Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: jambop on December 20, 2021, 11:58
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I have a polytunnel but have only ever used it for raising plants. I am building another one and intend to grow in it. Is the standard method of gardening in a polytunnels using raised no dig beds?
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Personally I have 2 side beds and a centre bed - but the tunnel is 16' wide. Because polytunnel growing space is premium, you want all the soil to be as good as you can get it.
You can see the planned layout here: Planning the Polytunnel (https://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/5025/planning-the-polytunnel-interior-progress/)
Only actual difference is the centre bed doesn't have a crossover path now. Many larger polytunnels are just a single growing bed.
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Mine is 14ft wide (new this year) & I went with 3ft beds down each side & about 5ft wide in the middle with a mulched path all round, no raised beds for me although I’m tempted this year to try some competition style carrot & parsnips in there in some sort of raised tub or barrel
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And my two are 3m wide, with a central path just wide enough to manoeuvre a wheelbarrow when needed. These are not raised beds, just edged with wood to stop soil falling onto the path. The two tunnels give me four beds in total each 12 long, which broadly speaking means I can manage a crop rotation after a fashion.
I wouldn't be without them!!
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Thanks for the replies. I have decided on two raised 1.4m beds each side with a walkway down the middle big enough for a wheel barrow. The doors will be sliding so beds are full length. Should be plenty of room for the crops I am planning which will be mainly winter crops of salad and autumn grown garlic as I have found that just when the garlic should be getting going rust decimates it. I have some staging brackets so it will be fixed to one side but hinged so only down when needed . After I have the new tunnel up and running I am going to completely rebuild the old one do the same there which should allow me to grow some decent amounts of winter and early spring salad crops. I may also try a few salad tomatoes in the summer for although outdoor toms do great here I have to treat them for blight. The ones grown in the tunnel should be much cleaner ... best laid plans eh :lol:
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And my two are 3m wide, with a central path just wide enough to manoeuvre a wheelbarrow when needed. These are not raised beds, just edged with wood to stop soil falling onto the path. The two tunnels give me four beds in total each 12 long, which broadly speaking means I can manage a crop rotation after a fashion.
I wouldn't be without them!!
Hi Sunny, nice to ‘see’ you here :)