Polytunnel Cover

[MarkHackwell]

I have one of the cheap cheerful polytunnels with the green covers and have now had it for 2 years. I currently have nothing growing in it and the green cover currently has a lot of the little windows falling out of it . I stupidly burrowed the sides and then put fruit trees on top so when I go to replace the cover I will have to pull at the sides to be able to get the cover off. The cover now needs replacing, I was thinking of building a timber frame for the doors but what do people recommend I do with the sides? I was thinking either buying more timber and stapling the new cover to the timber (Hoping it will hold down, got a hedge to the back of the polytunnel) or digging up the beds inside the polytunnel and putting the cover under the metal frame and into the polytunnel inside then putting the soil back on top as opposed to doing it outside the polytunnel disturbing the fruit trees. Could anyone give me any ideas? Thanks in advance

[veggiechicken]

Could you:-
1. cut away the "burrowed" bits and leave them in situ,
2. leave the cover and regard the missing windows as ventilation and watering
3.cover the lot in debris netting
4 remove the cover and cover it in debris netting to make a brassica or fruit cage.

[MarkHackwell]

[QUOTE=veggiechicken;1270953]Could you:-
1. cut away the "burrowed" bits and leave them in situ, - I could do that, good idea
2. leave the cover and regard the missing windows as ventilation and watering, - I was doing this but appears that its getting to the point theres just too many holes, plus I want to use it for winter and if I put stuff in it won't it just get cold inside like it does out with the holes?

[MarkHackwell]

3.cover the lot in debris netting I would do this if I can't make use out of it
4 remove the cover and cover it in debris netting to make a brassica or fruit cage. I think brassica cage will be the next thing to do if I can't find a way of making it a polytunnel again If I go down that route thinking it to be my brassica cage and then get another polytunnel and a better cover [/QUOTE]

[veggiechicken]

Do you have room for another PT?
If you do, I'd be tempted to buy another cheapo one - as a new cover for the old one will probably cost nearly as much as a new one.
Leave the old one in place until more windows drop out when you can turn it into a brassica cage.

[MarkHackwell]

Do you have room for another PT?
If you do, I'd be tempted to buy another cheapo one - as a new cover for the old one will probably cost nearly as much as a new one.
Leave the old one in place until more windows drop out when you can turn it into a brassica cage.

I would have enough room for another PT but I wouldn't want too
Keep 2 up for too long. If I got a new one I think I would be inclined to
Get a different cover to put over it so at least it would last longer than the one I currently have got. And that's a good idea think that's what I will do

[veggiechicken]

It helps to talk it over

[MarkHackwell]

Yeah that is true :P Just wondering if the polytunnel will be big enough if I took the cover off and used it as a brassica cage, and whether the fruit trees would have any effect. Thinking of possibly making it into something else but not sure yet, already got a big fruit cage. God all this thinking is making me head hurt