Cloches in your Garden

Cloches can be a useful addition to any garden, from a humble poly tunnel style cloche to a great looking bell cloche. Not only can cloches allow you to protect plants during our colder months, but they can help protect against pests as well.

This year I have sown a catch crop of radishes within my parsnips. However a few days after the radishes came up I spied a pigeon eating them. Spotting this, I rushed to cover the crop in an inexpensive poly tunnel style cloche and it seems the radishes have recovered without too many issues.

Many people forget that cloches aren’t just about warmth, in fact they are probably better at keeping the nasty weather out than keeping the warmth in. Several days of prolonged rain can be catastrophic to a newly planted crop of sweet corn, stunting their growth or maybe even causing them die. If they’re covered with a cloche the vast majority of the water is kept away from their stems and roots therefore preventing rot from setting in.

Although I am a huge fan of the poly tunnel style cloches due to their ease of use and ability to be stored easily, they are not the most attractive things. There is an answer, I have located a range of Victorian style bell cloches, although these only cover a single plant, they look stunning and are perfect for your early lettuces.