I’m building a Polytunnel.
- Thread starter easyrider
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Soldato
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Very interesting, looking forward to seeing updates! 
Do you have plans on what you want to grow?
Do you have plans on what you want to grow?
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....
Soldato
make sure you have plenty of help and very low wind the day you decide to cover it
Or a school bus full of help if its windy
Or a school bus full of help if its windy
Defo some chillies, and hopefully a plethora of fruits and veggies....
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.
Soldato
For parrots?
Or are you building a poly tunnel?
Or are you building a poly tunnel?
Soldato
That's massive.
I have a polytunnel, it's like 4*6 or something lol.
I have a polytunnel, it's like 4*6 or something lol.
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....
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....
Soldato
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- 13 May 2003
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I've built a couple, the door is normally the pain in the backside. Consider digging a trench and concreting the bottom bar (the one you bury) in place. Also the wood will rot in the soil, treated or not. Consider bitumen coating the frame and bottom bar. In addition you may want to redesign the door as in the summer you'll want it open much of the time to manage the temperatures down. We had young kids so changed mine to a stable type bottom half closed to keep monkeys and other pests out top open too keep cool on hot days.
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.
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.
We have sliding doors at both ends, they work brilliantly, never get in the way if wheelbarrow etc, easy to open with one hand.
For holding plastic down, we went for aluminium base rails, so much quicker than trenches and also quicker/easier than timber rails. They can be slid up and down the tube making it very easy to get cover tight.
For holding plastic down, we went for aluminium base rails, so much quicker than trenches and also quicker/easier than timber rails. They can be slid up and down the tube making it very easy to get cover tight.
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.
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.
Last edited:
Man of Honour
Growing any herbs , Bud ? 
Soldato
- Joined
- 1 Jul 2007
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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.
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.
Did you fit a gutter to the tunnel?