Propagators, cloches, polytunnels & coldframes

If you’re really into growing your own, there are lots of ways that you can extend the growing season – propagators, cloches, polytunnels and coldframes can all be used. Propagators will help you get your seeds off to a good early start. Some are heated, which are perfect for the more exotic forms of vegetables, such as aubergines and chillis. Others are not heated, but act like a mini greenhouse – wonderful for using on a windowsill or in a conservatory to give you a bit more growing space at the start of the season. Cloches can give individual plants a bit of protection in the colder months, while polytunnels allows you to protect a whole row (or rows) or crops, depending on how big they are. Coldframes are excellent for hardening off your new plants before planting them in the garden.