Tunnel Cloches - anyone know where to get them?

Anyone seen any of the tunnel cloches? When I had my allotment 13 years ago you could get cloches that stretched over hoops. You wrapped the polythene at the end round a stake and hammered it into the ground. Each hoop had an eye on each side and you stretched string over the polythene at each hoop to hold it down. They were cheap, stable and very effective. I used to use them for all sorts of crops - early strawberries, melons, winter lettuce. I do remember getting replacement polythene and I used them a long time.Unfortunately the hoops must have been thrown out in a garage clear out. Have done a search on the Internet and cannot seem to find anything like them, just rather expensive concertina like cloches. I do remember Geoff Hamilton on Gardeners World (in the glory days when it was practical and full of good ideas) showing us how to make the hoops ourselves by bending the wire round nails set on board.
I know commercial growers used to use them as well.

 

I think this is what you're after, Geoff?
http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/search/product/Plant+Protection%5FCloches/GDN-340.htm

Or maybe not - seems to mention concertina....

I got one in the co-op last year - maybe that's worth a try?

 

No that one seems to have the hoops embedded in the sheeting. The ones I used were much simpler...and cheaper.

 

try the co-op then! I did get something like that from a non-gardening catalogue - if I come across it again, I'll let you know. And I'll keep looking....

 

I've just come across this, Geoff - it includes some instructions on making one....

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic_Gardening/1984_September_October/Undercover_Device__The_Cloche

 

Could you just you that corregated plastic sheeting you can buy from B&Q and such like and then just bend it over the top of the bed? That's what i was going to try.

 

Corrugated sheeting tends to become airborne quite easily and I should imagine more expensive. I would want stuff that could easily be set up for say a 30 foot row. The good thing about those tunnel cloches was that they were cheap, easy and they worked.

 

My friend and I kept our eyes open over the summer at the car boots and got some tents (none of them cost more than a pound or two). We use the bendy hoops out of them and just bought some polythene to go over them. Could do with some more, so will be on the lookout again this year!

 

We also used them for netting!!

 

If you can get hold of some fence wire you can make really strong hoops. I use it but slip bits of old garden hose on to reduce chaffing. I've used this method in the past for corrugated plastic cloches and with about 18 inches or more buried they didn't take off. I now use similar hoops, but extended by using thin tubing (cheap from B&Q) to support anti-insect netting over brassicas.
If you can make your own hoops, there are plenty of sources of horticultural grade polythene to be found on the web.