Polytunnel interior layout

irishgardener

I am finally getting a polytunnel! Can anyone guide me on how to plan the interior layout. It will be 14 ft wide and 25 foot long. I'm so excited 

nick615

Presumably you'll site it east/west?  If so, try to make sure what you sow on the north side either likes shade or won't be screened by those to the south of them.  If you site it north/south, the sun can shine along the rows lengthwise, which means you either have long (25ft) rows or split rows.  When you consider there's nothing between you and Cape Horn to the south west, or you and Greenland to the north west (our two prevailing winds) some anchor ropes might prevent mishaps.  Good luck with it.

irishgardener

Thanks Nick. Yes east/west orientation.
I am wondering though about the interior beds. Advice re paths, bed layout and anything else really appreciated....especially from people that are more familiar with polytunnels than i am

nick615

@irishgardener I'm in W Cork so understand your situation.  It really depends on what you intend to grow.  Most people start out with a shopping list of crops they want to produce and will inevitably have to plant taller crops like tomatoes and cucumbers in the high part of the tunnel, i.e. the middle, thus leaving anything on the north side of them in shade which is probably not what they want.  As you say, you're excited at the prospect of having this addition and I don't want to burst your bubble, but you'll need to consider the northern third of it when deciding what should go there.  Tunnels are ideal for commercial growers who specialise in single crops at any one time and fill the entire thing with all lettuces or all peppers etc. where shading isn't a factor.  The domestic user needs to understand the limitations?