Greenhouse v polytunnel

[JanieB]

I've always had greenhouses/conservatories before. The first greenhouse was a Norfolk about 35 years ago that said it had semi rigid plastic, which turned out to be thick plastic film that didn't last long as the screws that held the frame together had to go through it.

I've just had a shed built but need somewhere to propagate seeds and grow plants under cover as the conservatory I've used for the last 15 years is about to be demolished.

I haven't decided on the best position yet so if I put up a greenhouse and it was in the wrong place it would be a nuisance to move it. On the other hand a polytunnel is easier to relocate but how long does it last and would it be cost effective?

[Alison]

I have both and my polytunnel was FAR harder to put up than the greenhouse and therefore woke be much harder to move. You do however get a lot more tunnel for your money. The main frame of a decent tunnel will last forever, as will a metal greenhouse although obviously wooden bits have a shorter lifespan. I've never had to replace any of the glass in my greenhouse and suspect my tunnel skin will need replacing in a few years as 10 seems a good duration for that. Not looking forward to that.

[JanieB]

Oh, that's very positive as the 1st greenhouse I had the skin needed replacing every 2 years. Thankyou.

[Alison]

It probably depends on the type of tunnel. Blowaway types don't last well but proper tunnels do although I have to repair a few bits with tape after it was vandalised in its first year and I accidentally pierced it with a cane last summer.

[JanieB]

My next door neighbours builders dropped a roof tile through my conservatory roof 2 years ago. They never repaired it and I've had nowhere to start my plants off since. Before then I had had to repair part of it with parcel tape. It had a curved section between the roof and the sides that were made of some type of heavy duty plastic. I couldn't find a replacement although there must be some somewhere, so I just patched it up with parcel tape. That didn't repair the roof though!

[Kristen]

I had planned to buy a larger polytunnel for "cropping" to augment my smaller greenhouse for propagation / plant raising etc., but I got an aluminium-frame type greenhouses 2nd hand on eBay instead which cost me less than a polytunnel would have, for same-size, but of course won't need re-skinning.

2nd hand Polytunnel would be cheap too, but would need a new skin.

(The sort of polytunnel I'm referring to is the type with a taught skin which is burried in the ground, rather than a loose cover)