Cloche / Mini Hothouse From Empty Wine Cask

A cloche made from a 30 Litre bulk wine barrel, which my local bar supplies. Great for early planting of tomatoes and other frost sensitive plants.

For stability in windy conditions twist the barrel into the ground and hammer a stake through the opening in the top.

With your legs and feet holding the barrel, twist off the stand.

*Note that these barrels are pressurized so once you stab into them there will be a release of air (not sure what kind of air)

With a sharp, pointed knife, stab through the barrel near the base and continue to cut all the way around as straight as possible to remove the base.

Using a punch (or large flathead screwdriver) and a hammer, punch out the plug at the top of the barrel until you can pull the bag out from underneath.

The barrel has two layers. Between them is the label. Pry the layers apart and rip out the label.

Cover the plant, twist the cloche into the ground to keep it grounded and knock a stake in at an angle (away from the plant roots).

Humidity builds up inside the cloche (as seen in the second photo here). It could be an idea to remove the cloche on warm days to let the plant dry out and breathe. It may also help prevent leaf mould and pests attacking the plant.