New to poly tunnel growing

[chickbob]

Typically after splashing out on poly tunnel and the mister (with severe aversion to DIY) spent 1 mth digging foundations and putting in base plates, I was offered full size plot (currently had half) with no less than 8ft x 45ft here or there poly tunnel. It has two grape vines and fig in huge pots and 7 deep square raised beds on either side - seems to be half space wasted with bench, chair and tools which could be in shed.

Only have greenhouse at home so apart from obvious never really grown anything other than achocha/toms/cucumber and 1 melon (so proud).

Is there good poly growing book? Or links people read on here that could make sure I get the mot out of this an space.

There's a bed taken up with calabrese and carrots tht are flowering so assume it is used too er winter certain veg?

Any advice on when to sow stuff in advance of toms and summer crops together sown would be great.

Very very excited - planted 300 brassica plants last weekend - persuading other half to build me fruit cage as masses of strawberries and raspberries currants - over grown but can't believe my luck. After slogging away at new half plot for two years ontop of what used to be a piggery, took 2 hrs to plant 2 fruit trees on old plot, 20 minutes on new plot.

Sorry, maybe second half should be under another heading - any poly tunnel advice / what u grow / what grow over winter (old chap apparently has left heaters too for winter )

[SarzWix]

Quite a few of us have this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1900...sr=8-2&pi=SL75 and this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B003...sr=8-3&pi=SL75 which are both very good, but the first one especially for what to sow when, and managing over-wintering stuff. Sounds like you've landed on your feet with that plot

[marchogaeth]

^^^^^^ I live by the first of the above and lend it to anyone thinking of getting a tunnel or who has a tunnel but complains that there's never looks as good as mine. You cannot go wrong with it.

The second book is a bit more about siting/care. I'd borrow it from a library and see if it's what you need before purchasing.

I also have the poly tunnel book by Joyce Russell which is ok for a read once you are going - it made me push my seasons a bit harder which you could probably do as you have so much space that a failure is not the end of the world. When I went to find it to tell you about it, though, it was in the bottom of my gardening book box so it's not much used. (I find her a bit breathy!)

[chickbob]

Thx, I'm going to buy the poly tunnel all year book whilst other half out, purely to avoid the incredulous eye roll of 'do u really need yet another gardening book'? Thx for the tip!