Cloches, fleece, polytunnels...

Hi Matt,

Cloches are generally small 'mini' greenhouses or covers (plastic, polycarb) to warm the soil prior to planting and also to provide some protection for young plants from the weather. You can also have cloches made of eg chicken wire to protect plants from some pests ie cats or birds.

Fleece is lightweight material which helps provide protection to young plants from frosts. Or in some cases pests such as butterflies.

Poly tunnel is basically an overgrown cloche used in a similar way to a greenhouse.

Everyone will have adapted each type of protection to suit themselves. There are no hard and fast rules as to what you use for which (if that makes sense ).

Fleece is the only thing which will help to protect against the effects of frost though.

Nikki