The frame is up when can I put cover on?

[greengas]

Hi All purchased a 10' by 25' tunnel from First and have erected the frame and dug trench for cover. We have to build doors and door frames which we are doing this weekend but my question is when can I put cover on?

The instructions say to do it on a warm still day but how warm does it have to be?
Could I get cover nice and warm at home and transport it warm to plot ie wrapped in quilt?

I am not very patient and want to start growing in it ASAP so would this theory work on the next dry sunny and still day(tuesday going by the forecast) or do I have to wait until summer which would drive me round the bend. Sorry for so many questions but any advice would be really gratefully recieved.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Greengas,

if it is warm enough so that the polythene cover is pliable and easy to stretch over the frame eliminating creases, that is what you need to try to achieve. The difficulty is getting a warm day that isn't also windy.

[OverWyreGrower]

We were so impatient, we put ours up with 30mph winds.... not advised...

I'm not sure it will be warm enough just yet to warm the plastic enough? Although you don't have to wait until summer though - maybe another few weeks?

[chris]

Or get the street out with their hair dryers?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Or get the street out with their hair dryers?

much better to enlist the local politicians. The amount of hot hair that they exhude should help.

[Kristen]

I don't know anything about it, but if you put it on now (in cool conditions) will it expand in the heat of summer and be a "looser" fit as a consequence?

[Aberdeenplotter]

I don't know anything about it, but if you put it on now (in cool conditions) will it expand in the heat of summer and be a "looser" fit as a consequence?

That's a definite yes.

[greengas]

Thanks for all the replys, I spoke to first and they have said there is no right or wrong time as long as it is still. There firm put them on all year round but obviously you get more play on a warm day

[Robinson Polytunnels]

One of the most impostant things to ensure your polytunnel cover (and polytunnel) lasts as long as it should is for the cover to be fitted well - and that means "tight".
As Kristen quite rightly pointed out, as the weather gets warmer, the cover will lose tension and be more susceptible to wind damage.
Ideally, you should be able to fit your cover as soon as the weather is calm enough irrespective of the temperature. When the weather gets warmer, you can re-tension the cover by raising the hoops on the ground tubes and securing with the locking collars. (I'm not sure if this is the case with First Tunnels.)

[Aberdeenplotter]

(I'm not sure if this is the case with First Tunnels.)

My tunnel is from First and I bought it in 2003. I bought mine with foot/anchor plates which are buried in the ground. I also bought timber rails which are fixed to the uprights with u bolts and the cover is fixed to the rails.(The alternative was to bury the cover in the soil at each side of the tunnel) To tension the cover, the rails on one side need to be tight. On the other side, loosen the u bolts, put pressure on the rail (using your foot)to tighten the cover as much as possible then re-tighten to maintain the tension. It's better if you have an extra pair of hands to help out.

My polythene cover is really on borrowed time now but if it does this season, it will have been there for 8 years which is more than I thought I would get out of it. So well done First.