The snow must go on....

 

 

Well the snow keeps putting paid to doing much outside including constructing our new Polytunnel which was going to be for seedlings. So as the others are not being used too much just now we've split one of them in half and double glazed it using bubble wrap

 

 

 and put the staging supports in which we bought with the tunnel. We've then added some batten sized timbers jumbo trays and capilliary matting for the seed trays to sit on when its safe to move the seedlings in

                                      

Next job is to start building cloches for outside and inside the big tunnel. Going to be using the Geoff Hamilton kind of method /principle although simplified from his exquisite structures
You can view how to make them here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGA0P9uB9z4&list=PLc-dF6EoGozTVgVwMDbgnU5UvnEd63xMg&index=14

Pete & Jeannette’s Polytunnel Tips Part 1

Have a look at our website Gallery Page for some Polytunnel pictures:

http://www.thefarmgarden.co.uk/gallery.htm

It’s around this time of year that looking forward desperately to spring people start thinking of growing their own veg and perhaps putting up a Polytunnel or Hoophouse as our cousins across the pond call them Lots of folk have written books about buying a tunnel and you can find loads of information on various websites but we thought that having now had a number of years experience in buying erecting and using them  we thought we’d add our own ten penneth worth too

1. Perhaps first and foremost you should check with your local councils planning department as the situation seems to vary around the UK. Our understanding of the current position is taken from First Tunnels website “In general you do not need planning permission for sheds, greenhouses, summerhouses or polytunnels. However you will need to apply for planning permission if the polytunnel is nearer to any road than the nearest part of the house, unless there's at least 20m between the polytunnel and a road. You can't build over 3m high (or more than 4m if it has a pitched roof). A pitched roof has its ridge at the centre, and both sides slope down at the same angle - this accurately describes a polytunnel roof. Take extra care if your site has a listed building or resides in a conservation area, national park, or area of outstanding natural beauty. There are further restrictions to planning in these cases”

2. Does size matter – always buy as big as you can fit in and afford. Once you start growing your own fruit and veg you’ll never have enough room!!   Bear in mind however the bigger the tunnel the more steelwork and hence construction and the bigger the sheet of polythene to go over it - many hands make light work

3. Siting the Polytunnel - If you have the choice, and you are prone to strong winds, positioning the polytunnel where it will have maximum protection, ie next to a wall, hedge or tree-line. If these don’t exist then position the length of the polytunnel into the prevailing wind As regards growing it is accepted that a North to South orientation will generate slightly lower temperatures than East to West where the sun moves across the long side of the polytunnel.   

Other practical things we would consider would be

   1. Leave sufficient gap between the tunnel and any buildings/hedges/trees. In the case of trees etc we don’t really want any roots possibly affecting the structure neither do we want any tree falling on the tunnel in a storm for example. Leaving a gap to enable recladding (replacing the polythene) in the future and perhaps getting a mini digger or certainly a wheelbarrow down the sides and along the ends would make sense

   2. Think about the site in relation to water supply – if we ever get a summer you will need to water A LOT ! But think about where the water is going to come from and how it will get into your tunnel

   3. The site should really be as level as possible as although we have seen tunnels sloping from end to end, side to side is a no no.

4. Type of Polytunnel – most tunnels consist of a steel frame which sits on foundation tubes which are either hammered directly into the ground or clamped through anchor plates or concreted. The polythene cover is either ‘trenched’ ie buried into the ground all round the length and width – this necessitates depending on the size of your tunnel a good deal of digging or hiring a mini digger (which obviously adds to the total cost) or fitted into base rails either wood or aluminium which are normally clamped to the steel hoops. The advantages of the base rail method are : less digging – you will however still have to dig holes for the foundation tubes/anchor plates but not a trench all round the tunnel If you ever want/need to re stretch the polythene or indeed replace it, it is a lot simpler with base rails. Bear in mind again that base rails will add to the overall cost and aluminium ones which are simpler in our opinion to use are more expensive usually than wooden ones

5. Extras – with a tunnel ‘kit’ you will basically get the steel frame, the polythene cover and all the bits to assemble your tunnel

One or two things you might consider (and why) depending on your supplier/design

Crop Bars – Crop bars basically are bolted onto the tunnel hoops and run from side to side on each hoop apart from the two ends. They are useful for supporting growing plants; running watering/irrigation pipes/systems along and also add a degree of rigidity to the tunnel which if you live in an area prone to high winds is worthwhile

Additional Bracing – in a nutshell this would consist of probably 2 additional ridge bars placed either side of the central ridge bar – we have them placed where the hoop begins to bend coming up from the ground towards the central ridge bar. If you live again in a windy spot or like us experience heavy snowfall from time to time these additional bars add more strength to the whole structure. In all our tunnels we have added 4” x 2” wooden uprights from ground to centre ridge bar as the experience one new years day of seeing our big tunnel looking like a giant had trodden on it (through weight of snow) is not one we care to repeat

Finally a roll of polythene repair tape – with all the care in the world and despite the polythene covers being strong the odd nick/cut is bound to happen sometime whether during construction or later use. Having a roll of this handy can save your investment !