Buying a polytunnel - advice please

Floss

We have a 2m x 5m space on our lotty where there used to be a large greenhouse which didn't survive the February gales, mainly due to the previous plot-holder's lack of maintenance & repairs.


We are considering a polytunnel, and would like advice / recommendations as to best value & best service please.


TIA
Floss

forgotmyname

Avoid the cheapy ones. Several plot holders bought the green ones and when we had the storms last year they ripped, Mostly the seams coming apart.

I kept looking at them buy decided i would build my own or get a decent one.

Davesnave

IMO value + service = First Tunnels, but there are alternatives. None of them manufacture their own materials, so they are all middle men with profit margins you can erode a bit by hard bargaining.

2m wide will limit you, but you could purchase a 'proper' tunnel for around £300.

Smaller tunnels do get very hot and claustrophobic in summer. Frankly, I'd want a door at both ends.

Also, don't believe you can build it quite as fast as they say. They do it all the time, and they also know where the mistakes are in the instructions!

tinkytonkytank

I'd suggest trying to source second hand frame hoops - those are almost indestructible, and then look at buying the poly separately. On average and with a bit of patching, the polythene needs replacing every 10 years (in our experience)

sgun

we got ours from Premier Polytunnels, the reason being that they offer a system where you can tighten the tension of the cover from the inside without having to dig up/use base rails. We trenched ours in because we get high winds so this system suited us. I have heard that the base rail system can be fiddly. We also upgraded to thicker hoops and side rails. Its very sturdy!


The frame and doors were easy. The P clips were a pain to put on. Getting the cover tight and pleated correctly nearly caused a divorce I would be tempted to pay someone next time...

Davesnave

sgun wrote: »

we got ours from Premier Polytunnels, the reason being that they offer a system where you can tighten the tension of the cover from the inside without having to dig up/use base rails. .

That's interesting. I had a look at their site, but didn't see this.

Could you explain, please?

sgun

When you order the polytunnel you get the upgrade choices. Half way down are "cover tensioning tubes" for a small extra charge. They are two part hoops, the larger one fits over the smaller base and you can just lift the hoops up and then re-clamp them. This is useful when the weather gets warmer and the cover slackens.

sgun

Oh, and although we only got a 10x10 in hindsight I would have got a door at each end rather than just one. It would make the ventilation much easier in the summer.

Davesnave

sgun wrote: »

When you order the polytunnel you get the upgrade choices. Half way down are "cover tensioning tubes" for a small extra charge. They are two part hoops, the larger one fits over the smaller base and you can just lift the hoops up and then re-clamp them. This is useful when the weather gets warmer and the cover slackens.

Right, that sounds good.

Mine has side rails, as I wanted side ventilation too, and with those you can re-tension after the whole cover has bedded-in a bit.

I drove my rails 8cm downwards on each side, step by step, resulting in a really tight cover. Scary though!

sgun

Side ventilation is a real bonus, we got the dreaded late blight last week - only in the tunnel not outside so I know the lack of ventilation had something to do with it. I'm going to make another door for next season.

warehouse

Hi OP,

Looked into something similar last year and asked around my own allotment for peoples thoughts. The general opinion was you'll get 2 years max out of a polytunnel if left up all year, 4 years if you dismantle it every Autumn and put it up again in spring.

I sourced a 2nd hand greenhouse for £30 from ebay.