't create shadow onto my neighbours plot  and should act as a windbreak, as well as creating a bit of warmth to help the plants along.

That's my (novice's) theory - any experts out there care to either confirm it will work or rip it to shreds?

[growmore]

Hi wivvie ,
                I aint no expert but been at it a few years .It sounds feasible to me ,I have some 30" corrugated sheets on one of my plots and they seem to offer shelter to stuff and they stood up to gales this year.
Your barrier will be as strong as the stakes etc you put in to nail them  to  as long as they are strong and well in ground You should be fine.

[Clayhithe]

Hi Wivvie,
You'll get a lot of turbulence on the downwind side.   A filter is said to be better than a barrier.

But I imagine that a hedge would be difficult.

Please let us know how it works.

[tim]

DON'T use a solid barrier - use a plastic mesh 'windbreak'.

Ours is Rokolene & it's over 40 years old.

I think that such a barrier gives protection for 3 times its height?

[wivvles]

I understand the point about a solid barrier causing turbulence - which is why I thought that old louvre doors might be ideal?

The problem with the windbreak material that I've seen is that it's green.  I specifically thought white to reflect heat and light thus creating better conditions for the plants.

[tim]

Good bit of thinking there, wivvles, but I still reckon you'd get turbulence, especially with those plants near enough to the barrier to gain anything from reflection.

You could always spray the mesh white!!

[wivvles]

Good bit of thinking there, wivvles, but I still reckon you'd get turbulence, especially with those plants near enough to the barrier to gain anything from reflection.

You could always spray the mesh white!!

If I can get hold of some mesh, I may experiment - and do one section with mesh, one section with mesh sprayed white and one section with the  old louvre doors.

[philcooper]

As I recall, a solid (and I agree that a louvre door is effectively solid) barrier protects a distance equal to its height and beyond that distance the turbulence is produced.

Phil

[wardy]

Wivvles    - slats from louvre doors make great plant markers for the lotty  :)

[Roy Bham UK]

DON'T use a solid barrier - use a plastic mesh 'windbreak'.

Ours is Rokolene & it's over 40 years old.

I think that such a barrier gives protection for 3 times its height?

You can't get a better recommendation than that, ;) where do I get it from? ???

[simon404]

This stuff is quite useful. Don't know what it's called but it's what they use around roadworks etc. You sometimes see the odd roll left behind when they've finished.