Shade cast by polytunnels?

[Seahorse]

Sorry in advance if this is a numpty question!

I've been down the lottie today to find my neighbour in the process of erecting a polytunnel. I've got no real problem with this but I'm wondering how the shade from it will affect the bit of my plot that it's next to? It's directly south of me, so will cast shade for a lot of the day but is polytunnel shade 'complete' shade? It seems to me it won't be as dark shade as a solid structure but will it still cut out all the good stuff?

[smallblueplanet]

Sounds a bit cr@p that - shade is shade, init?

[SarzWix]

It seems to me it won't be as dark shade as a solid structure but will it still cut out all the good stuff?

No, it won't be complete shade - you should be able to grow leafy crops there, and some fruit (like rasps) will be okay too. In fact, it could benefit things like lettuce etc, which can refuse to grow or go to seed when they get too hot.

Saying that, it's still a bit rude to do it without telling you first... 'Spect they've got used to having an empty wilderness for a neighbour and not having to worry about upsetting anyone?

[Seahorse]

Sounds a bit cr@p that - shade is shade, init?

No, it won't be complete shade - you should be able to grow leafy crops there, and some fruit (like rasps) will be okay too. In fact, it could benefit things like lettuce etc, which can refuse to grow or go to seed when they get too hot.

Saying that, it's still a bit rude to do it without telling you first... 'Spect they've got used to having an empty wilderness for a neighbour and not having to worry about upsetting anyone?

Meh... he's a nice bloke who helps me lift heavy things and our plots are very long and thin, so it's not really like he had many alternative sites for it. I'm happy enough to grow stuff that needs a bit less direct sun in that area I was just curious as to how much 'real' shade clear(ish) plastic casts.

[veg4681]

It's mostly the fruiting vegetables that will complain about the shade like your potato, tomato, pepper, aubergine, squash (courgette, butternut etc), beans and cuke. Probably root and onion vegetables won't be affected much and also most of Brassica like shade esp cauli. Still a bit annoying and somewhat inconsiderate move but I guess he has his own GYO project to think of.

[Paul Wagland]

I doubt it will cause you any serious problems. Also, he's helping to keep the prevailing wind off your plot

[pigletwillie]

We have two polytunnels along the north edge of our plot with just an 18" border of soil and the path dividing them from our neighbours. I tend to grow flowers in the shady side of the tunnel and it keeps them about a week behind those planted on the sunny side, in reality the shade effect is negligible.

[Seahorse]

Thanks! That's just what I wanted to hear

[JennieAtkinson]

For what its worth, my own polytunnel gives me a very sheltered spot to the north of it . This plot gets the sun for a reasonable amount of time each day and I've not noticed any problem in growing any veg or flowers.

[bluemoon]

In summer the sun will probably be high enough to reach your plot without going through the polytunnel anyway.