Help me decide please

[Aberdeenplotter]

I see your polytunnels full of crops and I'm jealous and want one BUT my only space would be in amongst trees, not very level and at the furthest part of the garden (watering issues).
I'm also professionally incompetent at constructing anything and would be unable to put one up on my own or add extra support to it.
I can either:-
1. buy a cheap "blowaway" -just to see how I get on with it (knowing that it probably will blowaway during the year
2. buy a proper PT (but accept that it will need a new cover in 5 years or so
3. buy a much smaller greenhouse (my 3rd in that garden)
4. try to improvise something with plastic pipe and polythene
5. do nothing!

What would you do?

Level isn't impossible. My tunnel slopes from south to north and from South east to North west, (I think). Whatever it slopes two ways. It was a bit of a B*gg*r to put up but I managed and it's lasted 10 years with the same skin although it was slashed by vandals this winter.

I notice you say among trees and not under trees. That would be ok. Watering will be a must. How far would it be from the nearest tap? My tunnel is almost 100 yds from a tap.

[veggiechicken]

It would be amongst and a bit under trees, depending on where it was sited. The more open positions are furthest from the tap - and it would take forever to fill a bucket from the little stream at the boundary. I have no idea what the distance is between the house and the far end of the garden - and, as you would expect from me, the path there is not straight but wriggles and winds its way through the trees
I'll carry 2 watering cans down there tomorrow and see if it feels like "too far". Thanks!!

[marchogaeth]

...... but was trying to say they often last longer

I got that, Poly which is why I asked V, I thought maybe she had branches dropping off the trees on a regular basis.

Thanks poly!! Very reassuring. I've just realised how old I'll be when the cover would need replacing. Maybe I shouldn't worry too much about that

I know but it's nice to think it will still be important isn't it? My neighbour is still farming in his mid eighties. (Mind you, you don't want to meet him on a tractor and you deffinitely don't want to get stuck behind him.)

[chris]

It would be amongst and a bit under trees, depending on where it was sited. The more open positions are furthest from the tap - and it would take forever to fill a bucket from the little stream at the boundary. I have no idea what the distance is between the house and the far end of the garden - and, as you would expect from me, the path there is not straight but wriggles and winds its way through the trees
I'll carry 2 watering cans down there tomorrow and see if it feels like "too far". Thanks!!

You could always either run a standard hose pipe, or mdpe pipe extension to the tunnel and put a tap outside/inside it..

I had to carry watering cans from my back garden to my side garden (and you know how small my garden is) - and it was a right pain.. your distance is I guess 10 odd times what I'd have walked (around my house) I soon got sick of it and ran a hose pipe under a wall, from my tap into my GH as a temporary measure until I run a proper MDPE run, and connect it to a tap inside my GH.

Personally, I'd just run a standard hose, sort of out of the way (so the grass can still be mowed) - it'll be cheaper, and you could always hook that up to a tap via a connector too, if you wanted to stick a post in the ground and screw a tap onto that. You'd still need to turn the tap on mind - I forgot often, so we ended up knocking a section of wall down heh to make the route shorter).

[veggiechicken]

Three PT books have just arrived - they'll give me even more things to consider!!
Water and branches falling off trees are definitely issues though Wonder whether any will come down today

[mothhawk]

If you have water butts near the house you can use siphon power to fill one quite a long way away

Setting up an effective siphoning system between water butts | The Rainwater Hub

[Dotty Sarah]

Hi VC, had a thought, if you can fit guttering to the polytunnel then you could have a water but where you need it that would minimise the amount of water you need to pipe down there. Did a quick search and you can get lightweight adhesive guttering that just stick on to the side.

[dandalady]

mmmmm. not sure what I would do, a greenhouse prob last longer but you could probs grow alot more in a tunnel. The trees might be an issue though if they cast alot of shade. not much help really am I.

Think I would go for the tunnel on reflection

[redser]

Falling branches would be the deciding factor for me. Simple as that. I think all the other things can be overcome. I think you need to focus on that problem before you can move forward with the idea VC.

[lottie dolly]

A poly tunnel is what i am thinking about to,either wait to try catch a bargain of e,fight,or build our own,very much still in the thinking,anyways,to youself,if you do decide on something,near the trees,be mindfull also of snow weight on the branches,as they get lower,also any spickey shrubs/trees,another option is,tie some thiner lengths of wood together to form some sort of a frame,cover with ordinary builders plastic,simply as a trial run,ref using your 12ft bouncer frame,lay it on ground with legs up,and the legs as support for something to make the sides,like wood,scaffold pipe,tubing,some of which could be run over the top to hold the poly sheeting up,then all you need is to form some sort of doorway,or simply scrunch it up with a bit of slab on top to hold it down,making the cover fit on the round base,just pleat it to fold in the eccess,either bury it,or form a wooden hexegonal frame round the base first,that will give you the option of clamping it with the use of bit of wood battens,and where you entrace is to be,lift the poly up,so the bottom of it reaches the top,before you pleat the rest and battern,then all thats needed is a movabable battern,maybe large hesp type thing,to hold the door way plastic in place, hope it all makes a bit of sence to you,another thing just crept in me head,if you had 2 frame the same,use 1 as the roof ,using scaffold tube between the top and bottom legs,you call call it your polydome,or growing iglu,it will look like an iglu entrance for the door,thats all my ideas for now,

[marchogaeth]

Falling branches would be the deciding factor for me. Simple as that. I think all the other things can be overcome. I think you need to focus on that problem before you can move forward with the idea VC.

Tree tidy time. You don't have to fell, just tidy up those that overhang. (Whether poly or geen house.)

[veggiechicken]

I went to bed with Gatter and McKee last night and the bits I read before I fell asleep were not encouraging. Most of the negatives have been raised on here by you good people -
Under trees - falling branches and trees
Leaves to discolour the poly
Shaded
Too far from water
Also my own problems - rabbits, being away from home, cost, construction.
I can't even work out how much a PT would cost as there are so many add-ons
Its looking like an expensive experiment at the mo. I may, just may, buy one of those cheapo blowaway ones. Anchor it to a couple of trees and try it out, see how I cope. Also, just use it through the winter when there will be less need to water.
I may also do as Dusty suggested, acquire some cold frames for winter salads which would free up the GHs for taller veggies. Perhaps turn the covered chicken run into a potting shed so that the GHs are purely for growing and not cluttered with empty pots, and compost.

[marchogaeth]

You could always put the PT in my garden? Ill look after it well for you

See, I thought this wasn't as cheeky as it sounded given.......

being away from home, cost, construction.

I can't even work out how much a PT would cost as there are so many add-ons

Just get a quote (or PM me and I'll have look for you). Decide on a size - probably have anti fogging cover - have the crop bars unless it's tiny - roll of hot spot tape - roll of repair tape while you're at it - door or doors. (I went for Five Star as much as because they were local as they were the easiest to price. They were also keen, tracked me down on a Saturday from a message I left late on a Friday thinking someone would pick it up after the weekend.) If the price plus the errection seems to much you can stop worritting. We worked on what we'd have to save each week to cover the cost over 10 years and decided if I couldn't grow that there was something wrong.

[chilli_grower]

Hi VC

if you ever need any branches or SMALL trees cut down, then PM me, as I am pally with a guy across the road with a chainsaw. And he LOVES using it!!!!!

[Mikey]

Well I think its a tough decision. Made more difficult by not being on hand 7 days week. Personally if I was in your position I'd get a second hand greenhouse of the bay and put that down there. It would be easier to put guttering up on it and save the water. You could probably achieve a 14 ft x 8 for a few 100 pounds, if its an experiment I'd say this was a cheaper option.

As you know ive been coveting a hartley greenhouse which looks a lot like a glass polytunnel, but I'm missing the 2k odd fora second hand one even. Its nice having projects they keep the grey matter working.