Produce > Under Glass

Greenhouse, polytunnel or just go with the flow.

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Jillybean:
Hi everyone,
I'm new here. I'm fairly new to gardening, I've done a bit here and there, however I've recently moved to west Cornwall and have a small garden.  I want to start growing veg and salad etc.  My garden is south facing but is in shade a lot of the day due to a neighbours big tree. I was looking at those cheap polytunnels for under £100 but wondered if they were any good?  The other option is a used greenhouse from marketplace.  Then I got to wondering do I need one, would it be beneficial?  Would growing in pots and raised beds be sufficient?  I would be grateful for any advice. Thank you.

Obelixx:
Most fruit and veg need plenty of sunlight to do well so it depends on what you want to grow.

Some veg such as salad leaves, herbs like chervil actually prefer a bit of shade.   Growing in raised beds will certainly give you a deeper root run of friable soil providing yo can fill them with good quality soil and compost and keep fertility topped up with annual applications of well-rotted manure, garden compost, lime depending on your crop rotation.

Can you have a friendly word with your neighbour and see about getting their tree thinned or having its crown lifted to give you more sun and less shade?

Jillybean:
Ive tried speaking to the neighbour but she won't have the tree touched. It's a shame because it only affects our garden, in her garen she gets sun all day as does my neighbour on the other side.  The tree is at the bottom of her garden (she has a corner plot) and the tree towers over ours.  I told her we only wanted it trimming not cutting down but she said no, the council won't touch it without her agreeing unfortunately.

picman:
A  £100 poly tunnel IMHO would not be any good, I have had a 10x15(feet) tunnel on my plot for 5 years and it has been a great investment. (£400 ish)  I can grow salad crops almost all year round. As has been said, salad do prefer a little shade. One thing i would say is most tunnels do not provide enough ventilation , you really need doors both ends and large side 'window' vents , I have also had shading inside ( on the south facing side) , I grow all the crops directly in the soil , while adding some organic material over the winter period ... Wooden raised beds just attract pests and soon rot.

( Toms, peppers, lettuce, spring onions, beetroot, cucumber, and beans in pots in May ) 
 

Redalder:
If you have moved to Cornwall from "Up Country" I would give it a season before you invest in anything like a poly tunnel, the weather can make poly tunnels too warm in summer. I had one up North (Scotland) but have never needed one down here in the West Country. I do have  small greenhouse for tomatoes and cucumber but the "spares" seem to do OK outside. A bird netting cage is useful to keep pigeons and seagulls at bay ( lots of seagulls even inland) as you are never far from the coast.

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