[kitch]

Hi got a polytunnel last year I've heard about how pests like um can anybody tell me hows best to clean um thought of using jays fliud like in the green house but think it might be a bit strong any ideas would be welcome

[ferreter51]

I had one for a couple of years before I moved here.  I was rather exposed in the hills there, and a gale shredded it, but I used a sulphur candle to good effect while I had the thing.  I believe that they are no longer available due to " 'elf 'n' safety" regulations.  There may be something similar which can be bought and used.

[kitch]

21st century un them elfs an the mates are a real problem i heard you can get like smoke bombs but polytunnels dunt come cheap an need to be carefull thanks 51

[muntjac]

we have a 24 foot poly and itd going to be jetwashed down inside ( carefully ) then when the poly skin has dried i will be using jeyes in a back pack sprayer of 20 litres this will have a 1/2 cup of jeyes put in . then the 6 tons of soil refreshed and all the fittings will be sprayed.and left to dry. the soil that is taken out will be piled up and weathered for the next couple years before being steam cooked and returned to the tunnel sterile. i will then put loads of fresh manure in...

[kitch]

Thought it was a good idea getting a poly tunnel but starting to have secound thoughts any one want to buy a poly tunnel, so let me get this right it would be alright to give the tunnel a good old brush down with jays fluid and rinse

[muntjac]

sure would , we do that each year ,we rotate the things we grow around the polytunnel .we have 3 main beds and they grow toms in one each year peppers in another and aubergine etc in the other , just rotate as you would in a grden,but then on the third year replace the soil/compost. you can buy compost in bulk, 1 ton loads from councils .or they put you in touch with recycling plants for green waste

[Kristen]

the soil that is taken out will be piled up ... steam cooked and returned to the tunnel sterile.

How do you generate / do the Steam-Cook bit please?

[muntjac]

on a small scale ? get a hessian sack put your compost in it, then borrow a wall paper steamer. place the sack on some lats over a house of bricks then put the steamer under the lats  allow the steam to travel through the sack and the compost . the thinner the sack is placed on the lats the better .. on a large scale as we would need i put some galvanised sheeting over a walled in bonfire with the soil on wet it down well and allow to cook  , a small scale steriliser would take some thinking about 

[Kristen]

Ah! I was thinking how to get the steam into a pile of soil. Wet soil and make the steam internally with a fire instead good idea.

Olden times use to stack lifted turf over the bonfire to sterilise it ...

[japagow]

What would happen if a polytunnel was not cleaned each year?

Does size matter (polytunnels only!) as to wether or not you clean?

[muntjac]

if you dont do some kind of house work in your poly then imagine its your kitchen .... bugs n such will run riot and when you do plant anything in it ,,,,,,, ur feeding every bag bug and vius. sterilising it each year with jeyes in a jetwasher keeps things clean on the plastic inside so algae and muck does not block out the light,,, incidently ,NEVER clean the outside of a poly tunnel with anything but rain water from the sky ... oh yeh let it rain ,,,,,you have an ultraviolet protection in / on the plastic . detergents etc can affect this