Slitted plastic?

[Snadger]

The emphasis seems to be on fleece these days but you used to be able to get a 'slitted' polythene cloche cover?
It was basically polythene with small slits in it which were draped over plants. It grew 'wiith' the plants and the slits opened up allowing rainwater or hosewater for that matter to get through.

Anyone know if you can still get it?

[SarzWix]

I've just bought some Haxnicks EcoGreen Aerated Polythene 6ft x 33ft, sounds like the same stuff? It says "unique perforations allow pollinating insects, air and moisture to pass through.." It's on the Giveaway page of GYO http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/giveaway.php under 'Feeling Fruity'
Is that the stuff you're looking for?

[Hazel at the Hill]

I think that the stuff Snadger is asking about has slits in rather than holes - the advantage of the slit plastic is that the slits allow the whole plastic sheet to expand and 'grow' with the plants.

But I don't know where you can get hold of it.

[PAULW]

LIDL's cloches are made of a similar material cost about £3.50 with plastic hoops for support

[Snadger]

I've just bought some Haxnicks EcoGreen Aerated Polythene 6ft x 33ft, sounds like the same stuff? It says "unique perforations allow pollinating insects, air and moisture to pass through.." It's on the Giveaway page of GYO http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/giveaway.php under 'Feeling Fruity'
Is that the stuff you're looking for?

Thanks for the link SarzWix, It's similar in concept, but not the stuff I mean. I think Hazel knows what I mean, but like me, doesn't know where to get it!
It probably has a trade name (if you can still get it!) and until I find out what its called I have no search criteria!

[nick the grief]

I've a feeling it was called floating cloche or something similar. If it's what I'm thnking of there were little flaps in it and it was used in the Melborne Cloche an as it heated up the warm air escaped thru the slots.

[beefy]

Coming at it from another veiw - would the stuff that farmers use to start maize be the same Snadger ?Plastic with fine slits in it that helps heat the ground and lets the maize escape and grow when its tall enough.

[Snadger]

I've a feeling it was called floating cloche or something similar. If it's what I'm thnking of there were little flaps in it and it was used in the Melborne Cloche an as it heated up the warm air escaped thru the slots.

Seem to remember your friend Geoff Hamilton used to advocate it's use quite a lot NIck!

[Cutecumber]

I know the material you mean.

Unfortunately it looks as if it's not in vogue, Snadger. Perforated sheeting is the nearest you can get now. Can't find any references to it in a thorough worldwide Google.

[SarzWix]

Could you possibly improvise one? If you had the right size piece of ordinary polythene, fold it, and cut slits along one edge? (A bit like kids making a snowflake from folded paper..?!)

[Snadger]

I imagine it must have met it's demise similar to the everlasting light bulb!

It looked like it would be re-usable from one season to the next so the makers of 'fleece' must have bought up the rights of manufacture and decided to 'fleece' us instead!