polytunnel layout

Hi all,
I am new on here, getting a new polytunnel at the start of march 14' x 25' just looking for some ideas/advice on the best layout so I can dig beds prior to putting it up to maximise the space

Cheers

 

Hello and welcome.

Sorry, I'm not a polytunnel chap myself, but some people here are. I'm sure someone will be along with ideas soon.

 

Consider the orientation of the tunnel so you can get a draught through it on hot days - i.e. point the door towards the prevailing wind (unless your tunnel has lift-up sides to allow cooling).

Consider ground-anchors so that it won't blow away.

Consider "heat tape" (or whatever they call it) which you put over the plastic where it covers a metal pole, to reduce the temperature of the pole which in turn would lead to premature ageing of the plastic at that point

Consider overhead irrigation (although wet foliage can encourage Blight to "germinate") and cropping-bars to support the wires for the crop to be trained up to

Consider "lowering" the beds inside the tunnel so that you have more cropping height to the roof.

 

Best thing for Polytunnel position is where it can take advantage of the low angle of the sun, in winter. To do this you can untilise a free software programme that Photographer use http://photoephemeris.com/ this program uses Google maps from a satelite view so you can zoom in on your piece of land, then it overlays where the sun rises and sets for any given date in the year so you can work out where best to site your tunnel so that should the sun shine, your tunnel is always getting it. You also want to have sun on your tunnel from as early in the morning as possible to warm it quicker for the day ahead.

As Kristen said, the tunnel will get hot so ensure you have a door at either end for adequate ventilation and use "Anti hot spot tape" directly onto the tubular metal frame to help stop the hot tubes degrading your cover.

As for layout, you could employ two long beds with a central path, but the beds would be just too big to reach into comfortably with a 14ft width, so I would go for a 4ft wide bed in the middle, with a 1.5 foot path either side, leaving you with a 3.5 foot bed either side at the edge of the tunnel.

Hope this helps!

Steve...

 

Wish you luck with your final layout. I have only used small polytunnels but have a 20 x 10ft to put up in a few weeks. I will be using staging down one side for growing my seeds and plants and raised beds on the other side. Sit down area for when its raining.

 

It fascinates me how people seem to reach the same conclusion with polytunnels having a central run as a pathway with borders on either side. This strikes me as a complete waste of 1/3rd of the overall area. I have a full length border down one side of mine, but in the remaining space I have 18 car tyres placed side by side and I fill these with my selected growing mediums. The only area 'wasted' is where the door at one end has to open and close. .......just a thought...good luck with your build, GG

 

Here is my layout I am very happy with.

 

How do you get in there to water etc.?

With borders either side of a central path, if you grow a row of tall crops (e.g. Tomato) either side of the path then they will "Use" the space of the path as part of their growing space - as they need a couple of feet between rows for normal growing.

I have a tunnel with growing lights hung from the middle, and consequently plants placed in the middle, and access is a nightmare!

 

My set-up is just an idea I had a couple of years back. I lined each of the 18 areas with open ended bins and placed the tyres on top of each liner then filled each area with the growing medium of my choice. It was a lot of work, but it does give me the option of growing acid and alkaline loving plants side by side with no worries about leeching. Yes, it can be awkward to water at times and that's the price I'm paying for too much thinking! Julie, love your set-up, it looks great to me. I was merely saying everyone I know with a polytunnel has the same look about it and I wanted to try something else.

 

I see the logic of three narrower beds and two paths, but have found that the space right up to the sides isn't as useful as the rest anyway, because I can't get the rotovator in close enough, have to bend double to do anything and frequently get a cold shower down the back of the neck from the condensation
The tunnel is certainly coming in more useful this year, though, with lower than average temperatures and less hot sun.

 

can't visualise it - pictures please - my new pt goes up this month
Diolch, John