Polytunnels

[undercarriage plan]

Can any one give me an idea as where to buy a polytunnel, without having to sell my house to afford one!!  I'm wanting one about 10ft by 12 ft. I can't believe how expensive they are,and was wondering if I'm looking in the wrong places ie internet.  Benefit of all your collective knowledge would be gratefully received!  Thanks Lottie

[Merry Tiller]

Peter Seabrook's vegetable book shows how to build your own , when I have the inclination I shall have a go myself

[Clayhithe]

They are ludicrously expensive.

I've decided to build my own.

Where can I get the Peter Seabrook veg book?

Did you hear Peter Seabrook being very rude about Monty Don on the radio the other day?  "very good presenter,  but not a gardener",  "Doesn't know how to use a spade or a pair of secateurs"

Wow

[littlegem]

i want some 5ft by 12" polytunnels, i've got the polythene, what does anyone suggest for the hoops (cheap) so i can use them as a frost wary precaution, also i want to be able to stack them when not in use. If i had some architectural background, i would have not bother. i just need something to go over my rows when needed, with not a lot of hassle!!!

[Merry Tiller]

I'll try & remember to dig the book out and give details here

[wardy]

Little Gem     Plastic water pipe - comes in nice colours too 

[westsussexlottie]

I like Peter Seabrook's attitude!

[kitty]

i was going to ask-those blue half hoops i see on lotties-is that water pipe?where from?somewhere like wickes?
i want to make a sweet pepper bed like i saw the chap doing on the allotment dvd.....

[undercarriage plan]

Thank you, all help greatly appreciated.  If you find Peter Seabrook's instructions, a post would be great.  Monty should go back to designing jewellery!    For the first time in years, I nolonger watch Gardener's World, very sad!! They should be showing how to make your own polytunnel!!!!  Lottie

[kitty]

i find it typifies the 21st century-throw money at it!
makes me despair!


it also makes me sound about 190!

 ::)kitty

[Merry Tiller]

To be fair Monty does have a soft spot for veg growing and allotments but everything has to be "dumbed down" on TV nowadays, it just makes me switch off.

We have to face it, there'll never be another Geoff Hamilton (sadly) so I'll keep watching the old videos I recorded of his great programmes

[chrispea27]

I would like to defend Monty -his enthusiasm is catching and his series 'fork to fork' was v good!

[plot51A]

Littlegem
I got my blue plastic pipe from B&Q it was about £14.95. It was in the plumbing dept. Wondered for ages what the blue hoops I saw on some peoples lotties was! A roll made me loads of hoops. Did it as in this link:
http://www.powen.freeserve.co.uk/Projects/tunnelcloche/tunnelcloche.htm
which I got earlier this year - on this site of course but can't remember which thread. And it's the Geoff Hamilton connection again.
Good luck with your tunnels - I am really pleased with mine. I used the dowelling in the ends as in the link. Got it in B&Q again. Needed 2 lengths of dowelling to 1 reel of pipe.

[kitty]

thanks periwinkle!i asked tha q too.....i have seen the bluehoops for a long time but never saw anyone to ask -so...plumbing dept ay?ta!
kitty

[undercarriage plan]

Decided to bite the bullet and buy a polytunnel, brand new.  Talk about excessive!! But I haven't bpught myself a well done pressie for giving up smoking 8 months ago!  So this is it! A polytunnel!!  Mind you, my 30th birtjday pressie was a garden shed....... Can get one 10ft by 20ft for £169, what do you think?  Lottie

[clairenpaul]

there's loads of that water piping on a field near us, its been there for months - think we may be 'borrowing' it now we have a use for it .

£169 doesn't sound bad - you deserve a treat for quitting the ciggys, well done  .

[wattapain]

Decided to bite the bullet and buy a polytunnel, brand new.  Talk about excessive!! But I haven't bpught myself a well done pressie for giving up smoking 8 months ago!  So this is it! A polytunnel!!  Mind you, my 30th birtjday pressie was a garden shed....... Can get one 10ft by 20ft for £169, what do you think?  Lottie

Giving up smoking will have saved you so much more than £169 over 8 months ( inc your life! ) so go for it. 
Where did you get that price? Seems pretty d**n good to me.
Just wish I had the space - but my garden's only wee & I've got 2 g'houses already .
Just been to  a garden open day thingy in aid of Red Cross - beautiful 2+ acre site with a poplar wood, a wonderful 200 yr old walled garden, tennis court... sigh. 

Terri

[Palustris]

One piece of advice, put the plastic cover on, on as hot a day as you can manage. That way it is fully expanded and shouldn't wrinkle in Summer heat and in Winter will be extra tight and not flap in the wind. Bitter experience!

[undercarriage plan]

Thanks all!  Got the price on, wait for it..... Polytunnels.com  !!  Thanks for advice Eric!!  I have  new query now( sorry)  what do you put on the ground in a polytunnel?? New at this, you see.  Thanks Lottie

[Palustris]

When we had 2 tunnels, one was bare soil with a beaten path down the middle and the other was Plantex membrane. But one was for growing veg and the other for plants in pots ready for sale. Now the single tunnel has a membrane path and bare soil. (But not for long)