By definition, a garden cloche should be portable. It sits on top of a single plant to create a miniature greenhouse that traps heat near the plant, extending the growing season. You do not have to purchase these from a garden center. Make them at home by recycling used plastic milk jugs.
Clean the milk jug thoroughly and allow it to dry.
Mark a line around the base of the milk jug, 1 inch from the bottom.
Cut along the line with a utility knife to remove the base of the milk jug.
Place a milk-jug cloche over a frost-sensitive plant in the late afternoon before a light, overnight frost is predicted.
Remove the cap from the milk jug during the daylight hours to prevent the plant from overheating.
Place the cap on top of the jug when the sun sets to seal the warmth inside the cloche to protect the plant.
Pile mulch up the sides of the cloche to add more insulation to prevent the temperature inside the cloche from dropping too quickly as outdoor temperatures fall.
Remove the cloche once temperatures warm in the morning.
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Things You Will Need
- 1-gallon milk jug with cap
- Permanent marker
- Utility knife
- Use plastic 2-liter soda bottles instead of gallon milk jugs to cover smaller plants.
- Wear protective eyewear and use extreme caution when cutting the plastic milk jug.
- Do not use milk-jug cloches if the temperature will remain below 40 degrees for longer than 24 hours because they will not offer adequate protection.
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