I’m building a Polytunnel.

[easyrider]

you mentioned in an earlier post about digging the pond.

Any opportunity to talk about it

 

[easyrider]

Your right…i have now counted 7 brocolli heads growing nicely………..

 

[mickyflinn]

Is the green tarp over the top of the tunnel to dampen the sunlight ?

 

[easyrider]

Is the green tarp over the top of the tunnel to dampen the sunlight ?

yep

and to maintain temps

it’s shade net that allows 60% of sunlight through

 

[Feek]

I saw the thread title ages ago and for some reason I thought this would be about a small tunnel, a couple of feet high and about six foot long.

How wrong I was!

It's been a fascinating read all in one go and to see the progress. What a great job.

Out of interest, how much has this lot cost you so far?

 

[easyrider]

I saw the thread title ages ago and for some reason I thought this would be about a small tunnel, a couple of feet high and about six foot long.

How wrong I was!

It's been a fascinating read all in one go and to see the progress. What a great job.

Out of interest, how much has this lot cost you so far?

I’d say Pollytunnel, Blocks, 10 tonne of Topsoil….bits and bobs….roughly around 3k

 

[Blackjack Davy]

ah you're "backbreaker"... won't move with the times. we've run an experiment this year..an old-timer who insists on turning soil and my plot, I haven't turned my soil for 4 years since originally got the plot. I have more toms on my plants, more broad beans, less weeds. yes it's just a bit of fun and there are loads of variables but I can assure you, no-dig is the future.

rotters

They're cashing in on work done in the past, last plot I dug over removed at least half a dozen barrowloads of old roots as well as stones, rubble, used to be a bed with shrubs that weren't doing well. Trees from over the fence regularly throw their roots into it too as they're after the water etc too and that can be up to 20 feet from the boundary. Its clay soil that gets compacted and gloopy unless you get some air and organic matter into it. See also Turner's Oak, Kew Gardens that was dying of soil compaction until "lifted" by the '87 storm.

 

[Feek]

I’d say Pollytunnel, Blocks, 10 tonne of Topsoil….bits and bobs….roughly around 3k

Not as much as I was expecting - I bet all the extra bits, water system etc add a fair chunk.

It's very impressive, thanks for sharing it with us, I will follow this with interest.

 

[easyrider]

Not as much as I was expecting - I bet all the extra bits, water system etc add a fair chunk.

With the IBCs, the pump, the shade netting, and the other bits it’s probably closer to 3.5k…..I’ve just ordered a Geka 120cm Spray hose Lance so that another £50 to add on….didn’t really think I needed an extended spray but now things have grown so huge I need one to get the water we’re I need it, especially at the back of the beds….

It's very impressive, thanks for sharing it with us, I will follow this with interest.

Thanks it’s been nice to document it….thanks to everyone for their interest.

I have an idea for next season to run some soak hose lines and raised my third IBC of the ground and gravity fill the soak hoses by the turn of the IBC tap….But I needed to learn as I went….I’m all for finding a simple process to things in order to make the journey enjoyable….the IBCs, redirecting the water off the stable roof….the pump etc….all have saved me a lot of time….

I’ve not used the mains supply now for months….hugely satisfying….plus the plants , even the house plants love rain water.My spider plant has literally come alive since I started using rainwater instead of tap water…

The other problem was the high temps….but after the failure of the internal shade netting actually heating up the tunnel….the fans and the external netting worked! So even in this heatwave I can maintain temps and not have to worry about the plants! Little problems solved here and there and lessons learnt along the way.

I’ve literally never grown anything before this project but with advice from others, online research etc…I’m pretty pleased with things…

OH and I’ve lost a stone in weight

 

[PlacidCasual]

Soak hose can be a better idea than spraying. Spraying increases humidity and if the weather is bad increase risk of blight. From memory tomatoes and potatoes like dry air and cucumbers and melons like humid air. I guess it depends on your crop choices.

Excellent work though as said before.

 

[Showboat]

@easyrider What is the pressure like from your IBC with the pump attached?
Would it be able to run a garden sprinkler? (About 30psi) required for that.

 

[easyrider]

@easyrider What is the pressure like from your IBC with the pump attached?
Would it be able to run a garden sprinkler? (About 30psi) required for that.

Easily

 

[Tom|Nbk]

Wow looks awesome Easy.

 

[easyrider]

Wow looks awesome Easy.

Cheers mate

 

[easyrider]

Upgraded the salad crops….



It took ages but got me some spring onions…

 

[easyrider]

This was hiding under one of the corgette plants at the back of the bed…

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Its crazy how quickly they do that, miss them a couple of days and they can grow like 30x in size

They arent even very nice either from experience overgrown courgettes

 

[wandgrudd]

So, we have the polytunnel and the pond now the only thing left I can see that’s missing is the chickens, so when are we going to see “I’m building a chicken coop”??

 

[easyrider]

So, we have the polytunnel and the pond now the only thing left I can see that’s missing is the chickens, so when are we going to see “I’m building a chicken coop”??

I have been contemplating it

 

[dave28]

Its so neat and tidy. After about 10 years i gave up mostly. UK weather, disease and weeds get so annoying