A climate cloth is essential in every vegetable garden. It's also frequently used in the Rootsum garden. Below are the benefits of a climate cloth, practical guidelines, and tips.
Benefits
- Protects against birds, butterflies, moths, and rodents.
- Creates a microclimate that accelerates plant growth.
- Facilitates outdoor cultivation of warmth-loving crops like bell peppers.
- Shields plants from cold and hail in the spring and sunburn during heatwaves.
- The ground under the climate cloth retains moisture, reducing the need for frequent watering.
How much climate cloth do I need?
This climate cloth is cut to size from a roll, available per running meter, with a minimum order of 3 meters. The cloth has a fixed width of 4 meters.
If you need two pieces of 10 meters in length and 4 meters in width (i.e., "10m x 4m"), you should add this twice to your shopping cart.
Make sure to allow enough slack in the climate cloth so that your crops can grow freely. To prevent vegetables from growing into the fabric, regularly lift the cloth from the plants. For crops that remain in the garden for a longer period, consider building a tunnel structure.
Technical Information
- Can be loosely laid over crops and secured on the sides or pinned down.
- Weight: 38 g/m2
- UV-stabilized HDPE, tape fabric
- Long lifespan with proper use
- Available per running meter from 3 meters, always 4m wide.
Laying over the crops
Given its lightweight nature, the climate cloth can easily be draped over crops. It's crucial to account for the upward growth of vegetables underneath. The cloth should have enough slack to be pushed up by the growing plants if needed. This loose laying method is particularly useful for short-term use or frequent removal. I usually secure the cloth only at the sides during strong winds.
Loose laying example
In the spring, I use this over my strawberry patch to keep birds from the fruits. If the spring is particularly rainy, I remove the cloth from the strawberry plants at night to avoid excessive moisture, which can promote botrytis (gray mold). The cloth also needs to be removed daily during harvest.
Faster germination and protection against pigeons
After sowing peas, I cover the seedbed with climate cloth. This accelerates germination and protects young pea shoots from being eaten by pigeons. The cloth is anchored on the sides to prevent it from blowing away. I use ample cloth to allow the growing peas to push it upward. If it rains heavily, the waterlogged cloth can weigh down on and hinder the peas' growth. Therefore, it's essential to occasionally shake the cloth loose to ensure unhindered pea growth. Once the peas reach about 10 cm in height, we set up an iron net for them to climb. The climate cloth can then be removed as pigeons usually leave the young plants alone.
Stretching over a tunnel
The climate cloth can also be stretched over a tunnel, especially for crops that remain in the vegetable garden for an extended period.
Example of cloth over a tunnel
All types of cabbages are protected under the climate cloth to prevent caterpillar infestations. Especially broccoli and cauliflower, which are susceptible to caterpillars, are always cultivated under the cloth. If you plan to grow Tuscan kale, it's better to place it under the climate cloth; otherwise, it might be fruitless. Ensure crop rotation to avoid placing the tunnel in the same spot within four years. Otherwise, caterpillar pupae from the soil might end up trapped inside the tunnel, defeating its purpose.
Building a tunnel yourself
I first dig two trenches for planting cabbages, ensuring easy watering. Over the trenches, I place arches made of electrical pipes, spaced 80 cm apart. Over these pipes, I stretch the climate cloth, securing it on the sides with stones or iron rods. Alternatively, you can make slits with a spade, push the mesh in, and then close the slit. However, this method has drawbacks, as the cloth remains damp and can't be easily removed for harvesting or weeding. Lastly, I place additional electrical pipes over the cloth. For weeding and harvesting, one long side of the tunnel can be easily lifted. Ensure the cloth is firmly secured to prevent damage by birds and butterflies. Of course, both the front and back of the tunnel should be sealed, requiring an extra 3 m of cloth (1.5 m on each side). With a 4 m wide mesh, you can construct a tunnel covering a ground area of approximately 1.5 - 2 m in width.
Written by Es Mannaerts