Kitchen Garden Forum

Made a big decision over the weekend. My little 6x8ft polytunnel that I've had for 20 years in a couple of gardens needs recladding and the doorframes are rotten, so I've decided to invest in a 20x8 (which is about all I have room for - or at least all the space I'm allowed y my other half! ). Actually this may partly be due to polytunnel envy since KG's Tony recently bought a really nice tunnel (you'll see it in the April issue in our polytunnel buyer's guide) and I've been very envious ever since.
Should allow me to grow much better tender veg even in poor summers such as we had here last year in the E MIdlands. In fact it was so bad that I actually managed to fail with courgettes!
Any fans of polytunnels (or greenhouses) out there and if so do you rely on yours for certain crops? If so which? I'm looking to keep it as productive as possible for as much of the year as I can.

I'm a lot further north, so tender down your end is tropical up here, I grow what I like the taste of fresh, so Sweetcorn will fill almost half of my 8 x 12 greenhouse, you cannot compare the stuff in the shops. Then I go for early and late, but again taste is premium, again shop bought tomatoes do not taste like fresh picked. Stuff that's cheap and taste alright from the shops I tend not to give up valuable space to. If I had room for a tunnel I would like to grow things like Butterbeans that you can't get fresh in the uk.

Afternoon Steve, i use my greenhouse mainly for plant production and just have tomatoes in there in the Summer.

Now Geoff is the Man who has a lot of knowledge of vegetable growing in a polytunnel!!

Have fancied having a polytunnel for few years. Look forward to reading the buyers guide in April issue, but shame we cant have proper ones on our site. Doesn't seem to be any problem with people having the cheaper 'make believe' jobs.

Pa snip stay away from the cheap green ones you see advertised everywhere if you want a kite buy one made to fly not one that's supposed to be a pollytunnel, I made the mistake of buying one it lasted around eleven months before the frame cracked in three places

Robo

Exactly the one that's I was referring to as 'make believe'.

Besides the ability to take off I have seen so many that have suffered UV degradation on the small clear parts of the cover.

A case of pays your money and takes your chance

I bought mine from first tunnels it's only a 12 x6 feet one but I would recommend them

I soo want a polytunnel, but just know I wouldn't be able to put it up & Mr Westi is falling apart so no help there! (Bypass, bad hips, dodgy elbows). Not to mention the lottie site is not secure from development yet!

Just keep teasing guys!

Westi wrote:..... Not to mention the lottie site is not secure from development yet!...lll

Did you see the depressing news from Watford in KG but not online, so see https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... -save-site

I was planning to reply until OH branded me an expert, I’m not, you have your own undercover expert!
I already had a lot of covered space (16x12 cold greenhouse, 10x8 heated greenhouse, frost free shed with plastic roof where I have my large propagator with lights) but the disastrous wet cold Summer of 2012 persuaded me to buy a tunnel. I got a 30x15 from First Tunnels that I managed to build on a site that sloped in two directions using special foundation tubes, FT were very helpful. We had a covering party by rounding up friends on a cool sunny day in February 2013 and all went well.
At the planning/building stage I would suggest you make definite beds. My ridge runs East-West so I have built a sort of extended E shaped pattern of paths, a full length off centre path to leave a 2’ wide North border then 5 off 10’x4’ terraced (because of the slope) beds facing South from it. Before covering I used the crop bars (essential) to construct a network of wires and battens so I can support stuff wherever I want by dangling binder twine. I installed a water supply (also essential). If you want to work evenings after a hard days editing you’ll need electricity for lights at least. Much easier doing things like this first.
I have been learning ever since. I don't use it to grow anything fancy, it just makes everyday crops more reliable and extends the season up here in the frozen North at a windy 600 feet.
As for cropping. A real hit is Climbing Bean Cobra, outside they get shredded but inside 12 plants supply us for 12 months. Similarly a climbing Squash Fairy gives masses of fruit (but takes up a lot of space). I grow early Potatoes, just planted them will harvest second half of May. An early planting of Mangetout Delikett is good, will start in heat next week. All the traditional Peppers, Aubergines (do best in ring pots on the beds) and Tomatoes; though Tomatoes do better in the greenhouse for some reason. Cucumbers I grow in the heated greenhouse but if you like Gherkins Dar Pickling does well in the tunnel. I grow lots of salad, Coriander, Parsley in the beds and other herbs in tubs. I also grow Sweet Corn under cover but in the cold greenhouse but it should be fine in a tunnel. I have late crops of Chard and Spinach Beet for the Winter. I pot up some Strawberry runners each year, keep them outside until I start up the heated greenhouse then put them in there until I run out of space then move them to a bench I have at the end of the tunnel. As Sally says in another thread the parthenogenic (eg Parthenon) Courgettes do well early and late, sow early March.
Could ramble on but already too long but like all vegetable gardening, grow what you like and keep records so you learn your own way of being successful. Enjoy!!

Thank you for all that info Geoff.
I shall print it off and read it again as I am slower at taking things in these days.

That is two of you who have mentioned First Tunnels.

Interesting that you grow climbing cobra Geoff , I unknowingly dropped a climbing cobra bean seed last year when planting them before I realised what it was it was around 4 feet high and tangled in a cucumber
plant the beans we had off one plant was amazing I was thinking of growing a few this year in the tunnel

Cobra has given us good results in previous years, grown outdoors.

Peter - thank you!

No mention of re-locating them, thought that was in allotment act? That has been our saving grace to date as no land available & when something might be useful the farmer they put compulsory purchase on to get the building land has bought it first to build his own houses! (Not that he'll ever get planning permission but is good to have an advocate & his family willed the land to the community for allotments & council were just supposed to manage not own). Expect the farmer & the council may end up fighting our plight at higher levels at some point!

It's discouraging but at least the lottie site is not earmarked for a hospital, but kind of thinking Taylor Wimpy may put in for doctors surgery on the site as that is being mentioned lots on local sites in the objections.

Am gardening on regardless you'll be pleased to know! (And will make sure your post is shared with he committee)!

Westi KG article had more detail, much more, though it was pre-judgement.