tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post7220877898919299567..comments2024-03-26T17:53:49.471+00:00Comments on Mark's Veg Plot: Crop-protectionMark Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04558305122821209520noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-70337484429694013642012-02-19T11:44:59.173+00:002012-02-19T11:44:59.173+00:00I too dream of a polytunnel - and the space for it...I too dream of a polytunnel - and the space for it! I think those small green collapsing mesh cloches look good, lots of people use them up at our allotment site. We don;t have a fox problem so I actually find fleece really handy, together with home made structures made from hose or bamboo canes. Storage issues apart, your plastic cloches look good value.Janet/Plantaliscioushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15605580157193047780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-81983347161955472552012-02-18T15:38:58.997+00:002012-02-18T15:38:58.997+00:00Hi Mark, this was a very interesting post. I'v...Hi Mark, this was a very interesting post. I've been thinking about how to extend my growing season and trying to grow year round. I like the row covers but they are quite expensive. Hoop houses seem to be en-vogue here in the PNW. I have not tried them yet. I do like the idea of a cold frame, especially for wintering over herbs and maybe even starting a little lettuce early. I did purchase some propagators for my new indoor seed starts based off another blog post you did. I'm going to grow Tomatoes and Peppers from seed. Wish me luck! Cheers, JenniRainy Day Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06139202327960366363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-7443092209140068212012-02-18T14:26:25.195+00:002012-02-18T14:26:25.195+00:00Yes, It's getting to be about that time. I'...Yes, It's getting to be about that time. I've done inexpensive hoop house with poly covering, but the plastic doesn't last. My B-I-L has some old windows I'm going to try and repurpose, and then there is the technique Sue mentioned above.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14490964982321159910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-69039889887399128322012-02-18T12:09:41.302+00:002012-02-18T12:09:41.302+00:00I am hoping for a nice poly tunnel myself. I am go...I am hoping for a nice poly tunnel myself. I am going to try to piece some type of poly tunnel or hoop house together this summer. We have fox's as well but its skunks and the feral cats that give my garden the most problems.Dusty River Gardenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03861491991491825432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-48003535567708116012012-02-18T10:16:53.730+00:002012-02-18T10:16:53.730+00:00Great advice, now all I need is a few spare square...Great advice, now all I need is a few spare square metres!firefoodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10998508363568255408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-54274123233442078922012-02-18T09:53:26.578+00:002012-02-18T09:53:26.578+00:00This all makes me feel very bad for complaining ab...This all makes me feel very bad for complaining about a rubbish Sydney summer. Such dedication is involved in making a garden work in your climes. It looks lovely! Enjpoy spring and the fruit it brings. Louise gardenglutgardengluthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11878662637625011658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-67599599078369463922012-02-17T21:38:26.117+00:002012-02-17T21:38:26.117+00:00What a great post. I use the fleece, re purposed p...What a great post. I use the fleece, re purposed plastic, Lexan in the raised beds and whatever else works, even the large water cooler bottles with their bottoms off. <br /><br />We have foxes but strangely they haven't done damage. It is always great to read other gardeners approaches to extending the seasons. ThanksGardeningbrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10709940044197929905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-9644073616551812482012-02-17T20:49:26.990+00:002012-02-17T20:49:26.990+00:00Foxes sure do wreak havoc. I agree about fleece, i...Foxes sure do wreak havoc. I agree about fleece, it doesn't tend to last longer than a season, if that.Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17436932004631816039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-53435786652814632932012-02-17T19:52:32.296+00:002012-02-17T19:52:32.296+00:00All this cheap plastic. Really there must be a bet...All this cheap plastic. Really there must be a better way! I am very envious of all your growing space. Have you ever tried it the Alice Fowler way?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11431297921869969693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-1074445214196923032012-02-17T18:55:58.777+00:002012-02-17T18:55:58.777+00:00I use those green mesh concertina cloches for prot...I use those green mesh concertina cloches for protection they help to shade the plants a little as well. I have two self-assembly greenhouses which fit exactly over my raised beds you can roll the sides up and there is mesh inside. And the other day I bought a grow cover reduced from £30 to £10, so I think I'll be alright this year.elaine https://www.blogger.com/profile/17075935631756457901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-65289745024476830422012-02-17T18:10:32.513+00:002012-02-17T18:10:32.513+00:00I'm such a fan of row covers, unlike you. I ha...I'm such a fan of row covers, unlike you. I have a tendency to forget to take off things like plastic. So the plants wither from the heat on sunny days. Row covers are safer all around for me. It is annoying that they only get about half the rain as plants outside the tunnels. And they do rip easily. Luckily I don't have foxes. Cats yes, but they don't try to rip my fabric. I have had squirrels jump on them and rip them. They just don't last.Daphne Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305049560953735881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3840827850297141825.post-41528431920148258302012-02-17T18:09:41.336+00:002012-02-17T18:09:41.336+00:00We don't really want to spend so much on kit f...We don't really want to spend so much on kit for the allotment for fairly obvious reasons and aesthetics aren't as important so we use a makeshift type of cloches which is basically a piece of corrugated plastic sheet bent over to form a tunnel and held in place using short canes. We could put sheets of plastic etc at the ends but generally leave the ends open for ventilation as it is harder to keep opening and shutting the ends when they are on the plot rather than in our garden. <br /><br />I agree that fleece isn't very substantial so we use enviromesh instead as this lasts year after year. The fleece also used to end up with melted holes in it where the sparks from fellow plot holders bonfires had landed.Sue Garretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164518448098182276noreply@blogger.com