What is garden fleece?
Garden fleece (sometimes called horticultural fleece) is a lightweight white fabric placed over plants to buffer them from cooler weather and protect them from frost damage.
Why use garden fleece?
Garden fleece provides protection against frost by creating an insulating layer above the plants.
Are there difference between different garden fleeces?
Yes, there are two main differences. Firstly the material the fleece is made from, most garden fleeces are made from petroleum derived plastics such as polypropylene and polythene whereas BioFleece is made of PLA created from plant material. Secondly the weight of a frost fleece varies with higher weights (GSM) being heavier material lto protect against lower temperatures. BioFleece comes in two thicknesses: BioFleece 30 is 30gsm, a heavy-duty garden fleece that will protect plants against air temperatures down to -5°C. BioFleece 18 is 18gsm, a lighter spring/autumn fleece protecting down to -1°C.
What is plastic-free garden fleece?
BioFleece is a plastic-free garden fleece. It looks like plastic, feels like plastic and performs the same job as plastic, only it is made from plant material.
Why use BioFleece instead of plastic fleece?
BioFleece will do the same job as high-quality plastic garden fleece, protecting plants from cold weather and frost. The difference is that BioFleece is more sustainable and better for the environment.
If BioFleece is biodegradable will it not degrade whilst I am using it?
Typically garden frost fleece only lasts for one or two years before it gets too damaged by the weather to be usable. BioFleece will give the same level of performance as plastic garden fleece and will last for up to two years without biodegrading.
What temperature will BioFleece protect plants against?
BioFleece 30 is a 30gsm frost fleece and will protect plants in air temperatures down to -5°C. BioFleece 18 will protect down to -1°C.
What are the benefits of garden fleece?
Garden frost fleece is primarily used to protect plants from frost damage. By providing protection against colder weather and a level of insulation around the plants it covers it can also be used to extend plant growing periods later into the autumn and earlier into the spring.
Why are there different weights of garden fleece?
Weight of garden fleeces are described as GSM (grams per square meter), this is how much material is made to make one square meter of fleece. The higher the gsm, the heavier and thicker the fleece.
Will garden fleece protect my plants against pest insects as well as cold weather?
Yes, as a physical barrier frost fleece will also protect plants from attack by pest insects. Attack from insects is however more of a problem in summer when temperatures are higher. Because of the higher temperatures frost fleece is not required, but protection against insects can be provided by other products such as InsectoNet insect netting.
Will using a frost fleece increase disease risk of the plants being protected from the weather?
If a frost fleece is manufactured with spinning technology, such as BioFleece, the frost fleece will have some porosity (small gaps in the mesh structure). These small gaps ensure moisture is still able to escape through the fleece so as not to increase the humidity and disease risk to plants protected underneath the frost fleece.
Will using a frost fleece make it too hot for plants?
Frost fleeces such as BioFleece are intended to be used during cooler weather to protect plants from the cold. Spun fleece material, such as BioFleece, has a level of porosity (small gaps in the mesh structure) which helps excessive heat escape and prevent overheating.
Will using frost fleece prevent bees pollinating my plants?
Yes, if BioFleece is covering your flowers, pollinators such as bees will not be able to reach and pollinate the flowers. If plants are being protected by BioFleece during flowering the BioFleece should be pulled back during the day to allow pollinators access to the flowers. BioFleece should then be returned over the plants in late afternoon as air temperatures fall.
Will using frost fleece encourage weeds?
Potentially yes as the warmer temperatures under the fleece made it a nicer environment for all plants good and bad. Weeds can easily be removed by pulling back the fleece (which will need to be done anyway to water and allow pollinating bees to access flowers) removing the weeds and then replacing the frost fleece.
Can BioFleece be used to protect large shrubs from frost?
Yes. Whilst BioFleece comes as a rectangular sheet, it is possible to either wrap it around large shrubs or cut it into the required shapes and sizes to make it suitable to them be fastened with string or ties.
Can BioFleece be used to insulate greenhouses and cold frames?
Yes. In the same way as standard plastic frost fleece can, attaching BioFleece to the inside of structures such as greenhouses and cold frames will add an extra layer of insulation.
How do I secure BioFleece?
BioFleece comes as a sheet of fabric. It can be secured to the ground with pegs weighted.