PT Layout - Getting started and what to plant?

[amandaandherveg]

We managed to get our 28' x 14' PT up late last summer so missed the planning and sowing stage relying instead of whatever young plants I could pick up last minute and some bits and pieces some gardening pals gave me. I managed to pick up another PT and built it late autumn/early winter.

I'd grown successfully in a 8' x 6' polycarb but now as well as feeling excited I'm totally daunted as to planning the layout. I have a few PT books which are fab but I'm still confused as where to start. Any tips?

[Alison]

I found this book absolutely brilliant - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gardening-Un...3380802&sr=1-6 when I first got mine and found it really useful for my initial planning. I then split my tunnel up into beds which I marked out with pegs and string and decided what I was growing in each bed. I then practice a loose rotation in there so I don't grow tomatoes in any bed year after year. My tunnel is 20' by 10' and I have 2 No 10' by 2' beds down one side with a path next to that, a 2' bed along the back and 3 No beds that are about 3.5' wide by 5.5' long sticking out perpendicular to the main length of the tunnel. I use it over winter mainly for brassicas and salad stuffs and currently have some peas, mange tout, potatoes and broad beans which I planted out last weekend as well as some new lettuce plants. I'll be sowing some carrots and spinach in the next few days too as they'll get a good head start on the outdoor ones. The new salad stuffs are in a bed which will be used for sweet potatoes later in the year and I have spring cabbages and calabrese from last winter in the tomato beds. I try to make sure that I don't have the beds empty at all so as soon as one thing comes out something else needs to be ready to take it's place. I don't get it perfect but you'll soon get the hang of it

[amandaandherveg]

Thanks so much Alison - I have that book so I will dig it out and read it again this weekend.

In one tunnel I have a path straight down the middle with a full length bed either side. In the other PT I've got a narrow bed either side with one large bed down the middle and two paths. I like the idea of pegging things out with string - I think I'll be able to deal with the huge space if I break them down into areas/manageable sizes. I started some spinach off a couple off a couple of weeks ago in modules, broad beans are poking through in their trays, I've got some earlies chitting and I've got a small bed on over wintering onions and garlic in PT 1.

Thanks for your help

[Alison]

I like the idea of pegging things out with string - I think I'll be able to deal with the huge space if I break them down into areas/manageable sizes.

Exactly, I find big spaces a bit scary and overwhelming but I found that breaking up my outdoor areas into edged beds worked really well for me so took up a similar approach in the tunnel

[SarzWix]

I did something similar, except I laid planks out on the floor where I thought beds would go and played around with them that way. At the moment the bed edges are only help up with knocked in wooden pegs so if I decide to change it round it shouldn't be too difficult. Once I'm settled on how I like it, I'll build up the sides properly and import some soil/compost to raise them a bit.

[bravo2zero]

run a path straight down the middle and take it from there. my tunnel is in year round use so crop rotation is essential. I never cultivate the same spot twice consecutively. once the second crop is cleared it is composted/manured and either covered with old compost bags or duckboards for access and to prevent compaction. keeping any bare ground covered help keep moisture in and also attracts slugs which are swiftly dispatched,green manures like clover and mustard are useful for moisture retention as they shade the ground and need watering so have benefits 3 fold. as for what you can grow in it the sky is the limit. theres a book by a guy (sadly deceased) called gardening under plastic by Bernhard salt.

[Alison]

I never cultivate the same spot twice consecutively. once the second crop is cleared it is composted/manured and either covered with old compost bags or duckboards for access and to prevent compaction.

Any particular reason why you leave your beds empty? I add plenty of compost at various times but will then plant a different crop in that bed to keep it in use which also helps with keeping on top of the weeds. As with my outdoor beds I've kept my polytunnel beds to a size that I never need to tread on the soil so I don't need to worry about compaction. The photo below is a very old picture of the inside of the tunnel when I was first setting it up, the paths are made of weed membrane which has worked well although I do keep thinking of getting my hands on some old flags or setts.



Oh and agree, that book is great, loads of good advice, posted a link to it further up

[bravo2zero]

its so I don't constantly crop the same spot by giving it a rest for a while and not wasting valuable growing space by having more than necessary paths and helps with rotation I even grow green manures over the winter in ground not being cultivated or rested, i've been doing it for 9 years and it seems to work for me.