Garden Cloche, Natural White Clay or Red Terra Cotta

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Details

Garden Cloche

Garden cloches have been used by European gardeners for centuries to protect tender plants and extend the growing season. In the great kitchen gardens of 19th-century England and France, clay and glass cloches were placed over young vegetables to create a sheltered microclimate—trapping warmth from the sun while shielding plants from cold winds and spring frost.

Terracotta cloches were especially valued because the natural clay allows the soil to breathe while moderating temperature and moisture. In traditional English gardens, rows of cloches were often seen protecting lettuces, herbs, and brassicas in early spring.

Today, gardeners continue to rely on this simple and elegant tool. A clay cloche blends naturally into the garden landscape while quietly doing the same job it has done for generations: helping young plants get off to a strong start.

Clay versions were especially useful for, protecting seedlings, blanching vegetables, moderating wind and temperature, discouraging pests

They were part of the same family of horticultural pottery that included rhubarb forcers and sea kale forcers, both staples of Victorian kitchen gardens.

• Handthrown by Peter in Rockdale, Wisconsin
• Traditional red terracotta, fired to 2100° F.
• Frostproof from delamination due to temperatures below freezing. 
• For outdoor use, but should be stored inside during winter months to ensure maximum years of use.

Dimensions (In)

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Care Guide

This pot was fired to 2100 degrees Fahrenheit, but care should be taken to not leave the pot outdoors in freezing temperatures, where ice and snow could collect around the base, allowing the freeze/thaw cycle to cause cracking due to thermal expansion.