Garden Cloche: 5 Best Types to Protect Your Plants

Last Updated on November 3, 2025 by teamobn

A garden cloche is a small cover (glass, plastic, or mesh) that shields plants from frost, wind, and pests by creating a warmer microclimate. Expect a modest frost buffer of a few degrees, but interiors can run much hotter on sunny days — open vents or lift cloches daily to prevent overheating.

At a Glance

• Alternatives: row covers/low tunnels for rows; cold frames/mini greenhouses for more stable protection
• Protection: light frost, wind, and pests
• Best for: seedlings/young plants, early/late season protection
• Venting: open on sunny days; close at dusk if frost is likely

Note: Interiors can run 20–40°F hotter under sun, so vent daily to avoid heat stress (see Utah State University Extension).

5 Best Garden Cloches to Protect Your Plants

Choosing the correct garden cloche can protect your plants from cold, pests, and harsh weather. Choosing the right selection among so many might be difficult.

Below are five garden cloches with distinct strengths — mesh domes for pest control, clear bells for light frost protection, and a mini greenhouse for multi‑plant coverage.

1. Boldworks Garden Cloches (Steel Mesh, Heavy-Duty)

The Boldworks Garden Cloches stand out for their exceptional durability and robust design. Made from thicker 1.1 mm powder-coated steel mesh, these cloches provide better protection than many others on the market, which often use flimsy 0.8 mm mesh that can easily break or deform. 

Their fine mesh effectively keeps out squirrels, rabbits, birds, and other critters while allowing sunlight to pass through, ensuring your plants get the nourishment they need. The taller design, standing at 20 inches high, is ideal for safeguarding larger plants like tomatoes, strawberries, and saplings, making it a versatile choice for any garden.

What truly sets these cloches apart is their ability to withstand challenging outdoor conditions. Each cloche comes with four long, 3-inch legs that anchor firmly into the ground, preventing them from tipping over, even in heavy winds. Unlike painted mesh cloches that rust over time, 

Boldworks uses powder-coated steel for rust resistance and longevity. The pack includes six cloches with a 12-inch diameter, offering ample coverage for multiple plants. Whether you’re protecting a mulch bed or nurturing delicate seedlings, these cloches deliver reliable performance that lasts season after season.

2. VIVOSUN Garden Cloches

The VIVOSUN Garden Cloches combine durability and functionality, making them a reliable choice for protecting your plants. Constructed from powder-coated steel, these cloches are corrosion-proof, rust-free, and designed to endure harsh outdoor elements. 

The fortified wire construction provides a robust barrier against animal attacks, ensuring that your plants remain safe season after season. Measuring 17 inches tall and 12 inches wide, these bell-shaped cloches offer ample growing space for vegetables, fruits, flowers, and other plants, blending protection with practicality.

One of the standout features of the VIVOSUN Garden Cloches is their integrated folding stakes. Each cloche comes with four 2-inch folding metal stakes that easily anchor into the soil for a secure structure, even in strong winds. These stakes can be folded neatly for indoor use to prevent floor scratches while maintaining stability. Additionally, the flip-top design with two-part plastic clasps provides easy access for tending to your plants. 

You can prune, water, or harvest effortlessly through the hatch-style doorway. When not in use, the lightweight cloches can be detached and stored compactly. These cloches not only protect plants from rabbits, squirrels, birds, and other critters but also add a touch of elegance to your garden’s aesthetic.

3. Remerry Garden Cloche Clear Bell

The Remerry Garden Cloche Clear Bell is a compact and versatile solution for protecting your plants. Made from high-quality PET material, these cloches are lightweight yet durable, providing reliable protection for your plants against frost, bad weather, and pests. 

Each set includes yellow plastic plant labels for easy identification and metal ground securing pegs that firmly anchor the cloches into place, ensuring they stay stable even in windy conditions. Measuring 7.9 inches tall and 6.7 inches in diameter, these cloches are perfect for small to medium-sized plants, flowers, or seedlings.

One of the standout features of the Remerry Garden Cloche is its adjustable vents. These vents allow you to control the temperature and airflow inside the cloche to create the optimal environment for your plants. When the temperature drops, closing the vents helps retain warmth, while opening them during warmer weather improves air circulation and prevents overheating. 

This feature makes the cloche suitable for year-round use, adapting to various weather conditions. Whether you’re shielding seeds, flowers, or plants from frost or keeping them safe from hungry critters and birds, the Remerry Garden Cloche provides functional protection and user-friendly convenience.

4. Quictent Portable Mini Cloche Greenhouse

The Quictent Portable Mini Cloche Greenhouse offers a robust solution for gardeners looking to protect larger plant pots, seed beds, or clusters of plants. Its heavy-duty powder-coated steel framework ensures stability and durability, while the transparent PVC cover provides UV protection and is both waterproof and reinforced to withstand the elements. 

Measuring 71 x 36 x 36 inches, this greenhouse offers ample space for a variety of plants, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. For added security, the included guy ropes help firmly connect the cover to the frame, ensuring it stays intact even during windy conditions.

One of the most practical features of the Quictent greenhouse is its overlong cover design. This feature enhances airtightness and stability by allowing the edges to be buried in soil or weighted down with bricks, creating a secure and insulated environment. 

With its ability to trap ground warmth effectively, this cloche achieves an impressive 95% germination rate, significantly higher than the typical 80%. Equipped with two doors and four zippers, it offers easy access while allowing complete closure to retain warmth during winter. 

This portable mini greenhouse is a great choice for gardeners who want to maintain a warm, controlled environment for their plants year-round.

5. abcGoodefg Garden Cloche

The abcGoodefg Garden Cloche offers complete protection for your plants with its sturdy black iron construction and eco-friendly powder-coated finish. This durable cloche features a quality mesh design that allows sunlight and rain to pass through while keeping animals like rabbits, birds, and squirrels at bay.

 Each cloche comes with stakes to securely anchor it to the ground, ensuring stability in windy conditions, yet it remains lightweight and easy to reposition as needed. With a pack of 10 cloches included, this set is ideal for protecting multiple plants, whether in a flower bed, vegetable patch, or small pots.

One standout feature of the abcGoodefg cloche is its personalized labeling system. The set includes 20 tags that allow you to record plant names, planting dates, or care instructions, making garden management more accessible and enjoyable. 

The sleek black finish of the cloches not only enhances rust resistance but also seamlessly blends into any garden aesthetic, adding functionality without compromising on style. Designed for versatile use, these cloches are suitable for protecting flowers, fruit trees, and vegetables, making them an essential tool for cultivating a vibrant garden or maintaining a productive vegetable patch.

Comparison Table

What Is a Garden Cloche and Why Use One?

A garden cloche is a protective covering that is placed over plants to shield them from environmental stressors. Traditionally, cloches were bell-shaped glass domes used to insulate plants and trap heat. Today, they come in various designs and materials, such as clear plastic, wire mesh, and even portable greenhouse-style covers. These modern cloches serve a range of purposes, from protecting young seedlings to providing a barrier against pests.

The main function of a garden cloche is to create a controlled environment. It traps heat from the sun, creating a warmer microclimate that encourages plant growth. Cloches also allow sunlight and rain to reach the plants while keeping out frost, heavy winds, and even animals.

Benefits of Using a Garden Cloche

Depending on your garden’s needs, you can choose from a variety of cloche types to suit specific plants or gardening goals.

Frost Protection

Using cloches is mostly done by gardeners to guard their plants against frost. In colder months, frost can either kill or injure young plants and seedlings. Acting as a screen, a garden cloche traps warmth and keeps the frost off your plants. Extending the growth season in places with shorter summers will significantly benefit from this function.

Pest and Animal Control

Garden cloches are effective for deterring pests including rabbits, squirrels, and birds from your plants. Certain cloches, including wire mesh designs, limit entrance to creatures while yet allowing sunshine and airflow. Cloches are a green substitute for chemical repellents for gardeners battling ongoing pests.

Weather Protection

Delicate plants can be damaged by severe weather like high winds or heavy rain. A garden cloche offers a covering that guarantees your plants stay secure from the weather. A cloche keeps the surroundings steady, therefore lowering the chance of damage whether you are growing herbs, vegetables, or flowers.

Encouraging Growth

Cloches produce the ideal conditions for development by catching heat and preserving constant moisture levels. Cloches produce warmer temperatures that help plants flourish and could hasten germination and assist good growth. For beginning seeds or tending to young plants, this makes them especially helpful.

How to Choose the Right Garden Cloche for Your Needs

Choosing the correct garden cloche may really help to safeguard your plants and guarantee their good development. Given so many choices, it’s crucial to weigh elements including material, size, durability, and your particular gardening requirements.

A carefully selected cloche not only protects your plants from pests and strong weather but also generates the perfect microenvironment for development. This tutorial will enable you to negotiate the key elements to choose the ideal cloche for your garden.

Consider the Material

The material of the garden cloche determines its durability, functionality, and suitability for your garden. Here are some common materials to consider:

• Glass Cloches: Traditional and aesthetically pleasing, glass cloches provide excellent insulation and are ideal for protecting delicate plants. However, they can be fragile and are best suited for smaller plants or gardens with minimal risk of impact.
• Plastic Cloches: Lightweight and affordable, plastic cloches are popular for their versatility. They are UV-resistant and shatterproof, making them a practical choice for everyday use. Clear plastic allows sunlight to penetrate effectively, promoting plant growth.
• Wire or Metal Cloches: Ideal for pest control, these cloches are made of durable materials like powder-coated steel. They provide excellent protection from animals while allowing sunlight, rain, and air to reach the plants.

Each material has its benefits, so choose one based on the type of plants you want to protect and the challenges your garden faces.

Choose the Right Size and Shape

Garden cloches come in a variety of sizes and shapes to accommodate different plants and gardening spaces.

• Height and Width: Ensure the cloche is tall enough to cover the entire plant or allow for growth. For larger plants like tomatoes or shrubs, opt for cloches that are 16 inches or taller. For smaller plants, compact cloches work well.
• Shape: Bell-shaped cloches are traditional and versatile, while dome and tunnel-shaped cloches are better for rows of plants or seed beds. Mini greenhouses are excellent for covering larger areas or multiple plants at once.

Take measurements of your plants or planting area before purchasing to avoid sizing issues.

Evaluate Durability and Weather Resistance

The durability of a cloche is critical for long-term use, especially in outdoor conditions. Look for cloches with rust-proof coatings, UV protection, and materials that can withstand wind, rain, and temperature changes. For regions with heavy winds, choose cloches with anchoring stakes or an overlong cover design that can be buried in the soil for added stability.

Assess Ease of Use and Maintenance

A good cloche should be easily set up, moved around, and maintained. Changing vents lets you control airflow and temperature, therefore fostering a suitable habitat for plants. Removeable coverings or flip-top designs simplify access to plants for harvesting, trimming, or watering. Take also into account how simple it is to store and clean the cloche when not in use.

Balance Cost and Quality

Although choosing the most reasonably priced solution seems appealing, over time investing in a premium cloche will save you money. For temporary protection, budget-friendly plastic cloches are great; but, for year-round usage, pick a sturdy steel or high-quality PVC solution. To guarantee value for your money, search for cloches with warranties or favorable consumer comments.

Selecting the appropriate garden cloche calls for careful thinking on your gardening objectives, the plants you are safeguarding, and the difficulties in your current growing conditions. Focusing on material, size, durability, and simplicity of use can help you to choose a cloche that fits your requirements and improves your gardening experience.

Any gardener’s toolset should include a well-selected cloche as it not only shields your plants but also promotes their growth.

How to Use a Cloche Safely (and Actually Help Your Plants)

• Morning: Vent or remove on sunny days (heat can build rapidly inside). If outdoor highs consistently > 60°F, open early.
• Evening: Close vents before sunset if frost is possible; add mulch around the base for a few more degrees of protection.
• Wind: Stake or weigh down with pegs, bricks, or soil. For mini greenhouses, bury the skirt edges.
• Watering: Water soil, not foliage. Use hatch/vent/watering hole to avoid repeated lifting (bell types).
• Remove when: Plants outgrow the cloche or when daytime conditions stay mild (to prevent heat stress and etiolation).

DIY: Simple Bottle Cloche (2 minutes)

Supplies: 1 – 2 L clear plastic bottle, scissors/utility knife, gloves

1. Rinse and remove labels.
2. Cut off the bottom to create an open bell.
3. Place over seedling; twist 1–2 cm into soil.
4. Vent by removing the cap on sunny days; close before frost nights.
5. Optional: poke a small side watering hole; plug with tape/cloth when not in use.

FAQs

• Do cloches protect from frost?
  • Yes — typically a few degrees of protection. For deeper cold, add mulch or a frost cloth over/inside the cloche, or use a mini greenhouse. Vent daily on sunny days to prevent overheating.
• Do cloches need vents?
  • For clear/plastic cloches, yes. Open vents or lift the cover on sunny days. Close before dusk if frost threatens.
• Cloche vs. cold frame vs. row cover?
  • Cloches cover single plants; cold frames are lidded boxes for multiple plants; row covers/low tunnels protect entire rows with breathable fabric and can add several degrees of protection.
• Will a cloche stop rabbits and birds?
  • Mesh/steel cloches are effective physical barriers against rabbits, squirrels, and birds while allowing light and rain through.
• When should I remove a cloche in spring?
  • Once days are consistently > ~60°F and plants are established, or if plants are touching/pressing the cover.

Conclusion

Pick cloches to match your goal: mesh for pests, clear bells for light frost, or a mini greenhouse for seed beds. Use vents daily, anchor against wind, and remove once conditions warm—done right, cloches give seedlings a safer, earlier start and keep harvests going later.