MAKE A SUPER SIMPLE Cloche!

Cloches are great for extending the season and for protecting plants from harsh weather and pests. Here Joyce Russell suggests some cheap and simple options

- Joyce Russell

A cloche or two can make a big difference to any home vegetable grower. These simple structures will protect growing plants and help to extend the growing season. With careful use you can raise strong and healthy young plants that grow on to be superb croppers.

You can buy a cloche of course, but it really is easy and cheap to make your own. You can make one to a size that you want and you can make one that’s strong enough to survive windy weather. Better still, you can bring out your recycle-and-reuse best intentions and think of ways to cover plants that don’t cost a fortune.

SOME CLOCHE FACTS

■ A garden cloche is a raised cover that fits over plants to create a protected microclimate. The cover must be of a material that allows light through; some covers are waterproof, while others allow rain to pass through.

■ A small cloche might cover a single plant, a larger one may cover a row or a whole bed.

■ A cloche can protect plants from wind, rain and frost and temperatures underneath can be warmer than outside. It can also provide protection from birds and insects.

■ A cloche can be used to extend the growing season at each end – it will allow you to plant earlier and later with less risk of plants suffering.

■ A cloche is usually used to protect small plants and is removed when foliage starts to fill the space. Ventilation and air circulation are extremely important and you may need to allow access for pollinating insects and watering at certain stages.

■ Cloches can be opened up or removed on hot sunny days. Temperatures can rise high enough to kill a plant in an enclosed small space (mesh covers don’t have this problem). Replace the cover in the evening to protect plants on cold nights.