Can anyone recommend a good value polytunnel?

[Alison green]

Hi I'm new here. I have a 5 pole plot in Milton Keynes. I'm looking to get a fair size polytunnel but I have already 'lost' a greenhouse (metal frame polycarbonate panel) to high winds!
I am looking at gardman one as am not wanting to spend hundreds in case it gets destroyed again.
What do you recommend?
Thank you in advance

[Bigmallly]

Hello Alison & welcome to the vine. I suppose it's like anything really, you get what you pay for. I bought a cheapo 19mm poly but with a bit of extra timber bracing I'm hoping it will last a bit longer. With greenhouses & polytunnels, a lot of it is down to how well they are anchored down & with polycarb windows they need extra support with either sealant or canes.. Good luck.

[bario1]

Hi Alison, and welcome! If you spend the hundreds it simply won't get destroyed... if you're planning on having it in one spot for a good few years it'll be worth the investment.

[Bigmallly]

An added thought, in the heat of summer you may have to go to the plot everyday to water the PT.

[Premier Polytunnels]

Hi Alison.
Decided to get a polytunnel.... Great decision! Once you have one, you will wonder how to ever managed without one!
The trick to building any polytunnel that will stand there year after year is a drum tight cover.
It is important that the polytunnel is well anchored into the ground and that the cover is taut - polytunnels that suffer in strong winds do so because the cover was not tight enough and the wind was able to 'whip' the cover back and forth into the framework.
The green covers on Gardman polytunnels are not UV stabilised and therefore break down very quickly in sunlight - most people get a year out of these covers, two if they are lucky.
We supply replacement covers to customers on a daily basis who need to re-cover their Gardman polytunnel frame - the cost of a 'real' polytunnel cover for a polytunnel measuring 2m x 3m x 2m is approx £55 to £66. However, please bear in mind that a Gardman tunnel/cover does not have timber door frames and doors (it only has a roll-up blind/door), therefore it will be necessary to fix a timber door frame and door to at least one end of the tunnel in order to fix the large sheet of polythene to.
We all like to save money, of course, but don't forget the old adage of "buy cheap, buy twice".

[The Nichols']

I'd like to start this post by saying I don't work for Premier Polytunnels but I certainly would recommend them.

Like others, I bought myself a cheap (somewhere around £65) mini tunnel that collapsed under high winds less than 3 months after I got it.

Bought a full on tunnel not long after that and have never looked back. It's now in its 5th year and the cover will need replacing probably next year but the frame is still standing like it was brand new.

Definitely worth the extra money. I think I paid £360 for the tunnel delivered. It's 4 times the size of the other one and lasted 20 times as long. At least.

I know everyone says this but I'll add it anyway. Always go for the biggest you can afford and have the space for. You might think you'll have loads of space but a few peppers, toms, couple of melons, some early over winter peas and you'll soon be wondering where you'll find space for anything else!

[Premier Polytunnels]

Ahh, The Nichols, we have just seen your recommendation... what a great way to start the weekend! Thank you :-)
Heading over to your twitter page now :-)
Have a good weekend.