Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: Lloydus on February 17, 2011, 14:59

Title: Polytunnel for beginner
Post by: Lloydus on February 17, 2011, 14:59
Just got my first allotment, total beginner. Got a lot of work to clear all the brambles yet but I’m thinking about getting a polytunnel straight off.
Never grown before. Looking at getting a smallish one 10ft by 20ft – 24ft

I understand most people use them for sowing seeds and then planting outside on the allotment
.
What can I grow in them from start to finish rather than sowing seeds and planting them outside?

Any good websites / links I can read up on?
Title: Re: Polytunnel for beginner
Post by: big green bloke on February 18, 2011, 20:51
salad crops are good , carrots for small types  sweet corn , pepers ,  cucumbers , toms ,melons . spring oinons , just a few of what im grow in main just remember you must water it well as it gets no rain
Title: Re: Polytunnel for beginner
Post by: mumofstig on February 18, 2011, 20:55
Also early and late calabrese(brocolli), early french beans, winter salads and stir fry mixes
Title: Re: Polytunnel for beginner
Post by: Kristen on February 19, 2011, 16:01
Looking at getting a smallish one 10ft by 20ft – 24ft

Not sure that qualifies as "small" :D

I have a 30' x 10' cropping greenhouse.  I grow 3 or 4 batches of Sweetcorn down one side aimed to finish as the outdoor corn starts to come ripe.  I also plant some dwarf French beans (to crop until the outdoor Runners take over).

At the far end I grow 3 Cucumbers, and down the other side Tomatoes, Melons, Aubergines and Sweet Peppers.  I grow a few more Aubergines, Peppers (including some Chillies) and Melons in large pots to plant out as the Corn finishes (the plant spacing of the corn has evolved over the years to allow me to plant the other in between before the corn is actually finished :) )

In the Autumn I plant Winter Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Kohl Rabi and Beetroot for an early Spring crop.  (a Winter variety of Carrots would be OK too).

I also grow very early Potatoes in bags / containers (they get moved outside once frost danger is past and the greenhouse is getting too hot for them) and again the first week of August for an Christmas crop.
Title: Re: Polytunnel for beginner
Post by: Yorkie on February 19, 2011, 20:05
Double check your site permissions for structures before you go to any expense - there won't necessarily be a problem, but make sure you know the rules first.
Title: Re: Polytunnel for beginner
Post by: Lloydus on February 20, 2011, 09:31
Thanks for all the comments/. Very helpful