Topic: Polytunnel or green house

[jellied]

I've been following the posts for a while now and still can't decide. What does the panel suggest? Tunnel or garden house?

It's for the allotment which I visit on a regular basis - say 4 times a week during the peak period.

It's mainly for toms., cucumbers, and for seedlings to free up space at home.

Not a massive amount of space  - 8x6 feet maximum I reckon but can put down paving slabs.

I didn't realise you were suppose to leave the doors on tunnels open to stop excessive heat/moisture. Might be problem if I can't make it down there for whatever reason.

Tunnels don't last a massive amount of time by the looks of things before needing repairs.

Confused of Ealing. ???

I was in a garden centre last week and saw an 8x6 for £170, then realised that was just the frame, the poly carb., kit was a further £200!

[hippydave]

you can pick a g house for next to nothing in the local papers and horti glass is quite cheap you could also try freecycle i have had 2 off of there that needed very little work to get into good repair dont think i spent more than £20 between them both. poly tunnel will be a wee bit more expensive than green house but much more versatile season wise but i think if i were you i plump for a greenhouse.

[Magnolia]

I came on here to ask the same question.  Hope you dont mind me jumping on board rather than create another thread.

Can someone tell me why a poly is more versatile than a gh?  Why do people choose one over the other, whats the difference (apart from appearance/construction)?

[Old bird]

I would say tunnel - greenhouses generally are a lot more expensive - unless you go down the secondhand route - but having said that the advantages of a tunnel may be negated by the small size you are envisaging.

I paid for a 12' wide and 25' long £500 ish and you will find a greenhouse costs pretty much the same for an 8 x 6.

Problem with polytunnels is that they are not as good on the small sizes - heat wise & so (because they heat up too quickly and lose heat too quickly on a  smaller floor base to air ratio)  Also the smaller sizes per foot are a fair bit more expensive!


Good luck with what you decide - either way they are fun houses!

Old Bird

 ;D

[manicscousers]

we have a poytunnel, would never be without it now, the light is diffused so stuff doesn't fry in hot weather, might be our cover, not sure, we got a 30x10 poly for less than 300.00, the equivalent in a greenhouse would be much more,
oops, wrong pic

[Magnolia]

Apologies if I'm breaking forum rules by posting an ebay link....  can I ask your opinion on this polytunnel?  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Large-Polytunnel-Greenhouse-Pollytunnel-Poly-Tunnel_W0QQitemZ160325445166QQihZ006QQcategoryZ42153QQcmdZViewItem

[starting out]

To be honest it looks a bit flimsy to me. Its sort of a mini greenhouse on a larger scale and I would be concerned about it blowing away or ripping.

My hubby bought some polythene from ebay for about £25 which was delivered very quickly. He bought some plastic pipe from a builders merchant for about £40 and built one himself.Be build the floor frame which was a rectangle or wood and then drilled holes for the pipes to fit in and secured them in. He attached the pipes to a long piece of wood which went from the front to the back of the tunnel and fixed more wood along the sides to the pipes about 3 foot up to straighten the sides a bit and provide something to attach some guttering to. He made frames for the doors and made the doors and covered those with polythene too. All in all it didnt cost much at all as we scrounged the wood and its great.

[Hector]

I like these, local nursery uses them and friend has small garden one
http://www.kedergreenhouse.co.uk/default.asp

[Magnolia]

Hector, they look great.  Any idea how expensive they are?

[saddad]

Both if you can afford it... some things do better in the poly (?damper atmosphere?) some do better under proper glass...

[Hector]

Sorry, I am out of tough re prices but they are super. They have standard width ones you can add length to? I know my local nursery said beter than polytunnels as could adjust humity more with the panels at sides

[melann]

polly tunnels are great you can produce all year round i have a 16 foot one and it cost me £70 for the uv plastic covering
i got the scaffolding pipe free and also the plasic water pipe and the covering has a 5 year guarantee

[Old bird]

Hi

The one on ebay looks good but someone on my site has bought one and the posts are really weedy and not strong at all and although it has only been up 2 weeks one of the zips has come away from the plastic!

I doubt that you would get a complete season out of one at all - unfortunately - as the idea is good - but not robust enough.

The Keder greenhouses are brilliant but very expensive!

Old Bird

 :o

[Eristic]

With a polytunnel, the most expensive part is the two ends. The more space between each end the better deal you get.

[Hector]

With a polytunnel, the most expensive part is the two ends. The more space between each end the better deal you get.

That is a lovely way of putting it  :)

[calamityjayneuk]

I have both and they both have their advantages.

I've only had a small polytunnel for one growing season and I'm just getting used to all the other things I can do apart from tomatoes and cucumbers. The main advantage last year for me was that the plants suffered less variation in water supply and heat during the summer, being planted in the ground instead of pots. I can't get there every night so it was much better for my toms.

On the cost issue, mine was made from pallets and tubing, even if you can't scrounge them, some of our lottie lads have made impressive structures with bought wood and polythene. Ask at your lottie association shed if u have one I bet someone will know.

here is a pic of mine before we put the wooden front and mesh door on

[mummybunny]

calamityjayneuk that looks great where did you get the polythene from? Think i could get hold of plently of pallets and i have just the space for it at the lottie!!!

Thanks lucy

[calamityjayneuk]

the polythene was the only thing we bought. My husband got the other stuff from various builder friends, end of jobs etc. The polythene was arranged by the allotment shop, they save up orders and get them a few at once to save money, it was about £50.

We put few flags down the centre of the beds inside to hold the heat in the summer nights, it seems to help keep a steady temperature.