Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Advice on Using Polytunnel in Colder Weather

Collapse

X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 2
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 template Next
  • #1

    Advice on Using Polytunnel in Colder Weather

    First year growing so I'm still unsure of what I should be doing.

    It was cold last night and the fleece I laid over the tops of the veg growing in the PT was soaking wet when I came to remove it this morning. I was trying to keep the plants warmer but probably made things worse if they got wet under the fleecing.

    Should I be keeping a window open overnight now for ventilation or should I close it up completely overnight as I have been doing and just not add any fleece on top?

    Or am I worrying too much about it all
    LOVE growing food to eat in my little town back garden. Winter update: currently growing overwintering onions, carrots, lettuce, chard, salad leaves, kale, cabbage, radish, beetroot, garlic, broccoli raab, some herbs.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    You're worrying about it all............................I would close the doors at night but keep the fleece off unless a frost is forecast. Others may do different but that's my call.
    sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

    Comment

    • #3
      What crops are you trying to protect, Marie?
      He-Pep!

      Comment

      • #4
        Yes I thought I was probably worrying a bit

        Got spring onions in a bigger container which I wrapped in bubble wrap to keep temperature up

        individual containers of mooli radish, chinese cabbage, mustard spinach, raddichio, swiss chard, tatsoi, choy sum

        and a young raspberry plant in a pot

        The tomato plants are on the way out so not trying to protect those.
        LOVE growing food to eat in my little town back garden. Winter update: currently growing overwintering onions, carrots, lettuce, chard, salad leaves, kale, cabbage, radish, beetroot, garlic, broccoli raab, some herbs.

        Comment

        • #5
          Personally I wouldn't worry about fleecing anything inside the tunnel until/unless we get REALLY cold temps.
          He-Pep!

          Comment

          • #6
            OK good thank you. I've got some bubble wrap to line the inside of the tunnel which I might do in a month or so depending on the weather. Hope that will help with keeping it a fraction warmer.

            Last winter was very mild (we had snow for just half a day I think before it melted) but doesn't mean this year will be mild
            LOVE growing food to eat in my little town back garden. Winter update: currently growing overwintering onions, carrots, lettuce, chard, salad leaves, kale, cabbage, radish, beetroot, garlic, broccoli raab, some herbs.

            Comment

            • #7
              I would close the door at night, and with those you have listed tolerate low temperatures quite well. So i don´t think you have anything to worry about till hard frosts, if you get any.
              I grow 70% for us and 30% for the snails, then the neighbours eats them

              sigpic

              Comment

              • #8
                Thank you, that's good to know. Hopefully I won't kill them off then
                LOVE growing food to eat in my little town back garden. Winter update: currently growing overwintering onions, carrots, lettuce, chard, salad leaves, kale, cabbage, radish, beetroot, garlic, broccoli raab, some herbs.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Every time someone has a poly tunnel conversation, I have the urge to go and get some popcorn and just sit and read in wide-eyed and hopeless envy.... ggg

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    I would say all of the veggies you are growing would be fine outdoors so in a polytunnel they will be happy as Larry!
                    Death to all slugs!

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Just be careful how wet you keep the ground. A good water in the morning on a sunny day now and again will be fine, the ventilate well. I keep mine a bit on the dry side and it reduces the condensation problem
                      Gardening requires a lot of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. Lou Erickson, critic and poet

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Thanks. Yes I am bad at over watering things and I guess as it gets cooler, you don't want things swimming in water. I bought a spray bottle for the spring onions because I was afraid I'd water them too much
                        LOVE growing food to eat in my little town back garden. Winter update: currently growing overwintering onions, carrots, lettuce, chard, salad leaves, kale, cabbage, radish, beetroot, garlic, broccoli raab, some herbs.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          You could also lay a few sheets of newspaper over them if you are worried.

                          And when your back stops aching,
                          And your hands begin to harden.
                          You will find yourself a partner,
                          In the glory of the garden.

                          Rudyard Kipling.sigpic

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Never thought of newspaper, good idea.
                            LOVE growing food to eat in my little town back garden. Winter update: currently growing overwintering onions, carrots, lettuce, chard, salad leaves, kale, cabbage, radish, beetroot, garlic, broccoli raab, some herbs.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Personally I don't think there is any need to protect any of those things any more than the protection they're getting by the tunnel.

                              Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

                              Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

                              Comment

                              Previous 1 2 template Next

                              Latest Topics

                              Collapse
                              View All

                              Recent Blog Posts

                              Collapse
                              View All
                              Working...
                              X