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| Oregon State University Extension |
Want to extend your growing season? Build a raised bed cloche.
Cloche (pronounced klōsh) is a bell or dome-shaped cover used to protect small or delicate outdoor plants from frost and cold weather. This definition has expanded and includes the many types of portable and permanent structures used for sheltering plants from wind and cold – and serve as mini-green houses.
Cloches can increase the diversity of the crops you choose to grow with early planting by extending the growing season and harvest. Crops that would take longer to mature can be grown in a cloche, giving you a head start with the cooler Spring temperatures – also allows for growing later in the season. Some of those crops could include tomatoes melons, and peppers – the ones that need to be planted after danger of frost and mature later in the season.
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| Courtesy Gardener's Supply - regular garden cloche |
“Building a cloche 8 or 12 feet long and 4 feet wide costs about $150–$250 for materials. It’s important to use wood treated with water-based preservatives to increase the longevity of the structure and to use UV-treated 6-mil clear polyethylene plastic to reduce clouding”.
“Untreated polyethylene will cost less initially, but its lifespan is significantly shorter and it will likely become clouded and degrade after 1 year of use. When treated with a UV inhibitor, 6-mil plastic generally is guaranteed for 3 years”.
“The design presented in this publication will result in a structure approximately 8 feet long and 4 feet wide at the base, and 5 feet high at the center”. Look at the area you want to put a cloche in and the overall size can be adjusted. Cloches can get warm on sunny days and depending of where it is located, you may want to leave several inches at the top end open”.
Article: Oregon State University Extension
Build your own cloche