Why buy a polytunnel ?

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fibilou

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Why buy a polytunnel ?
« on: July 19, 2011, 20:42 »
I have a bit of a yen for a PT at the moment and have a bit of space that is uncultivated as yet which we could fit one of about 12 x 6. We already have 2 greenhouses. How would a PT benefit us ?
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fibilou

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2011, 20:43 »

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mumofstig

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2011, 21:11 »
here's a link to a few past discussions

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=51093.msg605176#msg605176

If you use the search button above you will find lots more posts under "buy polytunnel"

The e-bay ones are quite often called blowaways..because they do :(

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sunshineband

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2011, 21:23 »
and secondly, would this sort of thing be suitable ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-2m-Polytunnel-Greenhouse-FULLY-GALVANISED-FRAME-/310333006327?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Garden_Structures_Fencing_CV&hash=item484149e1f7#ht_2618wt_1185

it's such a bargain that I can't believe it could be OK !

We have one a wee bit smaller bu the same design.

If you have it somewhere sheltered and take the time and effort to put it up properly, burying the cover edges well into the ground, it works a treat and is a real bargain as well  :D :D :D
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kosh42|EFG

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2011, 10:33 »
and secondly, would this sort of thing be suitable ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-2m-Polytunnel-Greenhouse-FULLY-GALVANISED-FRAME-/310333006327?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Garden_Structures_Fencing_CV&hash=item484149e1f7#ht_2618wt_1185

it's such a bargain that I can't believe it could be OK !
I have one of these waiting to be put up in my allotment. Reading the comments of past sales they all look good. Secret seems to be to bury the edges as well as already said...

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sunshineband

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2011, 19:38 »
A couple of plots near ours have the sides held down by council paving slabs and seem to have survived OK, but one with few bricks on it regularly passes us by...... flying along  :lol:

Why they never learn is beyond me  :blink:

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mumofstig

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2011, 21:52 »
Mine didn't blowaway............the metal frame twisted with the force of the wind!

In the second summer the clear poly bits between the green threads of the cover (like little window panes) all started to fall away inside the greenhouse whenever it rained, until eventually it was raining inside the greenhouse, so I rarely needed to water the toms :(

Good luck if you do decide to buy one.

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sunshineband

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2011, 07:09 »
Mine didn't blowaway............the metal frame twisted with the force of the wind!

In the second summer the clear poly bits between the green threads of the cover (like little window panes) all started to fall away inside the greenhouse whenever it rained, until eventually it was raining inside the greenhouse, so I rarely needed to water the toms :(

Good luck if you do decide to buy one.

I may of course still have this phenomenon to look forward to  :lol:

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fibilou

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BILL251

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2011, 20:19 »
Well I have just bought   one  20  feet  by  10    would love  to have got  a real  one but  don,t have the money. Should  arrive next week  will let  you  know   latter if it  stands up  to the high  winds and a winter in  Scotland    Great  just reading other,s  views  on  these  poly tunnels

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mumofstig

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2011, 20:19 »
So now we're looking at this one   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Superior-Quality-Polytunnel-Commercial-Grade-12m-x-6m-/180698782113?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Garden_Structures_Fencing_CV&hash=item2a127c99a1#ht_2214wt_952
Looks smart ::) I think we've just about got room for it
One that size (12m x 6 m) sold yesterday for £555, but that's a PROPER polytunnel  :D

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lazydog

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2011, 21:31 »
If you are anygood at DIY and scrounging stuff there is the 3rd option,make your own.
http://www.overthegardengate.net/UserPages/pp_view.asp?FName=polytunnel&Page=1
I gathered all the pipe to make one then decided to buy a blow away and use the pipe for fruit cage frame and large cloches.
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fibilou

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2011, 14:14 »
My husband is good at DIY but if I ask him to build a PT from scratch we'll be waiting years  ::)

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arugula

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2011, 14:23 »
"They say a snow year's a good year" -- Rutherford.

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japagow

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Re: Why buy a polytunnel ?
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2011, 19:21 »
..because the stuff you grow is almost completely under your control and you can almost grow anything. I bought plastic off the internet and made my own frame/doors etc out of good recycled materials. It isn't big -10 x 7- but it works brilliantly maintaining a moist settled temperature in which tomatoes, beetroot, chilli, peppers,lettuce, radishes, florence fennel,basil have grown better than ever before so far.

I'm so sold on the PT as a place to grow I'm going to build another small one next year and try more chilli and peppers, aubergines and even a  holy basil tea bush.

1)My greenhouse is not so well positioned for all day sun so the PT makes up for it.

2) I buried the plastic in a trench and could have stretched the plastic tidier in places but it works.

3) The PT is now full of flapping moist bugs so I shall have a cleaning out session when the time is right.

4) Cheap PT's are just that, cheap. My plastic cost £67 and has extra thermal non drip properties that the cheap packages might not.



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