Polytunnel Guttering

Polytunnels, cold frames, greenhouses, propagators & more. How to get the best out of yours...

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Westi
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I've probably asked this before but a quick glance back at the thread seems it must have been ages ago.

I want to capture any rainfall off the tunnel to top up the butts running the soaker hose in the tunnel. (Well technically the reality with the soaker hose is more erratic & often bits not seeping, but a work in progress with that).

Does anyone have a set up that works? I bought a stick on one but it was so narrow there was no depth for the water to run to the butt as any water just went over the edge of it & and down the side of the tunnel as normal. Remembering I am rubbish at building anything what do you suggest? I have a length of gutting left over from the shed & wondering if there was a way to secure this to the tunnel somehow that won't damage the cover. The guttering is not overly heavy but will be with water running down so I would need to secure it to the hard plastic thing that the bubble stuff Keder uses slides into to join the sections. Thinking it would have to be some adhesive but???
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Geoff
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I've seen things described but never thought they had a chance. Could you collect it below ground by catching it at the bottom edges, probably easier if you are on a slope?
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Primrose
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I don't know the answer to this Westi. It seems a major drawback of polytunnels over greenhouses that they have no facilities for water collection. Given the need to conserve water I'msurprised the major suppliers haven,t come up with some kind of inflatable polythene trench collection facility as Geoff has suggested.

I suppose if you dug a very deep hole and inserted something like a large plastic Addis waste bin in it with some plastic guttering along the base of the poly tunnel whixh fed directly into it, you might collect some water that way but you couldn,t have a tap on it and would have to collect any water by scooping it out with a handled saucepan or something similar.

This is perhaps a future project the poly tunnel producers should be working on
Westi
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Thanks for the replies to date, they have given me some food for thought. I'm wondering if I could dig in a pallet so it is very secure but on a slight lean & put the guttering on it so it is raised so any water captured could run down into a 1/2 butt? If I used the left over bit of stick on guttering just to bridge the gap between the cover & plastic gutting I should capture some of the off flow at least.

Not a solution to the soaker hose but easy to scoop a can in & water the gaps that don't get a soak. I'll discuss with my neighbour on the plot if he is down tomorrow to see what he thinks & whether he has some of the bits needed. I'll also send a quick question to Keder to see if they have any plans to create something or have another solution.

Cheers both!
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Colin2016
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Would have guttering on slant at ground lever of tunnel that would drain into a large bucket or something similar to collect the water.

Then use a bilge pump to transfer the water collected to the main reservoir for the soaker hose either manually or automatically using unit with alto sensor.

Alternatively check out the Bosch 18V Cordless Clean water Pump, believe these have a timer add on expensive though.

I use manual bilge pump with remote on off switch for water plot from water butt.
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Primrose
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All these covers have their drawbacks. I suppose the designers don,t think sufficiently out of the box about "next stages" when they put them on the market.

It,s like my mini plastic greenhouse which kept blowing over whenever it got a little too windy. My husband solved it by drilling two massive cup hooks into our house wall, though which we threaded a very long nylon luggage strap. Now that,s strapped round it and it remains stable however strongly the wind blows.
Last edited by Primrose on Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
tigerburnie
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Been gardening for over 65 years and still learning.
Westi
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Thanks tigerburnie, but I looked at these & there is not a way for me to clip them onto the metal bar on the inside. There is no give in the cover outside which is quite thick due to the bubbles. However these look lighter in weight then normal guttering so that could factor in. As I haven't seen my neighbour to discuss I am still looking for ideas & today was watching some rubbish building show on some very high numbered channel. Some guy was putting in a flat roof light & the roofer was using a thick double sided tape to waterproof it that would obviously be stronger & last longer but unfortunately no name mentioned of the product.
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Colin2016
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Have you seen Stephanie Hafferty article in August edition page 41 bottom right gives an idea for guttering.
Westi
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I didn't clock it Colin & have already re-cycled that edition to the retirement bungalows so it could be anywhere now. Can any one that has the online edition cut & paste it, or is this not possible? My neighbour on the plot thinks he can set up a support system for the guttering but thinking about how to lean it into the plastic so limited space between the guttering on it the plastic without the guttering supports accidentally tearing the cover.

I did try to contact Keder but their IT was playing up & it wouldn't send. I'll try that again as maybe fixed now & I'm pretty sure they could have a solution even though nothing showing on the actual website.
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Geoff
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It's based on timber rails that you don't have on Keder.

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Colin2016
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Would have thought timber rails could be added with a bit of care.
Westi
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Thanks Geoff & Colin. The main problem is all the rails are steel so limited securing anything to them. My neighbour looked at securing through the metal but he was concerned about the bubbles & how much strength they would have if they were pierced. I am looking at the join sections which has the thick compressed plastic edges that overlap, but they are 3m apart so I would need more support along the length or it would bow with the weight.

There must be a way; I am sure of it! It will be a necessity to collect every drop now due to the changing climate & Keder are clever so anticipate they are working on it & I would prefer a designed product if attached that does not affect the guarantee. Still think a structure alongside but apart carrying the guttering would be OK if there was a way to breech the gap with something to ensure all the rain fall off is collected but doesn't affect the plastic.

Thanks for reminding me I need to try to contact them again!
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Westi. This is outside my area of expertise but it's obviously important you contact them again and keep this water collection issue high on their new projects research agenda. .

As you say, the current drought, along with hosepipe bans starting to be imposed will cause the water collection issue to become of even higher importance to poly tunnel owners as well as potential new buyers of such products.

I wonder if there's any way a separate long wide sheet of transparent polythene could be thrown over the poly tunnel,s roof, sufficiently long to reach the ground on both sides and somehow scrunched up as it falls down the sides so that it could act as a kind of semi funnel which ends up being channelled into a water container of some kind. Very Heath Robinson, and it would need to be anchored at the base in case of heavy winds but it might collect water from at least an partial area of the roof which could be put to good use.
Colin2016
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Is it a Keder unit if so go to this linkhttps://www.kedergreenhouse.co.uk and look for second picture with the water butt.

Also https://www.kedergreenhouse.co.uk/Small ... llery.html scroll down Keder Greenhouse in school gardening club.

If it is not a keder are the poles round if so all you need are p clips found here https://www.premierpolytunnels.co.uk/sh ... 50mm-tube/
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