Dated: August 14, 2016
[Image of healthy kale plants under a cloche]
The photo above displays four thriving kale plants I grew under a PVC hoop cloche. Using Agribon 19 row cover over the cloche effectively prevented flea beetles and cabbage worms from damaging the leaves. Without this cover, the plants would have resembled the following:
[Image of damaged kale plants]
These struggling kale plants were located just a short distance from the healthy ones in the previous picture.
I harvested the leaves from the healthy kale and dried them to create a nutritious green powder for winter use.
[Image of dried kale in a jar]
After harvesting, I needed to protect the four plants so they could produce more nutrient-rich leaves. The previous hoop cloche wasn’t tall enough anymore, leading me to purchase a Haxnicks Micromesh Lantern Cloche to test its effectiveness.
[Image of kale plants under a lantern cloche]
This photo shows the kale plants after harvesting the leaves and placing the lantern cloche over them.
[Image of kale plants under a lantern cloche after two weeks]
After two weeks, the kale plants in the Haxnicks lantern cloche looked like this.
[Image of kale plants with the cloche removed]
And this is what they looked like with the cloche removed.
There were enough leaves to fill my dehydrator once again.
My Excalibur dehydrator has ten trays, but I only utilize three when drying kale because I generously pile it up. As you can see in the third picture, a large pile of kale greens inside the dehydrator dries down effectively.
Of course, I thoroughly wash the leaves and use a knife to remove the center stem from each one.
Surprisingly, I discovered cabbage worm droppings on a few stems. It’s unclear how the cabbage worm butterfly entered and exited the cloche to lay its eggs. Fortunately, the damage was minimal, and I carefully washed the leaves to remove all the worms (I found three).
[Image of a cabbage worm]
After harvesting, I lightly tilled the soil around the kale plants.
[Image of harvested kale plants before cloche placement]
This picture shows the harvested kale plants before replacing the lantern cloche.
It’s worth noting that the stems where I cut the leaves will eventually wither and detach. The next picture illustrates this more clearly. I easily removed a stem from the first cutting – it practically fell off. Observe the clean scars where the stems from the first cutting were located.
[Image of a kale stem with a clean scar]
With the lantern cloche securely back in place, the kale plants are protected again.
[Image of kale plants under a lantern cloche]
The Haxnicks lantern cloche I used is the standard size, measuring 30" x 30" and 26" high. It cost $25.75 on Amazon.
The cloche comes fully assembled in the box. You simply take it out and twist the four corner support wires (which connect at the top) to pivot them outward and open the cloche.
Admittedly, figuring out how to turn and open it posed a slight challenge. It might have taken me 8-10 minutes, which is slightly embarrassing to admit. However, I eventually succeeded, and the cloche opened up beautifully.
Each bottom corner of the cloche has loops, and I use metal pegs through them to secure the structure. While the bottom sides don’t rest on the ground as firmly as I’d prefer, lifting up slightly at the midpoint, it’s not a major issue.
So far, I’m satisfied with this distinctive cloche. Its micro mesh allows light and rain to penetrate while effectively blocking flea beetles. It appears to be a durable piece of garden equipment that should last several years, though time will tell.
I’m contemplating ways to construct my own tall cloches and cover them with a screen material. This is essential for protecting cabbages, broccoli, and kale, which are highly susceptible to flea beetles and butterfly worms. It’s either that or resorting to insecticides, and I prefer to garden without them.