Cloches

Growing seasons can be substantiall extended, on the front and back end, by covering some of your garden rows with cloches. In the Puget Sound's cool climate, growing some heat-loving plants like sweet potatoes and melons is virtually impossible without cloches. The most economical and practical tunnel cloche consists of large hoops, with ends pushed into the soil, covered with 3 mil or 4 mil polyethylene. I have tried making hoops of both pvc plastic and metal conduit pipe. The metal conduit works best. Buy 10' lengths of the cheapest (~$2 ea) grade of electrical steel conduit (EMT). You will also need to buy or borrow a pipe bending device. Put three 30 degree bends in the pipe, at the center, and 3' from each end. Space the hoops at 3', impaling the ends in the soil. Cover with 10' wide 3 mil polyethylene film, burying the film along the sides with dirt. The film needs to be affixed to the end hoops with some kind of clip. Commercial clips are terribly expensive. I make clips by cutting 4" pieces from old worn-out garden hose, and making a lengthwise cut in each piece. The ends of the cloches must be opened at times if hot sunny weather causes the interior of the cloche to warm excessively. Either leave them open permanently, or use old pieces of window glass to form movable doors at the ends. This system is remarkably inexpensive. Hoops and film to cover a 30' row will cost $20. The hoops will last forever and the film will last for 2 seasons.

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