Use cloches and covers without overheating plants

When to do it

For a specific need such as cold protection or insect exclusion.

What you need

• A suitable cover
• Hoops and secure fixings
• Thermometer if enclosed

How to do it

1. Decide what the cover must do. Clear plastic traps heat; fleece offers some cold protection; insect mesh excludes pests that cannot pass through its openings.
2. Provide support so material does not crush the crop and leave room for growth.
3. Secure edges while providing the ventilation appropriate to the material. Open enclosed cloches on warm days and inspect temperatures.
4. Check moisture beneath the cover and look for trapped pests. For crops needing insect pollination, allow access at flowering or use the suitable crop-specific method.
5. Remove the cover when its purpose is finished, adjusting exposure gradually if plants have grown in sheltered conditions.

What success looks like

• The crop is protected without scorch, persistent condensation or restricted growth.

Watch out for

• Leaving clear plastic closed in sunshine.
• Excluding pollinators from crops that need them.

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