Homemade cloches??

jess444_2

Hi,
I started growing veg last year. Oh made me 3 raised beds which are great. :j Would like to extend growing season by making cloches for the beds (they are 8 foot by 4 foot) Saw somewhere that this could be done using plastic tubing to make arches and covering with plastic. Not sure what type of tubing is needed or where to buy it. Also does anyone know of where to buy large plastic sheets. Thanks.

a11waysindebt

You could try the platic water pipes for tubing and wilkinsons do some cheap plastic which should last a season.

Sola

I use huge water bottles with the bottom cut out. Obviously I use lots (1 per plant/2 plants) - I just take them out of people's recycling when I'm on a wander.

jess444_2

Thanks for your replies.
Will have a look in Wilkinsons for plastic and check out cheap hosepipe. I think I read that you could put dowling in the end to stick in the soil.

WestonDave

Bit out of left field but what about seeing if anyone on Freecycle has an old dome tent that has most of the glass fibre poles (but perhaps the canopy is no longer waterproof). These poles would bend nicely to give you an arch and would flex enough in the wind to take some of the pressure off your plastic sheeting. You can get metal loops with a screw thread on (bit like a hook but the O instead) - one of those screwed into the inside of your raised bed would hold the pole nicely.

If you wanted to get really flash you could heatweld or glue the ends of your plastic sheet back on itself to form a tube/loop to thread the poles through and end up with a really nice tight polytunnel effect.

jess444_2

Thanks westondave - whata good idea.