Topic: Starting out with polytunnels

[Laney]

I'm a back garden veggie grower, this year coming will be my fourth season, and basically last year was a complete disaster, mainly because of my cat! :(  No matter what I tried she used my beds as a toilet!  I'd quite like to cover the beds I have with a large full-height polytunnel, and extend my growing room by making more beds widthways on the other side of the tunnel.  Can you grow anything in a tunnel, or does it only have it's uses at the beggining and end of the season?  I'll have to grow in it all year if I get one.  The crops I grow are cabbage, broccoli, leeks, onions, lettuce, spring onions, rocket, carrots, parsnips and sweetcorn.  Are any of these not suitable for growing in a tunnel?  These are the crops most plagued by my cat.  My spuds, strawberries and tomatoes can stay outside as they cat doesn't bother them.

[skintnbitter]

Morning

Up until i got my allotment this year i had a poly tunnel in the back garden. I grew whatever came to mind with a few ups and downs.

Cucumbers did fantastic, Gala melon, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, leeks etc. The only advice i would give is to make sure you can get plenty of air running through it in summer. Mine would get that hot and humid that my glasses would steam up when i walked in.

I had a batton of wood approx 2 feet up from the floor running around the tunnel.  The plastic was fixed tight in place over the top to the batton and then the remaining plastic was left loose. I then had net fixed from the batton to the floor, to stop rabbits etc getting in. In summer i would roll the plastic back to allow air through and in winter let it back down to keep the heat in. Hope this makes sence, it is a bit like a tent door with the two layers.

I loved my tunnel as even in the rain i could still garden and be cosy and dry. Good luck.

[saddad]

You'll love it Laney, early Xmas present to yourself...  ???

[manicscousers]

I couldn't be without mine, but I must admit, we don't grow brassicas, parsnips, carrots, leeks or maincrop onions in there as it gets a bit hot in ours  :)

[betula]

Oh dear,now I am no longer at college I am missing the facilities.

[betula]

One of these would be very handy right now :)[attachment=1]

[asbean]

I want one in my house!!!

[betula]

Computer records the weather

[betula]

And operates the shading in the glasshouse

[Lauren S]

Could you build a cage around your garden to keep kitty out?
A bit like a large fruit cage.