We use covers on new spring plantings of vegetables. Most commonly 25 to 30gsm fleece / row cover, to convert surplus spring light into the mossing warmth.. This fleece is made from plastic but I have not found an alternative, yet.
See an earlier video we made about using fleece in spring,    • Fleece to speed growth of new plantin...  

Now it's the last week of April. The weather is warming at last, so I ask myself how long to leave the covers on. In this video I show you many different vegetables whose growth has been mostly good under the covers.

You see the difference on growth, between a range of covers. How for example the thermacrop is less warm than fleece. However it gives good wind protection during the winter.
Mesh is good against insects, but mine is old and slightly damaged. Hence the flea beetle holes in radish leaves.

00:00 Introduction
00:41 Info on ‘Heart and Soil’ summit on 3rd May, and Earthed Project
01:24 Different types of covers – fleece and Thermacrop – temperature differences
02:07 No dig retains warmth in soil
02:30 Thermacrop over three trial beds – I explain the trial
04:16 Woodlice damage on spinach leaves – a result of wood in green waste compost
05:52 More on the three-strip trial
06:31 Multisown Tokyo Cross turnip, F1 hybrid
08:19 Mesh cover over radish – flea beetle damage (holes in fleece)
09:05 Carrots 9F1 hybrid Miami) sown with radish – poor germination, possibly due to slugs
09:30 Fleece staying on for time being, to protect against rabbits
09:47 More carrots sowings, different variety – early Nantes – better germination in comparison
10:03 Harvesting radish, Rudi variety
10:43 Cauliflowers under fleece, with some pest damage
1140 Cabbage and broccoli under fleece, to be replaced with mesh against pigeons
12:17 Celery under fleece, 25 GSM – my preferred thickness
13:09 Fleece on hoops, over lettuce – very little pest damage
14:04 I demonstrate picking outer leaves of hearting lettuce, Parris Island
15:00 Summary of different covers and their uses

Heart and Soil Gardening Summit free ticket: https://www.heartandsoilmagazine.com/...

Earthed crowdfunding page:    • Become a Founding Member of Earthed |...  

Links for purchasing fleece in the UK:
My affiliate link for 30gsm fleece, thermacrop and mesh at Gardening Naturally
https://www.paidonresults.net/c/57860...

Here's an eBay link for 25gsm fleece https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1331840045...

More on using covers in this Knowledge Pack: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/...

Filmed 28th May by Nicola Smith, at Homeacres, Somerset, England.

You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members:
   / @charlesdowding1nodig