plastic cloches

I thought I wasn't going to use them this year, and actually considered tossing all my cut-off plastic bottles in the recycling bin- but then we had a few cold nights (almost down to forty degrees) so I went out and put them over all the youngest plants in the garden beds-my kid's herbs, and my amaranth and benne that got planted out so recently.

His catmint- 

My amaranth 'calaloo'- 

the herb bed- with my lavender in the foreground corner, just starting to flower!

the amaranth/benne bed- with a few marigolds on the far left end

As you can see, I didn't have enough cut-off bottles to use, so upended a few deep plant drip trays and semi-opaque containers I've used as tomato starter pots, for the smallest plants. Two nights of cover, and now it's warmer again. Sure looked silly for a bit, though.