Polytunnel advice please

[Brooklynodog]

What do the forum think about my desire for a small polytunnel please. I currently have three 15x10 ft veggie plots. I also have a 8x10 dedicated fruit patch, a 6x6ft G/house, 4x3 C/frame, composting area, and an area where I put potted stuff like spuds etc. I am considering using one of my 3 15x10s for a polytunnel, leaving me two which I would split to do a 4 year rota rather than the 3 i do now. Do folk think this is silly in a smallish garden?

[KG Steve]

Hi Brooklynodog
I don't think its silly. I have a small polytunnel and love it to bits. It's great for growing all sorts of things that need a little extra protection and in the winter I grow salad leaves and some lettuces in it. My only regret is that I don't have room for a bigger one as it is so useful.
I have a small greenhouse too and use this for things that need a bit more heat, such as seedlings in the spring or for overwintering tender plants as the glass is better at holding in the heat.
Mine is quite a good design in that the plastic doen't need to be buried. It's kept tight by turning the edges around wooden battens and nailing them in place. The battens are bolted to the hoops to keep them in place. The sheet has lasted for six years so far and is still going strong.

[Brooklynodog]

Thanks for that. Anybody else have any thoughts please?

[richard p]

cant imagine gardening without one now, but we do have a large garden.

[Brooklynodog]

How large? My worry is that I dont have enough space to justify losing 150sq ft

[Bal]

If mixed salad leaves and lettuce are grown in a greenhouse and polytunnel which one would give better results?
BAL

[Di]

How large? My worry is that I dont have enough space to justify losing 150sq ft

not so much losing space as gaining some weeks of growing season.

I'd go for it if I were you.

[Vecten]

I agree with Di, can't see how you would be losing space. You would simply be making better use of the space.

[richard p]

how large? well the veg patch is approximatly 80 x 70 feet. there are two 14 by 30 tunnels, 10 4ft by 30 ft beds most of the rest is soft fruit apart from a patch arout 40 x20 which is covered in carpet until i decide what to do with it.. and it takes a couple of hours to mow the lawn. perhaps when i retire i might get it all tidy currently its a case of do what has to be done and let the wildlife enjoy the rest

[skinny_bum]

Hi I am new and this is my 1st posting, I have a small veg patch and have just purchased a tunnel, I am hoping to cut it down into two, I really dont have much room , but like other poeple have said, you have to try new things and so I am going to try and grow my cucumbers & peppers in there.
Has any one grown veg and not just salad stuff's in a tunnel before?

I am looking for idea's as I have only had my plot going since late last year, I would say that it is only about 6 x 10ft so quite small, but I found that you can pack the veg in if you are careful.
I am hoping to do another area at the end of this year for fruits.

Skinny

[Di]

I get early courgettes from a plant in my conservatory, a variety that doesn't need pollinating called calvino. I'm sure they'd be very happy on a polytunnel too.

[Brooklynodog]

Hi Skinny bum, how big is your tunnel? Sounds more like a cloche?

[skinny_bum]

You know, you can tell that I am new to this game cant you I think that you are right, it is a very small tunnel, it is a bout 1 mt high and can be up to about 5mts long, but I dont use it that long, because I dont have the room, so yes, let it be a Cloche, or a very small tunnel, that only very small people can walk in. he he he Sorry

Skinny

[Brooklynodog]

Another question please. What material is best to put around inside of tunnel to contain soil? I will be planting direct into soil. I thought of scaffold boards or something like that.

[darrenc]

Dear brooklyndog, do you intend to put a path around the outside of the tunnel or do you want to cultivate a border like i do. either way you will lose some square footage of land to cultivate. the trick is good planning. the tunnel itself is more productive with a path down the centre instead of a central bed with beds down the sides. bedding the tunnel out with planking is a good idea it allows you to use the no dig principal of laying manure or compost down and covering it to allow the worms to do the job for you.i own a 20X10 tunnel and is the best bit of kit i have ever bought for the lotty.