Allotments 4 All

I have just ordered a polytunnel 10ft x 20 feet with additional net tunnel 10ft x 10ft to make a 30 ft structure.
I cannot change the site which runs East to West.
I have ordered full length ventilation along one side of the polythene section with a roll-down polythene blind, crop bars and storm braces (being next to the Mersey)
I can change my order within the next two weeks and would like to hear from anyone who has a tunnel and can point out any pitfalls.

The tunnel sounds fine to me. All you need is for the weather to be kind to you when you and your pals erect it. Good luck. :)

I have just had a look at the satellite image of your allotment site Gillysdad and there are a lot of polytunnels. There must be a lot of experience there!

Most of the polytunnels on our site are homemade. Scaffolding poles bent into shape :o. As you might guess no two 'hoops' are the same ;D, but you don't notice that when the polythene skin is on.
A nice warm day helps when putting the skin on, otherwise it's a straightforward job.
Only one tip: If the winter and snow is as bad as last year knock the snow off the tunnel regularly with a brush or something. You know how heavy snow is. ;)

My two main tips:

1. dont have a bonfire in there, even if it is raining on Nov 5th.

2. never undress and have a shower in there.

Choose a nice sunny day to put the skin on as it expands with the heat, try and get the skin as tight as possible.

The down side of poly tunnels is you tend to get a build up of salts and minerals so you need to flush the soil through at the end of the season. You also should change the top eighteen inches of soil every three years. 

I don't expect many people need this, but it is a useful (to me) site I have come across that may interest others:

http://www.feelgooduk.net/content/12-how-to-build-a-polytunnel-part1

Quote from: artichoke on August 22, 2010, 09:45:01
I don't expect many people need this, but it is a useful (to me) site I have come across that may interest others:

http://www.feelgooduk.net/content/12-how-to-build-a-polytunnel-part1

Those prices are really good. My wife has offered to buy me the 20ft one for Xmas. :) How can I refuse, I might hurt her feelings. ;D ;D

I've got the 4.5 metre one and found the "easy" way for me to keep it secure was to push the poles in to the level of the lower bar and then bang marquee pegs (18" tent pegs from army surlplus) in next to each leg. It's been secures since April and I've grown a lot of tomatoes plus significant peppers and chillies in there. Mine will be moving to the plot next spring cos I'll be getting a greenhouse to replace it at home, but I've found it to be a good thing.... if the cover lasts another cople of years I'll be happy....

chrisc

How's it standing up to the uv? the last cheap one I had disintegrated in one year.

Do you think it would survive the winter?

Those prices are very tempting  ;)