Allotments 4 All
Produce => Under Glass => Topic started by: Chantenay on September 07, 2007, 18:11:10
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Would you buy a poly tunnel?
If so......
What would you repeat??
What would you warn me against???
There seem to be some exciting deals at Northern Polytunnels and I am sooooo tempted.
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No, would always prefer a greenhouse to a polytunnel. No rational explanation why, just would prefer a greenhouse!!
valmarg
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Not easy. Ihave both-if push came to shove better a polytunnel than a small greenhouse
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I get a bit 'fidgety' about plastic. Yes, I know it's contributing towards growing fresh veg etc & it's probably a very efficient way to grow things, but at some point it's going to end up in landfill.
I much prefer to recycle old windows, door and bricks and have something 'solid' to grow things in. Also, the polytunnels I've come across aren't see-through & I like to see in and out of things ;D
That's not much help is it ::) ;D
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Thinking back to my earlier posting, I think the reason I prefer a greenhouse is ventillation.
Apart from opening the door a polytunnel is very poorly ventilated, and is very susceptilble to condensation, aka blight waiting to happen.
With a greenhouse you can get roof windows, louvred vents so that the airflow is much better.
valmarg
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You can get a lot of vent options on modern tunnels, Valmarg...
Avoid bonfires... or your polytunnel will end up like an upturned seive!
::)
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I suppose Saddad as you say all things have improved over the years, and ventillating a polytunnel is one of them.
It might be a tad slower to have a bonfire near a greenhouse, but the 'snap, crackle an pop' of the window panes would be just as destructive!!
Decisions, decisions!!
valmarg
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never have a prob with ventilation, ours is 30x10..doors both ends with mesh doors for summer..ours faces into the wind so that helps,
I know what you're saying, trixie, about plastic, our first cover had to be replaced when the club took over the ground and our poly had to be moved, this has been 're-born' as cloches, it covers the strawberry bed to bring them on and we've shared it around as it's good stuff ;D
next year, we're looking at a solar fan to help move the air around a bit more..also, we couldn't have afforded a 30x12 greenhouse ;D
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I decided on pollytunnell on my allotment, basically if were unfortunate to get Vandals, pray not, i think plastic be easier and cheaper to replace then glass.
i have a friend in different county had a green house on his allotment, after Vandals, spent ages picking slivers of glass up.
just my thoughts
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I think I would prefer a victorian style wood and glass greenhouse with gables and ventilated ridges that can be opened and closed.
Oh and a row of cold frames along one side. A little like those adverstised on the back of 'The Garden' magazine, they often have sales on and the greenhouses can be bought for just a little more than the cost of my house.
Failing that I suffer extreme greenhouse envy when I look at pictures of 30' X 10' polytunnels and think back to the yearly struggle with a 10' long greenhouse and far too many plants. Finally our council have conceded that PT's are ok so 2008 will be year of the plastic for me...
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Aw me too GTE, I used to have a 10' x 8' wooden g'house, it was lovely. I grew everything in there. Now though my garden is far too small and a bit shady for one. I so miss it :'(
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we have two tunnels and two greenhouses, tunnels every time, ventilation should not be an issue is you have the right sized doors, they are less prone to wind damage as they "move" and the additional height gives you more choicewith regard to crops that can be grown. Lastly, the price per square foot of a tunnel is much less than a greenhouse. We made our own 20 x 13 for under £150
http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/2007/04/tunnel-time-2.html
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I suppose I was brought up with dad's fantastic wood framed greenhouse, It was 45' x 15'. The left hand side was broad staging, which continued across the end of the greenhouse. The right hand was deep bedding. Under the end staging was a sunken tank, about 3' deep x the 15' width x 4'. which collected rainwater.
It was centrally heated by iron pipes round the edge of the greenhouse, heated from a little coke stove - coke was a by product of the gasworks - take away as much as you could carry for free.
I only wish I had enough space to accommodate dad's greenhouse now.
Sorry, piglet (I assume you are the same piglet from the GYO and KGB websites), but whilst you are advocating polytunnels as opposed to greenhouses, you are the same piglet that was complaing about the complete loss of tomatoes, due to blight, in your polytunnels. = Polutynnels = crap
Personally, we have had fantastic crops of tomatoes is our greenhouses.
valmarg
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Sorry, piglet (I assume you are the same piglet from the GYO and KGB websites), but whilst you are advocating polytunnels as opposed to greenhouses, you are the same piglet that was complaing about the complete loss of tomatoes, due to blight, in your polytunnels. = Polutynnels = crap
valmarg
Do you get your kicks from being rude to people Valmarg? I for one find your tone very unpleasant.
G x
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No georgie, and I am extremely sorry if you think I do, but I don't.
valmarg
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Okay. Didn't mean to hijack the thread. Apologies.
G x
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Its been a very bad year for blight Valmarg and it wasnt because my tomatoes were in tunnels that caused mine to get it.
I have both tunnels and greenhouses and having the experience of both, would prefer a tunnel anyday.
Dont worry about Valmarg Georgie, short and to the point is how she is, nothing wrong with that.
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Could you elluiidate about that remark piglet, or do I see you in the small claims court?
valmarg
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Yes Valmarg,
"your replies can be short and to the point, there is nothing wrong with that."
Its written in plain English and just means what it says.
I have brought to the sites admins notice your concern Valmarg
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Blinking hummer Cool it, polytunnel fistycuffs.
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We've just built our 10x15 tunnel, and like Manic we checked the wind direction so it goes straight through. We also got a ventilated ridge which I hope will keep the air circulating in the summer, and extra wide doors. We shall wait and see what the results are next year. But the chap on the plot next to ours got blight in his tunnel this year, I wonder if the spores get carried in/through on the wind.
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They certainly do asbean and it makes no difference if you have a tunnel or a greenhouse, if it gets blown in it gets blown in, this year has been just so wet and humid that mine got it as well.
However, to get the ventilation you need the doors open, catch 22
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we didn't have blight, just a bit of grey mould, due to the cool, wet, warm, humid weather, we've had a fantastic crop of everything in the tunnel this year, don't know about the sweet pots yet, still got to see ;D
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never have a prob with ventilation, ours is 30x10..doors both ends with mesh doors for summer..ours faces into the wind so that helps,
I
Why have you got plastic bottles over some of the plants - surely this cuts down the light even more ?
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they're over vulerable plants like pak choi and lettuce, deters the slugs 'til the plants are big enough not to be bothered, doesn't seem to worry them ;D
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Go on Chantenay - do it now!
You won't regret it!! I bought a 12' x 25' polytunnel last year. Didn't get it erected soon enough to get a whole season out of it but bloody lovely. You can go in there when it is peeing with rain and work as and when!
I had to fight my Council - they were telling me to take it down all year - but at last they have agreed for me to keep it!
I am so looking forward to next year - an early start hopefully. I have sited mine with the length going east/west with double doors one end and single the other. I have them open every day!
Probably not sensible to erect until early next year as winter gales may damage a bit if not fairlly protected - but covers are not expensive anyway!
Good luck - go on get the biggest one you can manage on your site - you will be the envy of all your lottie neighbours!!
Enjoy
Old Bird
;D
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Going back to the main theme, a freind has recently set up a polytunnel on our allotment. I watch her progress as this is situated very near to a road which has had a lot of vandalism (graffiti and even a lamp standard pulled down).
She seems to have some strange holes in the sides which are away from the road and I can only guess they were caused by a badger or deer (plenty of both on the plots) scartching at the sides. I think vandals would have done a much better job.
Stuff seems to be growing O.K. and she has put down creosote to ward off the deer.
I have given her some of my Winter Density lettuce and these seem to be doing about the same as the ones in my cold frames.