Sorry I`m going on again, my O/H thought that the flimsy green polytunnels could be strenghtend buy fixing a wooden door at one end and extra bars near to the top. My concern is the green covers that always seem to be flapping when you see them. Any suggestions. Really cannot afford to spend £300 on a tunnel. :-\
The problems that you'll have with a cheap polytunnel (and believe me, this is through bitter experience) are that the frames are flimsy especially at the joints, and the covers only last for two seasons before sunlight degrades them and makes them brittle, when they'll tear.
If you're both reasonably handy, why not buy a cover and build a wooden frame? The sort of frame that would work might be something like this:
[attachment=1]
A quick costing suggests that if you buy 10m of good quality Visqueen sheeting at about £85 (either clear or white), and build the frame from 32mmx19mm treated timber, you could build a 1.8m wide x 2.4m long tunnel for around £110, or a 2.4m wide x 3.6m long one for around £135.
If you mounted it on more solid base, or fancied some roller windows on the sides, or extra doors, it would add a few quid for the timber, but nothing extortionate.
You'd need to sand the framework to avoid rough edges, so it would be quite a lot of work, but could be a nice winter project.
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/amazingrotavator/Photo-0066.jpg)
Less than £100. 4mtrsx3mtrs. Home made,tilers lathes and monoflex. 3 days work, made up as I went.
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/amazingrotavator/Photo-0081.jpg)
Or make a frame like this and cover with monoflex instead of net. Again, less than £100.
Go on---have a go!!!
Wow! Those are really inspirational! Just shows what can be done for relatively little money.
As I asked before... are you taking comissions? :)
Amazing, does the green one get warm inside? I have quite a lot of that netting and I'm thinking of covering my rubbish polytunnel with it.
Can't say it gets too warm inside. It does protect from frost to a degree. Lets light and rain through. Beware though, it traps whitefly inside. I give the brassica's a good wash with washing up liquid now and again. Need to prop in winter due to the weight of snow.
Quote from: saddad on September 30, 2011, 17:50:52
As I asked before... are you taking comissions? :)
Look on my web site. It would be cheaper if you took your time over the winter months though.
www.mandjderbygardens.co.uk.