polytunnels advice

countrywoman

I'm starting a bit of research into polytunnels for myself. I don't know much about them, and I don't know anyone that has one.
I have loads of space for one, and love the idea of growing vegetables and fruit in them. I've had a large vegetable plot in the garden for the last few years.


Would love to hear the pros and cons of polytunnels from boards gardeners!

Thanks

Skrynesaver

Pros:
Cheap
Easy to install
Great for annual Mediterranean veg (Toms, Peppers, Aubergines, etc...)
Good for forcing early salads, spuds, roots etc...
Great home for the propagator

Cons:
Need to be re-skinned every ~5 years
Watering in a limey area can reduce the longevity of the skin (opaque with lime-scale)
Can't be heated over the winter
Don't retain heat at night
Not as effective as a glass house.

I have a 20m tunnel and it is a joy, get as large a tunnel as you can as you'll find stuff to put in it.

redser7

I think replacing the cover every 5 years is pessimistic. People often get 10 + years.

Read this lady's polytunnel diary entries and you'll be sold ...
http://www.nickykylegardening.com/

monkeynuz

Skrynesaver wrote: »

Can't be heated over the winter

They can be heated, just costs a bit but I have known commercial growers who do it.

Macy0161

I'm into my 7th year on my cover. Even using the watering system that came with the tunnel, my poly doesn't really get wet when watering.

I got mine from 1st tunnels in the UK. I'm in an exposed spot, so i went with uprated thickness of the bars, crop bars, braces, anchor plates and base rails. Base rails make fitting the plastic a lot easier, and replacing it when the time comes.

You can heat polytunnels - they're less efficient than greenhouses, and a bigger volume. I've thought about partitioning mine to heat part of it, but it hasn't got off the ideas list! I have used a mini greenhouse in the polytunnel for extra protection early season in the past with success.

pwurple

You can heat them alright. I had one heated (just a fan heater positioned at the entrance) and one non-heated in my last place. Heated for more tender items. I rarely used the heat though. Mainly I controlled the temperature by opening or closing the flaps at the front. If anything they got way too hot sometimes, i found them hard to cool occasionally.

When I got them first I found the watering tricky. I had sprinklers up high, and I had set them on a timer. I had a few spots in there at the edge that didn't get watered.

The only cons for me was the bending over to get into the pots in the sides of them, and the aesthetics. Glass houses are much prettier, i feel i nearly have to hide a poytunnel behind some shrubs.

bacon n eggs

http://gillespiepolytunnels.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7f2uINUqeo

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gillespie-Polytunnels/105062099565938

great service and advice

sirpsycho

A massive +1 for Polytunnels. You will never worry about the weather again and you'll have tomatoes and chilis coming out of your ears

My Potatoes

countrywoman wrote: »

I'm starting a bit of research into polytunnels for myself. I don't know much about them, and I don't know anyone that has one.
I have loads of space for one, and love the idea of growing vegetables and fruit in them. I've had a large vegetable plot in the garden for the last few years.


Would love to hear the pros and cons of polytunnels from boards gardeners!

Thanks

Here's a good book on the subject:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polytunnel-Book-Fruit-Vegetables-Round/dp/0711231702/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368177819&sr=1-1&keywords=polytunnel

robbie checker

This is my fourth year with the polytunnel. I have also installed a glasshouse this year so I will be able to comment on which is best at end of season. I found that the polytunnel is great for some things which like humid conditions like cucumbers, courgettes, melons etc but tomatoes & peppers prefer a drier atmosphere so I am going to have more tomatoes/peppers in the glasshouse and a couple in the polytunnel and compare the results. The last few years have been very wet summers and I found that if you did not have a sunny day that the tunnel would not dry out inside, you'd get a lot of condensation which drips down on the tomatoes and causes disease & mould. The option then is to leave both doors open but then you are losing temparature. I have read that there is special polythene which is anti drip and when I replace the polythene, I will go for that.

The tunnel is great for new potatoes, early strawberries etc. I have 2 drills of potatoes and hope to be trying them in a few weeks. The tunnel is also great for overwintering cabbage etc as the frost has tended to kill all outside ones on me in recent years so I gave up growing them outside in the autumn. If you have the space for it, I'd go with the polytunnel as you have a lot more space for your euro compared to a glasshouse. As previous poster said, get as big a one as you can. I have a peach tree and grapevine in mine this year and you will use any space you have in it.

Stressica

grapes for wine or for eating purposes ?

Im still on the fence as whether a tunnel or greenhouse is going to be my choice but id love to be able to grow grapes

tippgod

Bought a 15 foot by 26 foot this spring from http://www.gardenpolytunnels.ie/index.html and would highly recommend it.

i love the tunnel and cant get over not getting one years ago. Sitting inside listening to the radio and doing a bit while its raining outside. I originally thought of going for a 15 foot long tunnel but was rocommended to go as big as possible. Now i'm kicking myself that i didnt go for a 33 foot one

redser7

tippgod wrote: »

Bought a 15 foot by 26 foot this spring from http://www.gardenpolytunnels.ie/index.html and would highly recommend it.

i love the tunnel and cant get over not getting one years ago. Sitting inside listening to the radio and doing a bit while its raining outside. I originally thought of going for a 15 foot long tunnel but was rocommended to go as big as possible. Now i'm kicking myself that i didnt go for a 33 foot one

Great prices!

tippgod

myself and my dad dug the trench and set up the bars and got the supplier( for want of a better term) to come out and do the plastic section. He has it all done up on utube videos but we were not confident doing the plastic part.


We have a good strong wind coming off the galtee mountains but the tunnel ins solid and its a great feeling being in work and its raining and knowing that you can go home a relax in the tunnel

robbie checker

Grapes for eating initially. I've heard they take up a lot of space so if you'd like to have grapes and other fruits such as peaches etc which you can't grow outside, then the polytunnel would be the better option.

Andrea B.

+1 for tunnels.
Have a 14 x 30 for 4 years now and looks like no issues with skin.
Have 2 x grape vines planted outside and stem trained in.

Got delivered to Galway from Morris Polytunnels in Omagh at €530 with doors, at that time. They do a run down through country monthly.

pwurple

On the skin... It's sunlight that breaks them down. Of my two, one was out in the open and the other got dappled shade from a tall tree. The one in some shade had a longer life. My next one will be in partial shade I think.

ballymac676

I also used Morris Polytunnels and am delighted with my tunnel. I got a18ft wide one - it has great head room even at the sides. So lovely to be able to garden in the miserable weather we are having so far this year.

Stressica

just looked at Morris brouchure, looks great, wish they had a price list though, ill ive them an email and aska few questions etc at least i know that this company has happy clients can i ask how much was the 18ft one?

and is just delivery or do they put up as well? athough i could get a local neighbour to help with that

bbam

Just off the phone with the guy in Morris's Tunnels.
Quoted me €575 inc delivery for a 14*20 with one door supplied.

The frame will be no bother but I'm a bit cautios about covering it..

ballymac676

Stressica wrote: »

just looked at Morris brouchure, looks great, wish they had a price list though, ill ive them an email and aska few questions etc at least i know that this company has happy clients can i ask how much was the 18ft one?

and is just delivery or do they put up as well? athough i could get a local neighbour to help with that

hi mine is 18ft wide x 24 ft long. we made our own doors and put it up ourselves. tunnel cost me 830euro delivered. i am really pleased with it. my husband did the frame which we found pretty straight forward but you really need someone who knows what he is doing for the plastic. by far the harder job of the two

kerosene

I am using a polytunnel for the first time, im pretty much a novice. I was in it this morning for about two hours and by the time I was leaving there were approx 15-20 wasps, should I be concerned about this? i wouldnt want them to nest in it. Any advice appreciated.

Stefan_Cork

kerosene wrote: »

I am using a polytunnel for the first time, im pretty much a novice. I was in it this morning for about two hours and by the time I was leaving there were approx 15-20 wasps, should I be concerned about this? i wouldnt want them to nest in it. Any advice appreciated.

That is reason to be concerned, one or 2 got lost at times in a tunnel / greenhouse and eventually find the way out through an open vent.
15-20 means either you have a nest in it, check everywhere even holes in the ground or on raised beds.
Otherwise they may be attracted by food, i.e. sweet stuff or even meat.
Inspect it and leave doors open