Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: pigeonpie on February 01, 2020, 18:40
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Hi,
I'd like to pick your excellent brains on whether you think a non transparent polycrub / polytunnel would be suitable for propagating some plants (I have propagators) and as a seasonal non hot growing space?
So, we live in the Outer Hebrides in a very exposed site, about 60 - 70 metres from a sea loch. In the winter months the wind will hit in excess of 80mph at least a couple of times, and in the 40mph - 50mph at least a couple of times a month. Any buildings up here have to be built to a different spec, and off the shelf sheds don't last long. We face south so have plenty of light. However, with the sea being so close the wind is often laced with salt.
I'm planning on having a polycrub for my summer crops, tomatoes, etc. But I'd also like a good sized space that I can use for propagation, as well as for a few crops that don't normally need cover, and certainly don't want a great deal of heat, but would benefit from some protection from the elements. For example, courgettes and French beans.
The polycrubs get very warm in summer, especially with such long daylight hours, and friends who have them struggle to grow anything other than those that need a fair bit of heat, unless they're in a shadier spot.
They've now released a new design of polycrub that is constructed from opaque polycarbonate sheeting, instead of the regular transparent. I'm wondering if it would work ok for my idea and whether it would provide enough light for propagation? I'm thinking that the diffused light it would provide wouldn't be any less that when I used to put up bubble wrap in the greenhouse to prevent heat loss in the winter / early spring when I propagated stuff. What do you guys think?