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Produce => Under Glass => Topic started by: cacran on August 16, 2009, 18:24:07

Title: Polly tunnels?
Post by: cacran on August 16, 2009, 18:24:07

I have been looking at a polly tunnel on e bay/ It is a new'buy it now' item. 2 x4.5 mtrs for about £75.

Has anyone got one? I would like to know how good or bad they are before taking the plunge, so to speak. ???

Title: Re: Polly tunnels?
Post by: manicscousers on August 16, 2009, 18:30:58

very cheap, cacran.
that said, we wouldn't be without ours  ;D

Title: Re: Polly tunnels?
Post by: cleo on August 17, 2009, 20:37:17

£75 is cheap but it`s small?

Sometimes size does matter-better to save up and by something a bit bigger.

A decent polytunnel/greenhouse is an investment for years.

Title: Re: Polly tunnels?
Post by: SMP1704 on August 17, 2009, 22:15:27

Is a green mesh type cover?  I have one, bought on Ebay for about £35 2 years ago (leave it for a few months and they become a lot cheaper)

I didn't want to spend £££ on a 'proper' polytunnel as we are prone to vandalism.  Mine is 2.5 x 3m and gives me enough room for melons, cucs and toms.  I also do early lettuce and spinach and grow French beans in the gaps.

If you look at my gallery, you will see that the tunnel was comprehensively vandalised and then repaired and the repairs are still holding (I love gaffer tape ;D)

The zips are a bit flimsy and I have replaced one zip with a proper outdoors type.

Hope that helps

Title: Re: Polly tunnels?
Post by: Squash64 on August 17, 2009, 23:23:19

Is it like this?

(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c333/Aragona/P1010059.jpg)

(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c333/Aragona/P1010060.jpg)
(both photos taken when it was newish)

I bought this on ebay in March 08 and for the first summer it was really good.  Everything grew very well and I was more than pleased.  

However, I forgot to take it down for the winter and early this year we had very high winds and all the stitching on the back seam and the zip came undone.  Someone on the site very kindly sewed it back together for me, but the zip part couldn't be repaired so I patched it up with some plastic sheeting. This meant that the door could not be fully opened again.

Maybe if you have a very sheltered spot, or if you are organised enough to take it down for the winter, it is a good buy.  I think I will be lucky if mine lasts for another season.  The frame is excellent, it's just the material that is weak.

Title: Re: Polly tunnels?
Post by: cacran on August 21, 2009, 09:35:13

Thanks for your replies.
The tunnel size is big enough for my plot. If I got a really big one, it would compromise my outdoor growing. I have a greenhouse, just that it gets a bit full.
The one I've seen looks the same as both SMP1704's and Squash 64's.
We have never exerience vandalism on our sites...yet? What a shame about yours (SMP), I would have been gutted.
I am a bit too lazy to be taking mine down in winter and the site is a bit exposed. The problem you have had with the stitching and zip has put me off. I think I will leave it and get a second hand greenhouse, if I can. It would be better in the long run I think.

thankyou all  for your solid advice.