Topic: About glass and Polytunnels

[kingston boy]

 I've just read through a number of the post's on here about the pros and cons of these type of things. On our site,like most sites i'd imagine,it is quite open and windy. This year it seems many plot holders are moving away from traditional allotmenting and using tunnels of all materials. I have shied away from these things due to the amount of vandalism and the strong winds that we've all had this year plus i dont think i need to do it.Most of these tunnels have all suffered a lot of damage one way or another. As stated elsewhere on here they are a real pain to repair too.
Traditional allotmenting can provide all the crops you need if you follow all the rules laid down by our allotmenting Grand parents or who ever got us into the game. Hard work is good for you and time and cost are irrelavant.
Or is that i'm just a sad old git. Oh ! I dont like raised beds either !
Who has actually eaten ALL the produce that we grow anyhow ?

[Eristic]

The thing to bear in mind is the massive change in our fruit and veg outlook. Potatos, cabbage and a few sundry roots and salad is no longer enough. The modern allotment is expected to produce peppers, aubergine, ocra and all sorts of other exotic or semi-tropical crops that at best are hit and miss without constant protection. Tunnels and greenhouses are not essential but do greatly widen the yield and scope as well as extending the growing season considerably.

I'm not saying that everyone should have a polytunnel or greenhouse, but consideration should be given to the proven advantages for many modern crops.

[GrannieAnnie]

It is the challenge of outsmarting Mother Nature. . The excitement of learning how to grow some new plants. The fun of pushing the botanical limits.

[thifasmom]

Ditto to whats been said by GrannieAnnie and Eristic.

Who has actually eaten ALL the produce that we grow anyhow ?

I have, waste is not an option.

[manicscousers]

"Who has actually eaten ALL the produce that we grow anyhow ? "
we never have enough, we freeze, store , jam, juice and pickle...we have family, friends and neighbours who eat all the 'extras '  ;D

[ceres]

I use everything, nothing is wasted - I don't have anything like enough space to grow for my own needs.

[Old bird]

I picked my last two courgettes yesterday from my polytunnel!  I use it to extend the seasons both spring when I can start earlier and autumn when I can go on longer than without! My strawberries start earlier than outside.  So for me it is not all about producing more in the huge production angle it is more to do with timing and getting stuff earlier and later!

I have deep beds in my polytunnel - so double whammy there Kingston Boy!  The wind on my site. which has views of the sea up the Bristol Channel, is pretty horrendous - but so far minimal damage!

Old Bird

 ;D

[asbean]

Welcome to A4A kingston boy, you obviously have a lot of experience and have started a lively discussion!

I bet you're not a sad old git (those were your words!!), but I think it would be an idea to accept that there are no rigid rules of how to grow veg, our climate is changing rapidly, and it is possible to grow some varieties of fruit and veg nowadays that was impossible only 30 years ago.  You will find on this forum that everyone has a different way of doing things, and we share those experiences - successes and failures.

Greenhouses have been around for well over a century, but the development of hard-wearing plastics has made polytunnels an affordable option in recent years.  They are all over the continent (look at Holland, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco on Google earth and you'll see HUGE ones).  Now they are cheaper than greenhouses they are an excellent option for allotments.  And they are strong, provided the supporting structure is secure.  I would prefer to patch up plastic than to be worrying about digging up splinters of glass for evermore in the case of vandalism.

Raised beds have been used since time began, especially in places where drainage is a problem  Not everybody likes them, but those who do swear by them, and for some people who are disabled or have difficulty in moving around they are the difference between gardening or not gardening.

None of our produce goes to waste!  What we don't eat ourselves is given away, frozen, bottled etc, and we don't count the cost either!

[kingston boy]

Hello all and thanks for all your views on this subject. You have all been very positive about tunnels and their pro's. There seemed to be no con's. Though picking courgettes in mid November after force feeding all concerned around here does bother me a little.My crop was enormous. The only thing we never had with courgettes was ice cream.Picking strawberries a little earlier will please my nephews and neices as they enjoy their friut picked fresh.As i've said on here before i have 3 plots with a total of 225 sq meters (approx) so i imagine that i shall have to try these new fangled things. So Ebay here i come.
I still dont like raised beds though !
It must be the H&S bred into me about trip hazards etc

Also, do you really eat all the runners and dwarf beans and have therefore no seed for next season ? We all save seed and dont eat all we grow. Come on now let me win something here. Please.

[ceres]

Come on now let me win something here. Please.

Why?  There's no competition.  As Asbean so eloquently said we share our experiences and help each other.

[kingston boy]

[
Why?  There's no competition.  As Asbean so eloquently said we share our experiences and help each other.
 

You really are cold hearted but i humble apologise for inferring anything untoward about competion.

What do you show at your annual allotment show ?

[asbean]

We're not interested in showing our veg, for us it's too precious a hobby, tho some take it v-e-r-y seriously.  We were given a prize winning leek once, it was huge and tasted of nothing.  There are quite a few people on this forum who do show, and win prizes.

KB - yes, we save seed and on this forum we also have "seed swaps" which are a type of "pass the parcel" of seeds, attached is a picture of what I received last year; having gone through the seeds I took a few of this and that, added a few packets of other seeds, some of which I had saved, some duplicate packs or packs of veg we'd tried and didn't like. Then sent it on to the next person on the list.

We also have a "Swap Shop" board on this forum - have you looked there?

If you have a Wyevale near you - they do half price seeds in about September then reduce them to 50p a packet.

Yes, we're really pleased with the tunnel, we've only had it a year, and no complaints yet.  And I had an 8x14 ft greenhouse for 20 years.  I know which I prefer.

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