Polytunnel too big?

[Daddy Pig]

I have a chance to buy a 25' x 15' polytunnel, in good condition, for £100. I have two worries:
a. it'll be too big - will I use the space fully?
b. will it end up costing me more to move & erect than it did to buy?
Reassurance please...

[Alison]

I don't have a polytunnel but am guessing from my experience of greenhouses that it's almost impossible to have one that is too big and you will always find stuff to fill it. The only reason I can personally think of to go for something smaller is if this would totally fill the whole area of your plot, leaving insufficient area for outdoor crops.

Don't know how easy they are to more and errect, am sure that others who have tunnels would be able to assist with this one.

[xspye]

You can never have a poly tunnel too big!!!!! If you have the space to put it use it, to be honest you will probably just expand what you sow to fill the space then you'll be looking to buy a bigger one or add a green house........
It may cost you something but £100 is a bargin. You may have to buy a new plastic cover but the frame alone is worth much more than £100. What it may cost you is a lot of time and effort (depending on how it is constructed) to dig up the plastic and remove the base plates especially if it has been concreted in.
If you don't want it I'd be happy to take it off your hands

[pigletwillie]

I built my own 20 x 10 last year and found it too small for what I wanted to grow so have built a second one 20 x 13.

No, you can never go too big, certainly not at that price.

[Daddy Pig]

Thanks for this encouragement. When I went to look at the p/t last night it seemed huge - but there is room for it on my plot, and it'll be a good autumn & winter project for me and the father-in-law to dismantle & move it, prepare the ground and put it up ready for next spring.
The ground it'll go on currently has squashes and a few spuds in - as well was a lot of weeds. It as all well-manured early this year. My idea was to cover the ground inside the p/t with black fabric, to keep it weed free (and provide a surface to walk on) - and then plant through into holes or small beds as needed. Will this work?

[JennieAtkinson]

DP - my polytunnel is a similar size and at first it seemed enormous! I never thought I would be able to fill it with veg/plants or even dig it over. Now I'm running out of room and would love a second one!

Mine was erected on some horrendous weed/grass area, so I covered the floor with membrane and the first year grew in grow bags and pots. Then the following winter I worked out where I wanted the beds etc. and started digging, just peeling back enough membrane to let me do a bit at a time. I've not planted through the membrane, but I do find that the beds in the tunnel do remain quite weed free.

Hope this helps and good luck. If you have a look under this thread you will probably find a couple of threads which contain photos of the inside of my tunnel which might help.

[vegman]

Polytunnels are a great asset and can be more useful than a green house for growing Cucumbers, early Dwarf Beans etc etc but make sure that you have ventilation panels at each end. This will ensure a good through draft when open to keep the air clean and fresh and minimise mildew etc in winter. Some of the proffessional tunels which are really long have fans in them to draw the air through, but at 25ft you should be OK.

Keep the plastic cover clean as it will go dull which acts a shade, in winter when light is really neeeded it will need a wash. I use my hose end feeder filled with detergent. Although I cant get right on the top with my soft broom, the detergent does loosen the alge etc. Have a look at www.superspray.co.uk yopu can use it for applying liquid feeds too and also the Nemaslug product for control of slugs.

You'll easily fill this polytunnel once you get going!