Homemade Cloche

Uses

• Cloches are used to protect plants and seedlings from cold and frost. They are used mostly in temperate climates. You can use them to get an early start on your spring gardens, to harden your seedlings or simply to keep your plants protected during winter and early spring frosts. They differ from greenhouses in that you place a cloche over a plant or seedling in situ, whereas you typically pot plants and place them in a greenhouse. You can use small cloches for individual plants and larger row cloches for rows of plants. You can make the cloche highly decorative to add to the beauty of your garden.

Varieties

• You can make several different types of cloche at home. Cloches come in two basic varieties: those designed to protect individual plants and those designed to protect rows of plants. The ones designed for individual plants are typically made of glass or a stiff plastic and are used to encase the plant. Therefore, they usually have a bell or dome shape and some sort of ventilation at the top. Those designed for rows of plants can be made in a tent shape, using a supportive frame and a flexible covering of polythene or flannel. They can also be rigid and constructed of acrylic or glass.

Construction

• The simplest type of cloche to make at home is an individual dome made from a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle, like the large ones in which soft drinks are packaged. You simply cut the PET bottle in half and turn the bottom half upside down over a plant to make a cloche. You can punch holes in the top of the cloche for ventilation. For a sturdy homemade row cloche, you can purchase pipes from the hardware store to make a frame and drape and secure polythene, flannel or tarpaulin over the frame. This gives you the advantage of being able to open flaps to ventilate the cloche if the weather warms up.

Considerations

• Take your budget and DIY skills into consideration when making a homemade cloche. The cloche must be sturdy and air-tight in order to protect the plant from the cold. If you do not have the required skills to create a suitable cloche, purchasing one or a kit might be a good option. You must consider the size and growth stage of the plants and the size of the area which the cloche will need to protect before deciding on the variety or size of the cloche, as well as the type and cost of the materials required. The weather conditions where you live are also a major consideration.