Fleece/poly support

[Lillypad]

I've seen blue plastic (water?) piping bent to make supports for fleece or polythene. It looks neat (and colourful!) and I imagine it's a relatively inexpensive way of providing support.

What I can't work out - how is the fleece or polythene fastened to the supports ::) Am I missing something obvious?

Lillypad

[Lillypad]

[Rose.mary]

Lilypad---I have decided to use 18mm white water pipe that I can get from B&Q on Wednesday with 10% off.
I will just drape the net/fleece over and weigh down with soil or stones.If anybody can think of anything better I would be very interested, also if there is anywhere cheaper to buy the water tube,blue or white.

Rosemary

[dandelion]

I'm glad someone's started this thread; I've been wondering the same  ;D!

I was planning to check out Wickes for blue water pipe. I imagine it's best to put the pipes over sticks (bamboo? doweling?) perhaps 60 cm long (30 cm to  go into the soil to make the structure sturdier). As for fixing the polythene, what I thought I'd try is this: use clear weather tape to fix string/wire/cable ties onto the underside of the polythene sheet at even distances. Use these to tie around the blue water pipe hoops. Any other ideas? And what distance should the hoops be spaced out from each other? The bed is 1.20 wide and the tunnel will be approx. 80 cm tall.

[Deb P]

I'm sure one of my Geoff Hamilton books covers this.....

From memory, I think he used a small metal hook screwed through at right angles to the pipe end and into the piece of dowell, and tied a piece of string over the polythene or fleece over the hoops secured on the hooks; does that make sense?  ???

[supersprout]

From memory, there's a feature in the Wiki that shows one of these being made - worth a look?

[dandelion]

Aha Geoff Hamilton!

http://www.powen.freeserve.co.uk/Projects/tunnelcloche/tunnelcloche.htm

That answers all my questions, but I think I'll use longer lenghts of dowel for extra stability.

[Tee Gee]

quote; how is the fleece or polythene fastened to the supports

Battens of wood, bricks or twist ties.

[supersprout]

For securing the sides of mesh, rather than using soil, I use long canes or peasticks laid along the long edge, then rolled up like a Swiss roll. Holds it down, and looks tidy! :) No problems with weeding - mulch - or watering - mesh lets the rain through unlike fleece. Not a good solution if you have to do either regularly.

[Lillypad]

Oh - now I see! :o

I like having a go at something 'handy', so I think I'll try GH's version, although mine might not turn out quite as expected! Thank you everyone.

Lillypad

[RSJK]

The way I do it is to drape the fleece over the pipe and then put another pipe over the top of it trapping the fleece under it.

[tricia]

Last Autumn I bought a cheapo poly-tunnel from Lidl. Have just brought it indoors from the shed to have a look and notice that the thin polythene is perforated with 1cm holes. I plan to use the tunnel on my new raised beds (it makes a 5m long tunnel apparently) and to erect two during the coming week to warm the soil for a few weeks before using it for early planting. Question - will the holes prevent the soil from warming? or should I cover the polythene with fleece initially?

Tricia

[euronerd]

I've done something similar to this in the past, if that helps. The 'clips' want to be about an inch long; much longer and you won't be able to clip them over. Five or maybe six per hoop seems to be ok, unless you're prone to wind. It works for ordinary fleece but struggles a bit with enviromesh.
The bottom pic is just to save a few words. If you tie a cane as shown (I use those little cable ties from poundland) it increases stability and means you can get away with wider spacing of your hoops.
(I should have said windy conditions on your plot).  ::)










Geoff.

[SMP1704]

I scavenged my blue pipe out of skip, cut it into about 6' lengths, pushed each end about foot or so into the soil - 3 hoops to an 8' bed, put the fleece over the hoops and held in place with bricks.

My lottie neighbour has made a much more elaborate pipe tunnel by drilling holes through the pipe and running canes thro.  Looks much less "Heath Robinson" than mine, but they both do the job....

Just depends how much time you have

Enjoy

[Rose.mary]

Euronerd - I think the cane on top of hoops is a good idea. It will make the structure much more stable.
One of my resolutions for this year is to support all my crops much better than last year.

Many thanks
Rosemary

[kt.]

When I moved plots last March, there was a roll of at least 20-30ft of this blue pipe in a roll. Pleased I never threw it. Kept it ( as you do), and now you have given me a job for it. Many Thanks. One small polytunnel and one fleece tunnel coming up... ;)

[dandelion]

Euronerd - I think the cane on top of hoops is a good idea. It will make the structure much more stable.
One of my resolutions for this year is to support all my crops much better than last year.

Many thanks
Rosemary

Yes, excellent idea.  I think I'll do this too as my plot is quite exposed.

[cornykev]

That'll do for me Geoff I'll get right on it, wellsoonish. ;D ;D ;D

[dandelion]

I checked out the blue water pipe at Wickes today. 20mm: £14.95 for 25 m 25mm:£19.95 for 25m.

[Good Gourd2]

I fix my fleece by making channels every 6-8 feet this I used to machine but got a bit lazy now and staple instead, then I just thread the pipe or wire through.  Also I staple small loops ever 4 feet and anchor into the soil with old tent pegs.

[Wasp_Box]

Hi Lillypad,

I see your allotment is at Harlow Hill. Me too! I wonder if it was my allotment where you saw the use of blue piping. We have used it for the last few years and it works a treat. I've noticed a couple of others have picked up on it since.

I'm in 6A so feel free to come and have a chat - not up much right now but that will change come the Spring.

Cheers

Wasp Box AKA Pete