I’m building a Polytunnel.

[easyrider]

Decided to have a go and grow your own...

Never built one before and I’m a total noob at growing stuff. My pond was a success though and it’s thriving so fingers crossed.

 

[easyrider]

Very interesting, looking forward to seeing updates!

Do you have plans on what you want to grow?

Defo some chillies, and hopefully a plethora of fruits and veggies....

 

[easyrider]

Nice, I built a 20x60' tunnel couple years ago. Absolutely transforms what you can grow.

We have peach and nectarine trees, grape vines, and are able to have fresh salad all through winter.

Sounds great...got any pics to inspire me?

 

[easyrider]

Have you already started growing the chilies? If not you're probably just past the point where you'll be able to grow them for harvest this year.

That's one huge tunnel though. Make sure its well bolted down so the wind can't move it. Should be able to grow a huge amount of stuff in them.

I had a go last year so kept a few and overwintered them....That should give me a head start.

I also have a few seedlings on the go using the paper towel food bag method....I should be ok....

 

[easyrider]

That's massive.

I have a polytunnel, it's like 4*6 or something lol.

well I had the space the price of ground was not doing anything....I cut an arch in the hedge for easier access and figured why not....

 

[easyrider]

I wanted to avoid digging as much as possible and to speed things up, so I went for screw anchors for the poles ( wow they go deep, my chest muscles ached for days) Aluminium Base rails for securing the polythene.Double sliding door with a wide single at the back.

Staging for the right hand side and staging bars for the left, for supporting plants etc...might not put these in yet or maybe just a couple.

Went for crop bars and twin support brace.

 

[easyrider]

Growing any herbs , Bud ?

Parsely ,Sage, Rosemary and thyme

 

[easyrider]

Put some damp proofing around the edge to kill off the grass.

 

[easyrider]

Is your sheet being held in place by trench, wood or clips. I have to say apart from the literal ache of digging the trench I found it the easiest to get a good tight cover. Also saves buggering about with ground plates.

Second time around we installed staging on one side so we could have two levels handy for potting before putting out into the beds.

Good luck they're great fun.

Did you fit a gutter to the tunnel?

 

[easyrider]

Tad jealous.
Just moved and love our new house, it's massive gardens and small woodland but the shape of the landscape makes it hard to place a polytunnel, which we would love.
Ah well, when we move to a small holding that's when we'll have one, or two.

Sound idyllic

 

[easyrider]

No my tunnels were both First Tunnels and neither had the option of gutters. Although I did hang some ultra capacity guttering in one tunnel and grow strawberries in it. It worked well but you had to be really diligent with watering in the summer. When we moved I put it outside which also worked pretty well, saves your back a bit

Ill do a bit more research on guttering as I reckon I’ll collect a far whack of water from the tunnel.

 

[easyrider]

Had some spare bricks 2 pallet loads spare after building the house nearly 10 years ago...Could never think of what to use them for until now. Got some blocks delivered for raised beds.

 

[easyrider]

Compost from the compost heap...then 10 tonne of top soil to go in.

 

[easyrider]

Are you just going one block high or higher ?

One block High.

 

[easyrider]

Great project would love to have the space for something like this.

Regarding the guttering would this feed into water butts, or can you divert the rainfall automatically into the tunnel for automatic watering in the right conditions (but assume you'd have to be careful not to over water if a deluge of rain occured).

Thinking of getting 2 x 1000 litre IBC's

I have 660 litres being fed off my car port... 600 litre behind the Garage, a 1500 litre tank off the house and 400 litres of the summer house roof.

Ive got obsessed collecting water...lol

 

[easyrider]

Can you get prosecuted for collecting too much?

Collecting rain water?

 

[easyrider]

Lol

Looking real good @easyrider

Thanks...should have a big update soon.

 

[easyrider]

 

[easyrider]

Took 6 people to lift the polythene across....

 

[easyrider]

Had some bricks left over still ! So decided to make 3 x outside raised beds to use them up..had about of a tonne of soil left, the Pollytunnel took 8 tonne.

Don’t usually have my collie on a tether but I was expecting a delivery form DPD