la Brocanteuse

Aug 19, 2010

To cloche or not




I am convinced the Prince has a hidden warehouse full



Cloche (pronounced kl-osh) is the French word for "bell." 
A garden cloche is a clear object used to cover plants and protect them from frost, while allowing sunlight through at the same time.




The original cloches were large bell-shaped jars that 19th-century French market gardeners placed over plants in spring and fall to act as portable miniature greenhouses. At one time, these glass jars covered acres of fields outside Paris that supplied out-of-season vegetables to the city's households and restaurants.



Cloches can also be used to encourage better germination and quicker growth of spring sown parsley. Any late sown parsley can be protected by cloches from late autumn onwards to provide fresh parsley throughout the year.




Cloches are very useful for raising and overwintering plants sown direct from seed and forwarding the early plants after they have been placed in their final growing position in the spring.





I found the following tips via IGROW VEG
http://igrowveg.com

Advantages of Cloches:

  • They can protect seedlings from frost, wind and cold temperatures.
  • They can warm up an individual vegetable, row or area in the spring to allow early sowing.
  • They can help maintain healthy growth of the seedling or plant.
Disadvantages of Cloches

  • Solid cloches rely on you to remove them when watering. Although self-watering cloches are available that have holes in the top for rainwater, they divert the rain collected on the sides back towards the plant.
  • The spring or summer sun can damage seedlings through a glass or plastic cloche.
  • Pests and diseases could attack under a cloche and you may not be aware until the cloche is removed. 





Le Prince  Jardinière


have a lovely week


Colette x

18 comments:

Belle de Ville said...

I love these. If only I had the seedlings to protect.

Dianne said...

what a lovely post -I have never seen these glass cloches before Everytime I hear the word "cloche" I think of the Tina Arena song "les trois cloches" I have that on my mp3 player and love to play it over and over! so french. Have a lovely week-end!
~Dianne~

Mona thompson said...

I've never used a cloche in the garden but have several in my kitchen and have a lot of fun with them. Really enjoyed learning about their intended purpose. Have a great weekend. Mona

La Brocanteuse said...

Hello dear friends~
Belle de Ville: hope you find a spot to cloche some seedlings!
Dianne: I am not familiar with this song, and will def look out for it - thnx..
Mona: I also enjoy using my cloches in the kitchen and conservatory, from covering cheese at dinner to filling it with autumn leaves in all the autumn colors-(fill it upside down and turn over on pretty plate),..

I simply adore all cloches and and domes!

Shel said...

Hello again! Once again such beautiful pics and enjoyed the info on the cloches.
Have a wonderful weekend and keep warm.
Shel x

La Brocanteuse said...

Hello Shel! thnx for popping in! alway nice to see fellow South African comment on my blog...have a lovely weekend too.Colx

desde my ventana said...

Love your photos and this interesting information!!!
Bss and happy weekend,
Cecilia

La Dolfina said...

I recently saw some some of these gorgeous garden cloches at a fantastic shop called Chateau Sonoma.
I was drooling... I love Le Prince Jardiniere, is he for real? Love his chartreuse green velvet suit and red hair especially!
Love,
Terri

Tricia Rose said...

Hello fellow Francophile! I have from time to time used the end of a plastic bottle as a cloche - not the same is it... but I love gardening.

Blooming Rose Musings said...

You always have a stunning post for us. Your pictures and informations are lovely as well as useful. I always find your posts so appealing.
I have a small cloche collection on my mantle and I use them for all kinds of things. I love them. I also have a few in my kitchen. They are such graceful items and can make the most simple thing look very special.
Thank you and I always love to visit your very special blog.
XO

La Brocanteuse said...

Terri;
the Prince Jardiniere is VERY much for real. he has the most wonderful outlet at DEYROLLE in PARIS where he is actively involved (amongst various others over France)..

Tricia Rose; I have never tried the plastic bottle solution- necessity breeds creativity!

Blooming Rose Musings;
I feel honored and flattered, thank you very much for your kind words and compliments.

Col xo

Mélanie A. said...

I love the shop of prince jardiner. I always found surprises

desde my ventana said...

Hello Colette
This evening I have bought a cloche in a sale..I love all of them.Thank you for your visits and comments,they are very estimate by me
I wish you a happy new week
Hugs
Cecilia

The visit to the fair of antiquities was not very interesting, there were no many things

Oliveaux said...

I love them all. I have got a couple of them inside for decoration but I do love the look of them in the garden. Have a great week! Ax

La Brocanteuse said...

Hello and welcome Oliveaux,
I agree, cloches both inside and outside for me too. also love Marriage domes..will be posting about them soon. xo Col

AntiqueChase said...

Love this post! Did you see the post I did on Cloches and bird nests??

Come look!!

maría cecilia said...

Hola Colette, this is very interesting but very expensive!!! You know what I use for this same purpose, transparent plastic bottles that I cut the bottom and them put them in the soil , they are very effective as well and for me they prevent the massive rabbits attack to my little darling seedlings!!!!!
cariños

Julio said...

Hola colette, muy buen post, quisiera saber si es muy caro hacer envios desde tu pais al mio. Buen finde