Poly tunnel

[Scarecrowdave]

For next year I fancy getting a poly tunnel however the price range from various places is huge
Like everyone i want the best i can afford so looking for recomendations and do they really vary much in terms of quality ?

[Small pumpkin]

I can't recommend first tunnels highly enough.
Mine has been up for nearly 5 years and is still solid as a rock. Trust me when I say it's experienced some very bad weather / strong winds. The skin is still in very good connection. I love it.

[hamamelis]

There's a very big jump in quality between the £50-ish ones and the £400-ish ones; I've never bought one of the cheap ones, but several other people on my old allotment site did, and I don't think anyone got a cover to last more than 2 years, even the guy who took it down over winter (leaving the frame) and put it up again in spring. The ones with the little green square 'reinforcement' all over them kept losing little squares, the rest just ripped. The worst was the time my neighbour's cover just tore in the first strong wind of autumn and the whole crop, having been coddled and sheltered, were suddenly hit by the full force of the wind; tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, all uprooted and snapped, almost the whole crop gone.

One person on site had an expensive one; it was in the most exposed site, took everything the weather threw at it and still looked perfect after 4 years, which is when I left.

I was planning on getting one of the cheap ones, figuring I'd get a few years out of it and it'd be worth a play, but after watching the struggles my neighbours had with them, I changed my mind. I'd only bother with a good quality one.

[bario1]

Another vote for First Tunnels here.

[4Shoes]

I looked at many of the suppliers - Got it down to 1st and Northern Tunnels. I put it up with my partner who is a DIY phobic, so it had to be easy.

At the end of the day I opted for the Northern Polytunnel with the Aluminium base rails and wiggle wire -didn't like the 1st Tunnel Aluminium fixing method. If I had a DIY helper - it would have been wooden base rails, 1st tunnel. Came down to shouting limitation.

Easy enough to put up and the wires really helped with the pleating of the ends. By time I'd done all 4 door jabs, I'd got the hang of it and re-did them all again a few days later.

Don't get the double doors unless you really need them. Even with single doors make sure you can secure it open at all positions. The wind just takes hold of them.
Crop bars - good option - increase strength by 20%
Don't think the twin support brace (end to end bars) are worth it - adds little or no additional strength
If you have any stones, you will have to dig holes. Screw Anchors will not work

I also trenched in the spare plastic to prevent wind getting in under the frame (belts and braces)

Northern also do an allotment version. You have to supply base rails and doors. Essentially bringing you back to similar design as the 1st tunnel.

Look at all the Video's in First Tunnels Web site so that you know what you are getting into.

Don't be taken in by fly-away price. I've got one. Weighted it down with Blocks 2 years ago. It got shredded. Replaced cover with 17mm bird netting and put over strawberries this year. Not as secured as it could have been (was only temp structure)- it lifted and flow over a 6' fence. Netting shredded.

If money is a problem. One of the cheapest ways to get a tunnel would be to use Fly-away frame (some one is always giving them away or see it a local trampoline flies past.). Hammer in re-bar to secure it to the ground. Put in base rails and Door frame. Double heat tape the frame- Lots of sharp edges etc and buy a cover. (Approx £75 for 2m x 3m cover + any wood you buy)


All best

[Scarecrowdave]

Thanks guys

Thanks guys i should have been a bit clearer in my original post im happy to pay 500 plus for a 8 foot x 15 foot long not gona throw money at cheap and nasty was wanting to know the diff top end suppliers whats best value for money so it looks like you have answered that for me thanks for the feedback