In the Polytunnel
ShepherdsBarn
Posts: 401
Hello everyone
I have been following 'Sheps Greenhouse Thread' with great interest and wondered if a similar thread would be useful for polytunnel gardeners. Hopefully there will be interest.
We inherited a disused and run down PT when we moved to our cottage over 14 years ago. At first we were excited to use it (once the sheep were moved) even with the splits, lack of doors and overhanging trees! We patched it up as best we could, made raised beds and planted a black hamburg grapevine. The raised beds were a must because the soil, if you could call it that, was pretty dried out solid clay. Unfortunately our lack of knowledge (no internet for us, then) work commitments (so lack of time) meant that the PT just continued in its state of disrepair and just went downhill. We couldn't afford to re-cover it and just couldn't give it the time it needed for successful growing - although we always tried to get it up and running again each spring.
The grapevine? Well, luckily it survived the lack of care and water because of the splits (plus, I added a few more strategically placed splits ✂️ 🤣). It never produced any fruit and was left to do its own thing. 🤦🏼♀️
Time moves on. We have now retired and have all the time we need - plus GW to give us ideas and help when needed. So, we are trying to make amends to the grapevine and have been working really hard to get the PT up and working. We have replaced the ailing cover - though that was pretty tricky with just two of us and was probably not done as professionally as we would have liked - but we are not professionals and it seems to 'work'! But, we are pleased with it and ... it has DOORS! We cut back several large branches of the mature beech trees and reduced the height of the horrid leylandii and elder. Just one more hedge/tree that needs attention ... when the birds have finished nesting ... but that can wait 'til autumn now.
Goodness, this is getting to be rather a long post, so here are some photos ...
I have been following 'Sheps Greenhouse Thread' with great interest and wondered if a similar thread would be useful for polytunnel gardeners. Hopefully there will be interest.
We inherited a disused and run down PT when we moved to our cottage over 14 years ago. At first we were excited to use it (once the sheep were moved) even with the splits, lack of doors and overhanging trees! We patched it up as best we could, made raised beds and planted a black hamburg grapevine. The raised beds were a must because the soil, if you could call it that, was pretty dried out solid clay. Unfortunately our lack of knowledge (no internet for us, then) work commitments (so lack of time) meant that the PT just continued in its state of disrepair and just went downhill. We couldn't afford to re-cover it and just couldn't give it the time it needed for successful growing - although we always tried to get it up and running again each spring.
The grapevine? Well, luckily it survived the lack of care and water because of the splits (plus, I added a few more strategically placed splits ✂️ 🤣). It never produced any fruit and was left to do its own thing. 🤦🏼♀️
Time moves on. We have now retired and have all the time we need - plus GW to give us ideas and help when needed. So, we are trying to make amends to the grapevine and have been working really hard to get the PT up and working. We have replaced the ailing cover - though that was pretty tricky with just two of us and was probably not done as professionally as we would have liked - but we are not professionals and it seems to 'work'! But, we are pleased with it and ... it has DOORS! We cut back several large branches of the mature beech trees and reduced the height of the horrid leylandii and elder. Just one more hedge/tree that needs attention ... when the birds have finished nesting ... but that can wait 'til autumn now.
Goodness, this is getting to be rather a long post, so here are some photos ...
4
Posts
You've got a nice bit of grass there, should make some good compost to improve your soil.
Can’t wait until we meet up, I’d like to see your garden.
Yes, we do have plenty of grass - though the goats and chickens tend to keep it down somewhat!
The garden is a work in progress; our daughter who has a gardening business did some great work while we were both working - but 4 hours per week wasn't enough to keep the weeds at bay ... and now we are retired it's all down to us 🤦🏼♀️.
Looking forward to meeting up!
In the beds I am growing squash (patty pan) x 2, courgette, cucumber x 2, cauliflower (?!), tomatoes x 2, cucamelon, peppers and grapevine; interspersed is garlic and lettuce. I have since read that cauliflower (like tomatoes) need to be planted deep - up to the seed leaves ... I failed with that!
What do others grow in their polytunnels?
Ours is 8m x 4m and was erected single-handed by OH in what has become our veg plot. I ordered one with doors either end but no side vents and it has a green mesh net that can be added when the sun gets too hot. That is any day now given we had 38C here yesterday but first I want to spray off the accumulation of green algae, especially on the north side.
It's been up 5 years now and has just a couple of tears on the main door which I will repair with clear tape. It has withstood strong gales and even the side winds of a tornado that too the roof off our two barns just 50m away.
We've put a path down the middle and then built up one long bed on either side which are now deep enough to need edging from beams recovered from the barn roofs. I use those beds for tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers so I get good, blight free crops. I have seep hoses in both beds.
I also have an old table as a work bench for sowing seeds plus some IKEA metal shelving with plastic covers that I use as extra protection for early seedlings when temps are fluctuating a lot between night and day and it also keep the chooks off. They get to use the polytunnel on rainy days in autumn and winter but are kept out once the toms go in in late March.
In winter I use it to store my citrus plants and tender fuchsias and a Bird of Paradise plant.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
38C! Crikes, that's hot!
Seep hoses are a good idea ... though I do actually enjoy watering ... I find it quite therapeutic in the polytunnel and greenhouse - not the garden though.
Great selection of fruit and vegetables too, I've often wondered what a cucamelon tastes like.
Looking forward to more updates and have bookmarked the thread.