Horticultural fleece is a thin, nonwoven,

polypropylene Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. It is produced via chain-growth polymerization from the monomer propylene. Polypropylene belongs to the group of polyolefins and ...

fabric which is used as a floating

mulch A mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil. Reasons for applying mulch include conservation of soil moisture, improving fertility and health of the soil, reducing weed growth and enhancing the visual appeal of the area. A m ...

to protect both late and early crops and delicate plants from cold weather and frost, as well as insect pests during the normal growing season. It admits light, air and rain but creates a

microclimate A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...

around the developing plants, allowing them to grow faster than the unprotected crops.
British

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

website page ''Using horticultural fleece on early crops'' (Archived)

Methods of use

Available in rolls of various widths, the fleece is laid across sown seedbeds or on the top of juvenile plants.
wbnnorthhills, horticultural blog If fleece covers rows it is known as a kind of

row cover In agriculture and gardening, row cover is any transparent or semi-transparent flexible material, like fabric or plastic sheeting, used as a protective covering for plants, usually vegetables. Covers are used to extend growing seasons, and redu ...

. The edges may be secured with pegs, soil bags, or other weights if the site is small or not too exposed to winds, or buried in slit trenches. It will stretch slightly in use, which allows the plants to grow. For taller plants grown in rows or blocks, heavy-duty fleece can be used to fashion a form of " cloche", i.e. a small tent structure. When used as a protection against wind the fleece is wrapped around, or covered over the delicate plants to protect them from frost and cold wind.

Uses

* Extending the growing season for vegetables by allowing earlier sowings in spring and later cropping in autumn * Hardening-off seedlings before

transplanting In agriculture and gardening, transplanting or replanting is the technique of moving a plant from one location to another. Most often this takes the form of starting a plant from seed in optimal conditions, such as in a greenhouse or protected Pl ...

them * Protecting winter crops, allowing them to produce softer, more palatable growth than unprotected plants * Providing extra warmth for crops of borderline hardiness * Winter protection for ornamental plants and fruit blossomFruit: protecting from frost / Royal Horticultural Society
British

website page ''Protecting fruit from frost'' * Protection from pests such as pigeons,Gardeners' Tips blog
/ref> rabbits, carrot fly,Advice / Royal Horticultural Society
British

website page ''Carrot fly (''Psila rosae'')'' small white and large white butterflies, etc. flea beetles, cabbage loopers, and many other common garden pests.

References

Sustainable gardening {{horticulture-stub