Polytunnel thoughts

[jpdw]

Hi,
After finally getting a space on the lotty at the end of my road this summer, I'm strongly considering getting a cheapish PT and would appreciate some advice.

My main reason to want one is to help extend the season and also improve chances of getting more fragile crops that dont seem to do well outside. I currently have no covered growing space either @ home or the lottie.

I'm looking at the £50/£60 types, but will dig it in and side panels/anchoring stakes as suggested by other threads here; I'd love the £200 ones but dont have the dosh. Are these still any good ? (if measures to avoid blow-away are heeded)

Second question, how early would I start to get benefit. I was thinking to get this around Feb/March so I could start stuff off soon after, but if I could realistically use it now then all the better.

Thanks,

[dave_norm_smith]

Hi

Having read many a post of crushed, smashed and flying polytunnels I would probably save your money and keep an eye out in the local papers for a cheap aluminium one. You'll probably have to pick up and dismantle yourself but it would be worth it. If you also spread the word that you are after one you may even get one for nothing! Thats how I got mine.

Dave

[Shadylane]

How sheltered is your plot? Ours is very exposed, prone to frost pockets and wind damge. We got a cheapo poly this summer. It was the Gardman one which is around 100 quid but we got it on offer for 50. The frame is pretty good, better than the ones on ebay I reckon but the cover ripped in the first week.

We patched it up as the GC didn't have any replacements in at the time. Come late autumn the cover got completely totalled in those crazy winds we had a couple of weeks ago. Gardman however have agreed to replace the cover as it only lasted a week. They also informed me that they're supplying the reinforced ones next year.

My advice would be if you can secure it somewhere reasonably sheltered then go for it but be prepared for some damage and buy some repair tape. You do get what you pay for but ours did last us all summer and the frame is still in tact. Hopefully we'll get a free replacement cover and if that doesn't last then maybe we'll think about building a door frame and investing in some proper sheeting.

As for usage I wouldn't have thought there'd be much point in getting one now as unless you already have seedlings/small plants well under way then little is going to happen between now and feb/march. Depends what you're growing though.

I'm planning on starting some onions under cover in December but they'd keep until Feb. I think it's mainly lettuce that would benefit at this time of year but I'm not sure how much growth you'd get if you sowed them now - I'd suspect very little but I'm that knowledgable on the subject - i'm sure someone who is will be here soon

[Tomatoking]

We all should have learnt by now that you only get what you pay for. In my real life I have a cycle shop and the bikes that are bought online cheap, and then brought into our shop to get to work properly, even my skilled mechanics cannot get the gears working. Basically they are not up to the job and are built to look like a bike for the lowest posible price.

So back to the polytunnel. Set in a really sheltered spot a cheap polytunnel might last a season or two. But if you invested in some decent plastic from a polytunnel provider, then made a frame with some plastic water mains pipes, put into some cut down scaffolding poles, then you would have something that would take a decent gale. Here is a link that will give you a better idea.
I did build my own from wood, which is even stronger, and has stood up to two hard winters did cost about £450 bit it is quite large, so you could build a smaller model. Details are on my blog.

I understand that you have a small budget jpdw , but once cheap plastic rips, the wind gets inside the house and its gone with the wind. So even if you cover a cheap polytunnel with good plastic it will help it to last longer.

[jpdw]

Thanks for the feedback.

The site is relatively open -- but I say relatively because it's in West London, so not exactly miles of open fields around, still, it's also not exactly completely sheltered. I had anticipated the need to dig it in & tie it down, as well as having a low fence just behind.

Long term I dont mind investing in a decent PT, but we'll probably move area in 3-5 years and dont know if I'd have a space to move a PT to, hence the preference not to spend too much - but I do take the point, why spend £50 on something that wont even last a few weeks.

I might revise my plans and maybe settle on a smaller poly-house in a space I want to free up in our small garden by replacing our shed with a smaller one. Then I'd have a warmer (but smaller) growing space in a much more sheltered place. Easier to water regularly too. More space on the lotty for some'at else! Easier too to mess with a home-made watering gizmo if it's in the garden.

Anyway, thanks all for the feedback.....

[Two_Sheds]

I might revise my plans and maybe settle on ... replacing our shed with a smaller one. Then I'd have a warmer (but smaller) growing space

Sorry to rain on your parade, but a shed is no good for growing plants. It's just to dark (even if you have windows and a clear roof).

There's really no need to have a greenhouse/polytunnel. Sure, it's useful to extend the season by a couple of weeks (and that's all you will achieve: you certainly wouldn't be picking bananas in December).

I couldn't recommend a blowaway to anyone, they are almost totally useless and imo shouldn't be on sale. The covers rip in a little wind, next thing you know all your trays of seeds are on the ground or banging round the garden. I've wasted probably £100 on them over the last 5 years. The one in this photo was tied to the downpipe - when it went over it pulled the downpipe off the wall too

I've got a Rhino gh, and it's brilliant, totally windproof. Still, it's unheated. I could use a heater and get salad all winter, but that makes it pretty expensive salad.

My growing season starts in Feb with onions, leeks & chillies. I'm further north and colder than you.

[zazen999]

If you are planning on moving soon anyway....then why not make smaller ones from blue piping and just buy large pieces of polythene and drape them across and weigh down with bricks/wood etc? You could probably make 5 decent sized large cloches for about £30 and you can take them with you and save up for a proper polytunnel in the meantime.

[jpdw]

Sorry to rain on your parade, but a shed is no good for growing plants. It's just to dark (even if you have windows and a clear roof).

I probably didn't explain myself well. We have a large (10x8) shed in the garden, in poor condition & needing replacement - which will be in smaller & in a slightly different location. I was planning a small patio in place of the old shed, but maybe, instead of a PT on lotty, I'll use the space for a sort-of-poly-tunnel (read: timber frame with polythene cover stapled over). Benefit over the lotty would be that it would have 2 sides (north & east) of fence, so hopefully protecting it slightly. Daily watering would be easier in the garden than the lotty. Downside - I lose the small patio space; Upside, hopefully my "warm" growing space would last.

There's really no need to have a greenhouse/polytunnel. Sure, it's useful to extend the season by a couple of weeks (and that's all you will achieve: you certainly wouldn't be picking bananas in December).

I couldn't recommend a blowaway to anyone, they are almost totally useless and imo shouldn't be on sale. The covers rip in a little wind, next thing you know all your trays of seeds are on the ground or banging round the garden. I've wasted probably £100 on them over the last 5 years. The one in this photo was tied to the downpipe - when it went over it pulled the downpipe off the wall too

Herein lies a bit of my confusion. The photo looks like a (or equiv of) 4 tier 1m high covered thing. I've two of these and Id definately call them blowaways. Mine always have a sack of compost on the bottom shelf to keep them tethered; And the slightest sunshine and things can get very burned. This isn't the sort of thing I was considering for the lotty. What I was considering was one of these. Not sure if that changes things - anyway, am reconsidering now in any case.

[jpdw]

If you are planning on moving soon anyway....then why not make smaller ones from blue piping and just buy large pieces of polythene and drape them across and weigh down with bricks/wood etc? You could probably make 5 decent sized large cloches for about £30 and you can take them with you and save up for a proper polytunnel in the meantime.

Not exactly soon ... 3-5 years. Its November & I already want to get growing next year's stuff, so patience isn't my best friend :-) But what you say makes sense. I need to find some polypiping from somewhere. May be a solution either for the lotty or garden (previous post)

[Two_Sheds]

Daily watering would be easier in the garden than the lotty.

Yes it certainly would be. You'll be able to get plants started off a little (a couple of weeks) earlier with some protection.

Yes, my blowover was a 4 tier doofah. I've had loads of them, I buy (bought) new every year, they're hopeless in my very turbulent garden. Even sacks of compost on the bottom didn't tether them: the wind would just rip and buckle the top shelves (I'm on the coast, you're a lot more sheltered?

Have a read through SewerRat's posts - he has a superb polytunnel set up

[Two_Sheds]

Its November & I already want to get growing next year's stuff

I think your tongue is in your cheek here?
It's the short daylight hours that will scupper any sowings now. If you have warm light windowsills you'll be able to start chillies after Xmas though

[jpdw]

I think your tongue is in your cheek here?
It's the short daylight hours that will scupper any sowings now. If you have warm light windowsills you'll be able to start chillies after Xmas though

Sort of tongue in cheek. I'd like to start next year's growing already but I do realise it's too cold/dark etc. Though I like the idea of starting off some chillis, especially as I've unexpectedly found myself with more time than expected over this festive season. Time I could use to sort out the fence & shed (which both need replacing) and maybe making my custom poly-thing-in-the-garden except it's too darn cold to want to do anything outside.....

[davetheforker]

Hi,
After finally getting a space on the lotty at the end of my road this summer, I'm strongly considering getting a cheapish PT and would appreciate some advice.

My main reason to want one is to help extend the season and also improve chances of getting more fragile crops that dont seem to do well outside. I currently have no covered growing space either @ home or the lottie.

I'm looking at the £50/£60 types, but will dig it in and side panels/anchoring stakes as suggested by other threads here; I'd love the £200 ones but dont have the dosh. Are these still any good ? (if measures to avoid blow-away are heeded)

Second question, how early would I start to get benefit. I was thinking to get this around Feb/March so I could start stuff off soon after, but if I could realistically use it now then all the better.

Thanks,

take a look at thiswww.overthegardengate.net/userpages/...ytunnel&page-1