Can't visit daily - PT viable?

[DTM]

Evening all, hope you're all well.

I'm really wanting a new polytunnel, I'll probably go with Northern polytunnels from the research I've already done. I have a few questions which I hope you can help me with.

1. I can't get down to the allotment everyday, definitely no mornings to open doors etc. I'm out of the house at 0500 for example. So is there any way of ventilating it or should I just forget it?

2. I'm in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, and the council guidelines for PTs are 8' X 12'. Does this reflect the national average? It seems quite small to me. There are already much bigger PTs on the site. I'll ask the council but in your experience / opinion do I have any bargaining power? Or would this actually be enough space to provide for a small family?

3. Has anyone any experience of solar powered irrigation systems or ventilation fans? They seem very straight forward albeit costly but if they can save me going down every day then a PT may well be possible.

I've many more questions that I've forgotten! Any help is much appreciated, I've already learnt a lot from reading through previous posts and love the forum but don't have much knowledge to give!

Kind regards
Dan

[Can the Man]

Hi DTM, my poly tunnel has 2 doors, an inner mesh door that stops birds or animals getting in and a mesh window at the other end. Inside the mesh window is a polythene flap that covers the window in the event of the frost, and similarly on the door there is an outer polythene door to close when frost is about. Having both the mesh window and door means I can keep air flowing all day and night if I want. Hope this is of some help to you.

[Can the Man]

You can see the mesh window at the end and the poly flap is rolled up.

[Can the Man]

This is the double door system

[DTM]

Thanks can the man. Yours looks like a a very solid polytunnel, do you mind if I ask which company you got it from? Do you have any side ventilation? Also, is that a dripper system you have set up to the top pots? I've read about such systems using solar power which I think could really help me, does anyone have any experience? Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance!

[broadway]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]91117[/ATTACH]

You can see the mesh window at the end and the poly flap is rolled up.

Nice tunnel CTM

[Stan79]

Very nice!

[MartinRSharpe]

I have a solar extractor fan on the shed I store my water sports gear in as originally it didn't have mains electric.

It works in summer to get a bit of the damp air out of a small-ish stone shed but it wouldn't make a difference in the polytunnel temps. Undoubtedly there are bigger and more expensive versions.

Putting a window or double door may work better. I have seen someone put an opening window in at one end working in the same way as a greenhouse window (i.e. on temperature).

I did look at doing something with a solar pump (re-purposing one of those pond fountain things) + water butt but ended up putting a mains water tap into to the tunnel instead. Down side is they run during the day so you would probably want to use soaker hoses or something similar.

[greenishfing]

Do you have good neighbours at your allotment. I keep an eye on two of my neighbours greenhouses as they do on mine, opening and closing doors and checking watering is working etc. Between us we save each other from catastrophes on occasion.

[nickdub]

I'm working on a rainwater gutter irrigation for ground level pots of tomatoes in my PT (after viewing some utube videos) - more on this when I get it in place re pros/cons etc

[Vince G]

Evening all, hope you're all well.

I'm really wanting a new polytunnel, I'll probably go with Northern polytunnels from the research I've already done. I have a few questions which I hope you can help me with.

1. I can't get down to the allotment everyday, definitely no mornings to open doors etc. I'm out of the house at 0500 for example. So is there any way of ventilating it or should I just forget it?

2. I'm in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, and the council guidelines for PTs are 8' X 12'. Does this reflect the national average? It seems quite small to me. There are already much bigger PTs on the site. I'll ask the council but in your experience / opinion do I have any bargaining power? Or would this actually be enough space to provide for a small family?

3. Has anyone any experience of solar powered irrigation systems or ventilation fans? They seem very straight forward albeit costly but if they can save me going down every day then a PT may well be possible.

I've many more questions that I've forgotten! Any help is much appreciated, I've already learnt a lot from reading through previous posts and love the forum but don't have much knowledge to give!

Kind regards
Dan

In Ipswich we can have 10 x 10, so very similar to your size, it may well be the norm for England. I have a door at each end and the top part of both is removable but has netting behind it to stop birds getting in. This helps to keep it ventilated and at about 30-35 degrees in the height of summer. Once well established I find that my peppers, chillies, okra and aubergines can go a day or two without watering, but the cucumbers and melons start to wilt a bit after a day if it's been really sunny. With tomatoes, erratic watering can cause blossom end rot, or splitting of the fruit, so I find daily light watering the best for them.

Perhaps Compo, Clegg or Foggy could pop down and water for you, they always seem at a loose end

[DTM]

Hi all, thanks for the replies!

Martin, thanks for sharing your experience with the solar fans. I've seen big 12" fans and a solar panel for sale but they're in the states, I'll try to find the link again.

Glad people seem to do alright with mesh vents, but in the summer (or a hot spring like this) do you have to open / close vents daily? Or are they OK left open? Is there a certain temperature the air shouldn't drop below?

Unfortunately my neighbours don't get down to the plot often enough to even consider a GH or PT, there's only 16 plots so I rarely see anyone.

Wotcha Vince! That's good to know, thank you. It sounds like you get a good crop!

The solar irrigation systems I've seen are in the link below, does anyone have any experience? I'm fine to go nightly but it's the morning I can't do

https://www.waterbuttsdirect.co.uk/i...oaAmg6EALw_wcB

Thanks again
Dan

[Can the Man]

Thanks can the man. Yours looks like a a very solid polytunnel, do you mind if I ask which company you got it from? Do you have any side ventilation? Also, is that a dripper system you have set up to the top pots? I've read about such systems using solar power which I think could really help me, does anyone have any experience? Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance!

Hi Dan, I’m in Ireland so I got a local company to supply and fit, this isa link to their website https://www.thepolytunnelcompany.ie/
I treated my self to atop of the range PT plus accessories as a present from my mam after she died and left me a few bob.

[DTM]

Hi Dan, I’m in Ireland so I got a local company to supply and fit, this isa link to their website https://www.thepolytunnelcompany.ie/
I treated my self to atop of the range PT plus accessories as a present from my mam after she died and left me a few bob.

Wow that's really nice CTM, can't fault you mate. Whenever I've been asked about spending I've always said that there's worse things to spend money on than plants. It really does look like a great tunnel. I'm actually not sure I'd dare put one that's half as nice on my allotment. Hoping you have a good season and crop.

[SarrissUK]

CanTheMan I have major PT envy lol