Sorry, Flaan! We didn't mean to ignore you! I would have answered this myself, but I am used to growing them in a Mediterranean/subtropical climate. I wouldn't know if they need cloches or not in the UK. I do know that they can stand light frost--down to -8º C--like full sun, and need good drainage. If the summers tend even more than usual to the gray and rainy in your area, cloches may be useful. Moon_grower is our vegetable guru in GoY, so you might want to send her a private message, for more info.