DIY Cloches

Dodser

Cloches cost a fortune. I was just wondering if anyone has and idea/links to making their own? I had a crack at it last year with some bubble wrap and piping. It lasted a couple of days before blowing away:o.

Dodser

found this interesting forum on the topic for whoever might be interested...

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/undercover-operations/diy-cloches_12206.html

jobrok1

You could try building a cold frame like in the file attached.

Replace the timber all around with plastic sheeting and you have a regular cloche.

Dodser

Cheers Jobrok. It certainly is an attractive looking alternative. Might just have a crack at it in the winter months. Needed to get some tomato and courgette plants out pretty soon though. so ended up buying some plumbing piping and 500 gauge polythene from the local building supplier and some clips for tying the polythene into the ground from ebay. I'll post a pic up of it in situ when finished if I get a chance.

Sapsorrow

We built four 10 metre long and 1.5 metre wide cloches this year for roughly 300 euro.
You buy the proper plastic with the built in sun blocker from a place that sells it for putting up polytunnels. You also need plenty of 1/2 inch black plastic hosepipe from a hardware shop.
You first prepare the spot by raking etc, then dig a deep trench down one length of the bed (the side that will be permenantly closed).
In the trench bury one side of the polytunnel plastic and compress it with by walking on it. Note here you need to leave a lot of length on each end AND each side for later.
Then you need to get your supports up, using a sledgehammer put a line of wooden beams down the centre of the bed and to each of these bend an arc of piping over bringing the two ends of the pipe down to the far side of the bed on either side of the wood. Nail the pipe down to the top of the wooden beam. Push the ends of the pipes deep into the ground depending on what height you need.
You need plenty of these supports though, we made 10 for a 10 metre long one although a thicker pipe (which is a lot more expensive) will require fewer supports to go in.
Then pull the plastic over the pipes down to the ground on the other side of the trench so now you should have a basic tunnel shape, you need to pull the plastic at both ends as taught as you can (you need two sets of hands here) and bury them or use LOTS of big rocks to weigh them down. Basically here you need a lot of weight of in the winter the wind will gradually loosen the whole structure and the plastic will probably end up ripping.
Then to hold down the 'access' side we use long old planks of wood which we place lengthways on top of the end of the plastic and put old concrete bricks on top of the wood. This way the weight of the bricks is more evenly distributed and the plastic won't tear in the wind.
Not sure if this is clear enough, I'm no engineer jsut PM me if it needs further explanation!
This is a great alternative to a polytunnel as you get way more floor space for the price of the plastic and you can get good enough height for tomatoes which is the tallest thing most people grow in a tunnel anyway!

skywalker_208

khrystyna100 wrote: »

We built four 10 metre long and 1.5 metre wide cloches this year for roughly 300 euro.
!

Any chance of a photo Khrystyna100?

Sapsorrow

skywalker_208 wrote: »

Any chance of a photo Khrystyna100?

Yup I'l do my best, still haven't figured out how to do photos on boards but I'll give it a go!