In my polytunnel

[Odsox]

Did some weeding in my polytunnel today and took the camera with me.
Thought you might like to see what's growing there at the moment.

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This is a short row of red garlic left over from the outdoor planting.
Hope to get an early crop of wet garlic

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Broad beans may be a bit too early as pollinating insects are a bit few and far between at the moment
We can still eat the tops though and it's still early days.

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Peas on the other hand are mange tout and don't need pollinating, so should have some for dinner next month.

[shell]

you put me to shame i stuggle with my little lean-to,and its never as tidy as your tunnel

[oldfella]

Odsox,
I have a little problem that I am sure you have the answer to,
Bought a poly-tunnel today and asked about Anti hot spot tape but they did not know what I was talking about, so tell me, have you insulated the plastic from the tubing as the price I have been quoted seems a little steep to me, 80 euros to do my little tunnel of 4mt by 6mts. Thanks for any info.

Eddy

[Colin]

Hi Eddy
Sounds way too expensive
A 9m roll of 25mm wide anti hotspot tape costs around £2.50 over here.
5 rolls should be plenty for your tunnel, about 14-15 Euro.

[Odsox]

Hi Eddy.
Yes I did insulate all the bars but like you the company did not think it was necessary ... only on sharp edges where the bolts for the door frame could catch the polythene. I bought extra and I'm glad I did ... not sure if you really do get "hot" gavanised pipes that presumably would cause the polythene to stretch and melt, but when the wind blows (as it does here occasionally ) the cover can easily slide over the bars. If there were no tape it might wear through in a short time.
€80 sounds a tad expensive though, I just checked my supplier and theirs is €5.00 for a 30mm x 9m roll which is probably about 2 rolls per 3 hoops.
Good luck putting it up

[oldfella]

Thanks all, and it seems we all think the same way, been unable to trace supplier here so have ordered from the UK.

Eddy

[Millymollymandy]

The thing that puzzles me about polytunnels is - don't you have to do an awful lot of watering? In winter that would be bad enough (no time off from the dreaded watering ) but in summer, if you use it (I wouldn't as it is too hot here for greenhouses etc) you must spend all your time watering.

[Odsox]

don't you have to do an awful lot of watering?

Not if you're as lazy .. sorry clever, as I am MMM.
You can get computerised water controllers for not a lot of money that do the job for you.
When it's sunny in summer my tunnel gets a good soaking probably once every 3 days.
In the winter it doesn't need watering for weeks at a time, water too much when it's cold makes my lettuces rot.

[Millymollymandy]

Oh you clever clogs you!