Maxi-Cloche - Large format crop protection

Polynet Maxi-Cloche is a new cloche system designed by Polynet Products Limited for use by commercial growers and large scale home growers to extend growing seasons, increase yield and to provide protection from pests and extreme weather.

The COVER - TUNNET Heavyweight Crop Cover 8m x 50m

Knitted from transparent UV stabilised HD polyethylene thread, Tunnet is permeable to air and water, preventing overheating, excessive humidity and condensation. With 19% shading & covering of 98% Tunnet cover provides ideal growing conditions.

The STRUCTURE - Fibreglass & Steel

Polynet Maxi-Cloche uses galvanised steel supports to hold high tensile fibreglass rods at the ideal angle for maximum span and strength.
The supports are constructed of tubular steel and feature strong forks that are reinforced with plate steel to minimise movement in the ground.
Spanning the 7.1m width the Maxi-Cloche uses UV stabilised, high tensile 19mm fibreglass rods each 7.2m long.
The rod and support sets are installed 4m apart (2m for ends) to span a row length of 40m which allows clear crop coverage of at least 46m.

The FASTENING - Clips, rope & golf balls!

The Tunnet cover is fastened at the ends by wrapping the corner of the cover around a golf ball - or golf ball sized rock - and tieing securely under as much tension as possible to end stakes.6mm polyethylene rope is tied - under tension - between end stakes. The sides of Polynet’s Maxi-Cloche are secured by plastic butterfly clips which wrap the cover around the side rope and fasten onto hooks on the side of the supports.  One side may be untied and then unclipped and the cover slid off to one side to gain access for weeding/spraying or to harvest.

The Maxi-Cloche has been developed, refined and tested in partnership with a leading Christchurch commercial grower at Marshlands through the winter & spring of 2009.  The Maxi-cloche protected the crop from typical stormy spring weather and withstood both the very strong nor'west gusts and the incessant easterlies that tend to pound Christchurch at that time of year.  Benefits included frost protection, increased yield and a reduction of pest damage.

Download Max-Cloche brochure pdf