Cloches For Your Garden

Cloches???

I know what all of you fashion conscious folks are thinking after seeing the title.  Women's hats in the garden???  Well, not really. Cloche is a French word (right, Meg?) for a glass bell jar. It later ( the 1920's)came to be used for hats of that shape. But, in the world of gardening, it originated as a glass jar placed over plants when cold weather threatened. You can buy garden cloches online or at garden centers. (The one pictured below is featured online by English Creek Gardens.) Some are plain jars and some are fancy. White plastic sheet material stretched over heavy curved wire is also marketed as a type of cloche. Or you can create your own using recycled materials.

If you're planning on putting plants out early in the garden and you live in US hardiness zone 2 through 7, you are always taking a chance that frost will occur in March, April and even May depending on your zone. Those of you in eastern Virginia (zone 7), Maryland and much of south and central Pennsylvania (zone 6), should  take care. Watching daily temperature forecasts is a must.

If you'd like to make some cloches to have available just in case you need them in the future, you can probably do so with things you already have in your home.  The cheapest and simplest homemade cloches are those made from clear two liter soda bottles. Simply trim off the bottom of the bottle with a pair of scissors. Keep the cap.  You'll also need to find sticks that are long enough and thin enough to place inside the bottle and into the ground below the bottle.

Last year (2010), we had a very mild March at least until the last week (March 26 & 27) when temperatures dropped well below freezing for several nights in a row and the days were cold but sunny. My cloches were a lifesaver for the individual plants I needed to protect. I also had several old blankets which I rolled into a thick cover for several beds that needed to be protected. You probably wont have enough cloches to cover 48 individual sugar pea seedlings in an eight foot bed so old blankets or tarps come in handy.

So save those 2 liter bottles (we rarely have soda bottles, but gallon plastic jugs serve the same purpose) and some dowel like sticks for the emergency. When the temperature is going to drop, you'll be prepared. Place the bottomless bottle over the plant during the day. Run the stick through the top to keep it in place and from blowing away in a breeze. The sun will warm the soil around the plant during the day. As dark approaches, push the stick down to just below the bottle top threads. Place the cap on the bottle. This will help retain the warmth stored in the soil during the overnight period. If the temperatures are not going to rise into the 40's, you can leave the bottle top on during the day as well. But higher temperatures in bright sun could very well cook your plants....another time to be cautious.

On a final note, if you have a prolonged period of severe cold, even the cloches will be hard pressed to save the plants. It's the risk we take when starting a garden early in the season.

I'll see you later in the week. Keep those umbrellas nearby!