Topic: If you knew then what you know now......

[Chantenay]

Would you buy a poly tunnel?
If so......
What would you repeat??
What would you warn me against???
There seem to be some exciting deals at Northern Polytunnels and I am sooooo tempted.

[valmarg]

No, would always prefer a greenhouse to a polytunnel.  No rational explanation why, just would prefer a greenhouse!!

valmarg

[cleo]

Not easy. Ihave both-if push came to shove better a polytunnel than a small greenhouse

[Trixiebelle]

I get a bit 'fidgety' about plastic. Yes, I know it's contributing towards growing fresh veg etc & it's probably a very efficient way to grow things, but at some point it's going to end up in landfill.

I much prefer to recycle old windows, door and bricks and have something 'solid' to grow things in. Also, the polytunnels I've come across aren't see-through & I like to see in and out of things  ;D

That's not much help is it  ::)  ;D

[valmarg]

Thinking back to my earlier posting, I think the reason I prefer a greenhouse is ventillation.

Apart from opening the door a polytunnel is very poorly ventilated, and is very susceptilble to condensation, aka blight waiting to happen.

With a greenhouse you can get roof windows, louvred vents so that the airflow is much better.

valmarg

[saddad]

You can get a lot of vent options on modern tunnels, Valmarg...
Avoid bonfires... or your polytunnel will end up like an upturned seive!
 ::)

[valmarg]

I suppose Saddad as you say all things have improved over the years, and ventillating a polytunnel is one of them.

It might be a tad slower to have a bonfire near a greenhouse, but the 'snap, crackle an pop' of the window panes would be just as destructive!!

Decisions, decisions!!

valmarg

[manicscousers]

never have a prob with ventilation, ours is 30x10..doors both ends with  mesh doors for summer..ours faces into the wind so that helps,
I know what you're saying, trixie, about plastic, our first cover had to be replaced when the club took over the ground and our poly had to be moved, this has been 're-born' as cloches, it covers the strawberry bed to bring them on and we've shared it around as it's good stuff  ;D
next year, we're looking at a solar fan to help move the air around a bit more..also, we couldn't have afforded a 30x12 greenhouse  ;D

[steveuk]

I decided on pollytunnell on my allotment, basically if were unfortunate to get Vandals, pray not, i think plastic be easier and cheaper to replace then glass.

i have a friend in different county had a green house on his allotment, after Vandals, spent ages picking slivers of glass up.

just my thoughts

[raisedbedted]

I think I would prefer a victorian style wood and glass greenhouse with gables and ventilated ridges that can be opened and closed.

Oh and a row of cold frames along one side.  A little like those adverstised on the back of 'The Garden' magazine, they often have sales on and the greenhouses can be bought for just a little more than the cost of my house.

Failing that I suffer extreme greenhouse envy when I look at pictures of 30' X 10' polytunnels and think back to the yearly struggle with a 10' long greenhouse and far too many plants.  Finally our council have conceded that PT's are ok so 2008 will be year of the plastic for me...

[star]

Aw me too GTE, I used to have a 10' x 8' wooden g'house, it was lovely. I grew everything in there. Now though my garden is far too small and a bit shady for one. I so miss it :'(

[Pigletwillie]

we have two tunnels and two greenhouses, tunnels every time, ventilation should not be an issue is you have the right sized doors, they are less prone to wind damage as they "move" and the additional height gives you more choicewith regard to crops that can be grown. Lastly, the price per square foot of a tunnel is much less than a greenhouse. We made our own 20 x 13 for under £150

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/2007/04/tunnel-time-2.html

[valmarg]

I suppose I was brought up with dad's fantastic wood framed greenhouse,  It was 45' x 15'.  The left hand side was broad staging, which continued across the end of the greenhouse.  The right hand was deep bedding.  Under the end staging was a sunken tank, about 3' deep x the 15' width x 4'. which collected rainwater.

It was centrally heated by iron pipes round the edge of the greenhouse, heated from a little coke stove - coke was a by product of the gasworks - take away as much as you could carry for free.

I only wish I had enough space to accommodate dad's greenhouse now.

Sorry, piglet (I assume you are the same piglet from the GYO and KGB websites), but whilst you are advocating polytunnels as opposed to greenhouses, you are the same piglet that was complaing about  the complete loss of tomatoes, due to blight, in your polytunnels. = Polutynnels = crap

Personally, we have had fantastic crops of tomatoes is our greenhouses.

valmarg

[Georgie]

Sorry, piglet (I assume you are the same piglet from the GYO and KGB websites), but whilst you are advocating polytunnels as opposed to greenhouses, you are the same piglet that was complaing about  the complete loss of tomatoes, due to blight, in your polytunnels. = Polutynnels = crap


valmarg

Do you get your kicks from being rude to people Valmarg?  I for one find your tone very unpleasant.

G x

[valmarg]

No georgie, and I am extremely sorry if you think I do, but I don't.

valmarg

[Georgie]

Okay.  Didn't mean to hijack the thread.  Apologies.

G x

[Pigletwillie]

Its been a very bad year for blight Valmarg and it wasnt because my tomatoes were in tunnels that caused mine to get it.

I have both tunnels and greenhouses and having the experience of both, would prefer a tunnel anyday.

Dont worry about Valmarg Georgie, short and to the point is how she is, nothing wrong with that.

[valmarg]

Could you elluiidate about that remark piglet, or do I see you in the small claims court?

valmarg

[Pigletwillie]

Yes Valmarg,

"your replies can be short and to the point, there is nothing wrong with that."

Its written in plain English and just means what it says.

I have brought to the sites admins notice your concern Valmarg

[northener]

Blinking hummer Cool it, polytunnel fistycuffs.