My PolyTunnel Diary

Hey Guys,

This feels a good place after such a warm welcome - thanks!

I'm going to do my polytunnel diary here and hopefully give back into this forum as much as I hope to take out of it and all of us can enjoy the ride!

I'm a polytunnel beginner but reasonably green-fingered out in the garden. Last year, just about everything was ruined due to the weather - I had planted over 6,000 seeds - everything from veg to fruit to flowers so I was determined to prevent it this year - so I've been looking at polytunnels (p/t as I'm lazy).

I'm proud that I started with just 3 strawberry plants and now I have around 250-300 plants. I've also got a few other things to come, too, but all in good time! My only condition is that everything must earn its keep in the garden, or it's out. (Oh, also it must be free, or near free - cost is a big issue with me.) I do, however, have an area for my long-suffering wife, where it's all flowers...but even here I've tweaked it a bit - for example DW (Dear Wife) wanted honeysuckle and so I planted the edible variety!

The flip-side is that I live in area where the scallies rule and so it's a chance that my p/t will get vandalised but we will wait and see. Every new, second-hand car in the street gets its obligatory scratches down both sides and the wing mirrors bashed off.

All being well, I should get my first p/t at the end of Feb stocks permitting. There will be loads of photos as I enjoy looking at others work, too!

After half-a-life-time of nit-pickery and detail, I'm glad to say I'm winding this down a notch or five but if you want detail, ask, and ye shall get, otherwise this is a light-hearted scrummage into my first foray into p/t gardening.

I look forward to also reading about others exploits in the world of plastic!

 

I shall look forward to reading this, Kevin

Could you put up higher fences in the garden so it won't be easy for the local scallies to target your PT?

 

Yes and No. Where I live, there is no stopping a Scallie. A year ago, the snow had melted and there was just a solitary snowman in my neighbours fenced garden. Hopped over the Scallies to have one last snowball fight when my neighbour asked them to leave and as they did, they took off all the wing mirrors of all 4 of his families cars.
I have thought of putting up a fence and leaving it a bit and I suspect they will have a look around. They will find nothing and then I can put the p/t behind it. However, the Scallie situation appears to have died down a bit so he/they might be in prison or moved away.

 

A small delay in updates due to silly colds etc.

I've done a fair bit of prep with seed trays only to find them all on the floor when I opened the door so I'll have a look at them tomorrow.

I'm expecting another wonderful seed package from Real Seeds - these are heirloom seeds and I've had great success with them.(You won't see me promoting anyone else or this company again.)

By the middle/end of Feb I'll know what seeds I have left over and I'll be putting these up for grabs or in the GC Seed bag.

I've been tempted by formally planning my polytunnel and even using spreadsheets to monitor the produce but quickly remembered what a chore it is and why I left the tech industry to begin with. I'll be gardening the good old fashioned way - mistakes and all!

I've also got the happy problem of finding out where to put 10 fruiting trees. I've thought of a circle in which my DW and I can get bitten to death while we have a civilised cup of tea and cake! All good stuff!

I will be posting photos as soon as strength kicks in - we all love photos, don't we?!

 

I love to see photos and look forward to following your diary.

 

Any photo's?

Steve...

 

Steve - as soon as I can!

 

Nothing too exciting in the way of photos today but SEEDS!

I got my order through the post today in a very stout envelope and - as always - an individual sheet to tell me how to grow the seeds and how to save the seeds for the following season. I have a terrible habit of losing or ruining sheets, so I'll be scanning this sheet in to save on the pc. You can be sure I'll be sharing these seeds out as soon as I can.

What I love about these seeds is the heirloom value - one lot of tomatoes are a 1954 variety! How cool is that?

Also I'm pleased about the San Marzano tomatoes - apparently very highly rated if you read the Wiki page about them. Link.

I've run out of seed trays so now I need to pop out and buy some!

 

Nice!! I look forward to hearing how they grow for you.

"Stupice" oh wow, that would make a funtastic user name!! (Why do I always find these things *after* the need

 

I've used the Real Seed Company too. Odd business idea, encouraging the customers to grow their own seed & not buy from them again

 

How is your polytunnel doing now? Any pics yet?

 

I think KevinH/Fatboy may no be longer be member(s) of this forum.

 

Why have the scallies got him ?