Andermatt Home & Garden
BioFleeceĀ® 18 (2x10m)
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Looks like plastic, made from plants. 100% biodegradable heavy duty frost fleece.
Protect your plants down to -1Ā°C.
Use BioFleece 18 to create a pocket of air around plants to protect them from light frosts.Ā
Easy to cut with scissors, BioFleece can be adjusted to any size and shape required.
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When is it best to use?Ā
Can be used year round, although frost protection is mostly needed October to April.Ā
The problem:
Cool air temperatures slow the growth of plants early in the season and ground frosts can kill plants. Increasingly unpredictable spring weather can result in cooler days and nights early in the growing year. Protecting seedlings and young plants early and late in the season will help plants grow during cooler periods.
The product:
BioFleece works the same as commonly used plastic fleece protecting the plants underneath from the cold. The difference is that BioFleece is made from plants, not petroleum.
The light weight fleece material of 18 grams per square meter (18 gsm) will protect plants in temperatures down to -1Ā°C.
The BioFleece will help form a warm pocket of air between the soil and the fleece, trapping warm air around the plants to help great a better growing environment.
How to use:
Ideal for use on spring sown plants and early germinating seedlings.
Either lay the fleece directly over the plants to be protected or on top of a supporting structure. Secure the edges to the ground, for example with pegs or stones. Water and feed plants by removing the netting.
BioFleece can be used to protect any plant. If using on fruits and vegetables which require pollination by bees whilst BioFleece is being used, remove the fleece during the day whilst in flower to allow bees to visit.
Store | Brush clean after use and store in a dark, dry place. |
Use | Light frost protection. |
Shelf Life | Generally lasts asĀ long as traditional plastic fleece. |
Important information |
Similar to plastic light frost fleece made from petroleum, light weight fleece will risk tearing if not handled gently. |
Product size | One piece of material 2 x 10m. Can be cut with scissors to adjust size and shape. |
What is garden fleece?Ā
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.Ā
Why use garden fleece?Ā
Garden fleece provides protection against frost by creating an insulating layer above the plants.Ā Ā
Are there difference between different garden fleeces?Ā
Yes, there are two main differences. Firstly the material the fleece is made from, most garden fleeces are made from petroleum derived plastics such asĀ 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 -5Ā°C.Ā BioFleece 18 is 18gsm, a lighter spring/autumn fleece protecting down to -1Ā°C.
What is plastic-free garden fleece?Ā Ā
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.Ā
Why use BioFleece instead of plastic fleece?Ā
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.Ā Ā Ā
If BioFleece is biodegradable will it not degrade whilst I am using it?Ā
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.Ā Ā
What temperature will BioFleece protect plants against?Ā
BioFleece 30 is a 30gsm frost fleece and will protect plants in air temperatures down to -5Ā°C.Ā BioFleece 18 will protect down to -1Ā°C.
What are the benefits of garden fleece?Ā
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.Ā Ā Ā
Why are there different weights of garden fleece?Ā
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.Ā
Will garden fleece protect my plants against pest insects as well as cold weather?Ā
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 asĀ InsectoNet insect netting.
Will using a frost fleece increase disease risk of the plants being protected from the weather?Ā
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.Ā
Will using a frost fleece make it too hot for plants?Ā
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.Ā Ā
Will using frost fleece prevent bees pollinating my plants?Ā
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.Ā Ā
Will using frost fleece encourage weeds?Ā
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.Ā
Can BioFleece be used to protect large shrubs from frost?Ā
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.Ā
Can BioFleece be used to insulate greenhouses and cold frames?Ā
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.Ā Ā Ā
How do I secure BioFleece?Ā
BioFleece comes as a sheet of fabric. It can be secured to the ground with pegs weighted.