Cloche hoops and covering methods.

[StringfellowParticipant]

Hello,

I recently made some of my winter salad sowings (for planting outside) and I’m trying to look ahead a little re: protecting them when the weather turns colder. Although I have read info on this in both HTGWV and on the forums, there are a couple of things I hoped could be clarified?

Wire for cloche hoops over 4’ beds should be at least 4mm thick, otherwise they bend in the wind – 4mm wire is tricky to obtain – would 5mm or even 6mm make creating the little loops, for the cover retaining cord, difficult to manufacture?

On p.21 of HTGWV, what is the height, from ground to wire, in the centre of the hoops?

Lastly, I covered a brassica bed with mesh in July and it’s working well. Ideally, would this mesh cover be replaced with netting around early November, as netting will allow snow to fall thru?

Thanks for any help with all my questions! In the ‘This Month’ updates, I am finding your methods for battling perennial weeds most helpful and motivating. I am dealing with similar issues and it helps me to keep on track!

[charlesModerator]

 Yes it is a pity that 4mm wire is difficult to obtain and 5-6mm would be difficult to bend, might be possible. Or use alkathene water pipe pushed at its ends over sticks/bamboo in the soil, perhaps with small stakes and wires for running string around to hold the polythene down.

The height of my hoops above soil at their centres is about 60cm/2 feet, can be 75cm.

Good that your mesh cover is effective, you could leave it on, because netting also ‘catches’ snow unless the flakes are small and well frozen, which is unusual in GB.

Ah perennial weeds – glad you are getting there too. My couch is much weaker now, field bindweed still going, hedge bindweed much weaker from regular trowelling.

[GinamcconMember]

Ive used Sam-turner.co.uk for 250m worth of 4mm before priced and £46 plus £5 delivery.. I’ve also found newatlanticonline.co.uk do a 50m roll for £12.99 but £8.75 delivery. I searched under 4mm stock wire. Hope this helps.

[StringfellowParticipant]

Thanks very much, I shall see what I can find. A fellow allotmenteer may be interested in sharing a large roll of 4mm. I had found 350m of 4mm for £50 near to my location but that’s alot of hoops!!

The black plastic mulch is definitely weakening the rampant horsetail on my plot. However, the sheeting is gonna stay put for a long time yet – trowelling out horsetail where there is no mulch cover is time consuming; mulching makes my plot managable in these early stages

Best of luck with that bindweed.

[dan hazelrowanParticipant]

I have just received a roll of 5mm galvanised wire from jacksons fencing, and have made some hoops – works fine, bit tough to bend – a bit of elbow grease is required, and you would need some cutters that can handle 5mm wire. 

5mm seems similar to Charles’s hoops, which I have seen – they are definitely not 4mm which I found last year to buckle under wind and rain. I would definitely recommend trying the 5mm.

If you are using 4mm it would be worth 2 hoops to a metre.

6mm wire I couldn’t find, I don’t think anyone makes it anymore, I found a 2nd hand roll on ebay in Scotland but it weighed 190kg!

Happy cloching!

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