New Polytunnel

ventureuk

Just a little info for anyone considering a polytunnel based on my recent experience after realising the greenhouse was just too small.

I bought one from a large supplier, ticked the extras boxes and for the price of a decent laptop got a fairly substantial steel hooped tunnel with storm bracing, anti fog plastic, anchor plates and aluminium base rails (almost no digging).

Erecting the frame and doors is a one man job, just take your time, fixing the plastic and the base rail needs two people and a still day. It's pretty straighforward.

A free copy of The Polytunnel Handbook helped and a useful layout plan saw me spend a day sorting the path, beds and planting scheme.

One week later and I have sweetcorn 1" tall already, rocket has pushed through, Kos lettuce seeds have germinated as have three of the ten varieties of toms and one of the three types of cucumbers. Peppers, melons, courgettes and many other types of lettuce are 'pending'.

Daytime temps have been 16-18, nightime even with a frost on Friday never below 4. A large waterbutt retains daytime heat very well. The anti fog plastic works very well and does a great job of refracting light evenly onto the ground. A 30ft irrigation system from B&Q from the £2 bargain bin will go in next week.

It is in a fairly large contemporary cottage type garden and could be considered a plastic eyesore but stepping inside to an earthy smell, calm air, deck chair and fresh green shoots is great. Much better than a small greenhouse if you have the space and much more fun than a new laptop

tobit

Thank you, Ventureuk, for these observations. I have been wondering myself about buying some sort of polytunnel. I have a very small greenhouse which contains a comfy chair, a grape vine, and a few pots of flowers in the summer. But I'd like to have a longer growing season for my veg - perhaps a poly tunnel is the answer.

Does anyone else have any suggestions about different makes of polytunnel - or DIY varieties, please?

valentina

Here's how to build one - not tried it myself

http://www.overthegardengate.net/UserPages/pp_view.asp?FName=polytunnel&Page=1

Davesnave

tobit wrote: »

Does anyone else have any suggestions about different makes of polytunnel - or DIY varieties, please?

I've given all the well-known ones the once-over and concluded that First Tunnels deserve my custom, based on the amount of options/extras and the helpfulness of their catalogue and web site. Northern Polytunnels are pretty good too, especially on the larger sizes, and I shall probably get my internal watering kit from them. Honourable third mention goes to Citadel, but there are a few more, possibly cheaper too.

I've inherited a DIY tunnel with an internal wooden space frame which is strong, but I bang my head on it all the time. Without it, the polypipe hoops would collapse. I can't wait for it to go, but at the moment I'm kicking my heels, waiting for planning permission on its replacement.

N9eav

valentina wrote: »

Here's how to build one - not tried it myself

http://www.overthegardengate.net/UserPages/pp_view.asp?FName=polytunnel&Page=1

I was going to do this one. I got some free scaffold poles, but the 63mm pipe is very expensive unless you can scrounge it free.

I need to buy one any body got any recommendations for best Polytunnels?

peter_the_piper

See Daves post above, I'd concur with his observations.

N9eav

Seem quite expensive...... I was going to look at this

elantan

hi all .. just had to add my two pence worth in here ... were in the middle of trying to construct one of these things ... (i say things because swearing on the site aint good).... i am sure that when it is built our polytunnel will be a delight and a joy to have ... but currently it is a night mare ... they are not the easiest things in the world to construct so bear this in mind if you are going to get one ...

good website to show you how to do it

www.polytunnel.tv it breaks it all down for you in bite size chunks

Lotus-eater

Davesnave wrote: »

I've inherited a DIY tunnel with an internal wooden space frame which is strong, but I bang my head on it all the time. Without it, the polypipe hoops would collapse. I can't wait for it to go, but at the moment I'm kicking my heels, waiting for planning permission on its replacement.

Dig out the central path. More headroom.

Davesnave

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Dig out the central path. More headroom.

There is enough headroom in the middle, but not towards the sides. The hoops are hoop-shaped, but the supporting space-frame structure is straight 50x38mm battens, so you can imagine it tails-off, sharpish.

We are just adopting and adapting for the time being. This one will go when the new one arrives, and then I'll be looking for a secondhand frame to make a shade tunnel on its site.

Lotus-eater

Davesnave wrote: »

There is enough headroom in the middle, but not towards the sides. The hoops are hoop-shaped, but the supporting space-frame structure is straight 50x38mm battens, so you can imagine it tails-off, sharpish.

We are just adopting and adapting for the time being. This one will go when the new one arrives, and then I'll be looking for a secondhand frame to make a shade tunnel on its site.

Oh yes, when I've made structures like that, I've had the same problem.
Oh well, it was an idea.

How about getting some orphans on day release and training them to do the weeding and planting in the tight areas.