The snow has wrecked my polytunnel, how to repair?

mariat

I went out into my garden for the first time in a week yesterday to pick some carrots for Christmas dinner, and all the snow has collapsed my polytunnel. It's one of those cheapo jobs from ebay, and it had withstood all the strong winds but the weight of about 9 inches of snow has completely snapped the tubular metal frame. I'm so annoyed with myself as I didn't give it a thought when it was snowing. So, has anyone got any clever ideas as to how I can repair it? It's less than a year old and the cover and bottom half of the frame are still good, plus I hate throwing anything away, so I really want to save it if possible.

Lotus-eater

Depends how and where the metal frame has snapped.

Open up the ends of the tube where it has broken and stick a bit of strong metal tube in, an interference fit is best, then push them back together. That should hold it.

SailorSam

I don't know how they are made, so this is purely guesswork but could you replace the metal tube with plastic. I was thinking of something like narrow drain pipe which you could bend easily.

peter_the_piper

Sounds as if it is terminal, always difficult to get replacement tubes for the cheaper models. If you can, replace the whole thing with a better quality one from ,say Northern Polytunnels, and make sure you take a broom out to shake the snow off from inside, be gentle.

leo~saphira

mine too .... gonna rebuild mine out of wood (frame that is as the plastics is still sound).

Mick