cloche pics

[ckfe]

has anyone got any pictures on their blogs of cloche's made out of 2 litre pop bottles? i've done a search on them but 100s of different threads came up
also i've heard that ppl bury cut off pop bottles in the ground to water the roots or something.. do you cut the bottom off and then just bury the bottle narrow end first?

i'm a little bit confused

[tamsin]

Yep, cut off the bottom in both cases. For a cloche put it the right way up over the plant and sink it an inch or so to keep it in place. To use for watering bury it the other way up at least half way down. You can do the same with smaller bottles in the middle of hanging baskets.

[ckfe]

when i use it for a cloche do i leave the bottle top screwed on?

[pdblake]

If you look on my website (see sig below) there's a picture of some on the first page, just below the nettle beer

[ckfe]

thanks for that.. would i water it around it or down the hole? god i'm such a novice

[pdblake]

I water between them but usually end up sloshing it inside too

[ckfe]

and my next extremely stupid question is... erm, when i use them the other way and sink the narrow end into the earth to water the roots of the plants do i put any earth in the bottle or just leave it completely empty?
oh and if i sink it into the ground in the middle of the runner bean wigwam will the water reach all the roots?

[pdblake]

Never used them for that but I'd have thought leaving it empty would be best.

[tamsin]

Water around it if your using it as a cloche.

Leave it empty if you're using it for watering. You'd probably want more than one depending how many runner beans/how big your wigwam is.

[Florence Fennel]

when i use it for a cloche do i leave the bottle top screwed on?

Hi ckfe, I leave the top screwed on if it's cold and windy and at night. When the inside starts to steam up during good weather, I take the top off. Bit like a greenhouse really.

[ckfe]

can i put them straight over the top of a planted bean or do i have to wait till the seedling comes through?

[ckfe]

your website is an awesome mass of awesomeness!!!

If you look on my website (see sig below) there's a picture of some on the first page, just below the nettle beer

[Lemon]

and my next extremely stupid question is... erm, when i use them the other way and sink the narrow end into the earth to water the roots of the plants do i put any earth in the bottle or just leave it completely empty?
oh and if i sink it into the ground in the middle of the runner bean wigwam will the water reach all the roots?

I use empty water bottles with courgettes (as I'm told they are hungry feeders and like water when fruits are growing). I use the sports cap ones or failing that, puncture holes in the cap with a skewer. Snip the base off the bottle so it's kinda funnel like. I bury the bottle neck down (narrow end) next to the courgette plant - about half way, if too deeply, I find soil gets in and clogs the holes. When watering, the base of plant gets watered but I mainly try to fill the bottle up with water, This way the roots will get water to them.

Not tried it with a wigwam of runners - can't see why it wouldn't work. As I fill my bottles, usually the base of plants get watered too - so I wouldn't let the soil dry out too much.