Cloche Hoops

average_runner · 30-04-2012 8:48am #1

Hi All;

I have a raised bed thats 4ft wide and 10ft in length. I want to put a small pollytunnel on it, anyone know where i can get some 4ft hoops?

Thanks

redser7 · 30-04-2012 9:05am

Plumbers pipe works well. See if there is a plumbers merchant near you. It will need to be more than 4 foot in length though. You would need about 4 or five hoops, each one being 8 - 10 foot long, depending on whether you are just pushing them into the soil or fixing them to a timber frame of some sort.
But have seen people use cut up hoola hoops, maybe keep your eye out for them in euro shops etc.

average_runner · 30-04-2012 9:38am

Cool thanks for that. How do you attach the plastic to the hoops, as would like to pull it up to access it sometimes.

Thanks

sirpsycho · 30-04-2012 9:49am

Have a look here: http://www.youtube.com/user/allotmentdiary

That guy has a very good video on how to assemble a mini-tunnel.

redser7 · 30-04-2012 12:02pm

He's done an excellent job. There are simpler ways too, like just tack the polythene to a length of timber and roll it up and down as needs be. Something like this ...
http://www.google.ie/imgres?q=cold+frame+photos&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=829&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=ATUQNtibOyjzsM:&imgrefurl=http://www.dleland.com/Cold_Frame.htm&docid=KUNRXebzNlCpvM&imgurl=http://www.dleland.com/images/ColdFrame/CF03.JPG&w=640&h=512&ei=ll6eT4eDNoSYhQfNopWMDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=398&vpy=506&dur=5286&hovh=201&hovw=251&tx=122&ty=152&sig=106709979732036779283&page=1&tbnh=147&tbnw=187&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:16,s:0,i:99

paddy147 · 30-04-2012 6:31pm

1/2 inch Black Hydrodare piping (black plastic water pipe) works a treat for cloche hoops.Bends easily and holds that shape too.

All you need to do is look on any allotment and you will see plenty of mini pollytunnels and cloches made this way.

1/2 inch hydrodare pipe is about 1 euro 20 cents per meter in any builders providers.

Rosahane · 01-05-2012 10:00am

I use half inch Qualpex which is a central heating pipe. It's about €1 per metre in builders providers - 50% more in DIY shops :mad:

For fixing the fleece etc. I use a combination of clothespegs and a clip used for attaching half inch central heating pipe to joices etc. The clips are very secure and the clothespegs are handy when you want to open the side for watering etc.

For a four foot bed you probably want to cut the hoops about 8 feet long to allow about a foot in the soil either side. Your standard 2 metre fleece or netting will fit nicely

Cloche Hoops

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