Cover Vegetable Patch with Polytunnel?

@Kristen I was at Seaspring Seeds http://www.seaspringseeds.co.uk/ open day at West Bexington, Dorset on Sunday 27th July http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/...m-seaspring-seeds-open-day.68972/#post-835452 and seeing that they grew everything through black plastic sheet asked why and they were adamant that it was better than Mypex if using an automated under mulch sheet watering system (less loss of water via evaporation I seem to recall, water being one of their major items of expenditure).

They also grew their plants in ridges under the polythene to make things more free draining, rather like 'lazy raised beds' but covered with polythene sheeting. I've not tried that outdoors as it seemed to be susceptible to getting wind underneath and lift it up, but that wouldn't be a problem in a tunnel.

That may not show up too well in pic below, will have a look for another...

 

I think this one planted with chillies might show the ridge system better



P.S. Plastic mulch in polytunnels would however be a distinct disadvantage to me as I water everything using a watering can.

 

Interesting, thanks. The commercial greenhouse I worked on use bi-coloured plastic sheet - white above, to reflect light to the crop, and black beneath for light exclusion / weed suppression. Crops were irrigated by pipes along the row, so no "manual" watering required, and no rain falling onto the surface that needed managing.

 

I did ask why the didn't use that stuff, but they said black/black was best in polytunnels and had a bit of discussion about soil warming and clear plastic sheet is apparently better than black. They had a tunnel covered with black plastic that they used as a 'shed' and used black because it's cooler inside than if using clear or white. I've used clear plastic sheets for solarisation of weeds, but none of this made any sense to me on a hot sunny day dressed in black T shirt and black jeans.

(I probably asked lots more questions than anybody else, but I really wanted to get my money's worth from that free tour).

 

I find white absolutely dazzling when working inside a greenhouse, so it has that downside for humans! Can wear dark glasses I suppose ... not my thing though, when gardening, any more than wearing gloves is ...

You had Our Best Interests at heart

 

Thanks for sharing those pictures - very interesting.

 

Really sorry to hear that and hope you make a complete recovery and find ways to carry on as before. I have to carry my water in 5 gall containers (min. 4 gall in each, so around 20Kg in each hand) 9 at a time in the back of my car to my plot (no mains water) then tip them into barrels for subsequent hand watering, sometimes doing that twice a day. I keep thinking I'd love a 4th tunnel, but think it would start to get too much. Covering virtually all of my outdoor growing areas with Mypex and polythene sheeting has reduced work tremendously.

One day it will be just one greenhouse and a 6 x 3m polytunnel in the garden, the latter with mains under mulch irrigation, probably fed via a hand held hose pipe squirting into a tundish to avoid sprinkler licence costs.

 

Very sorry to hear that MF. Could a hose replace a watering can? perhaps with a small pump from the water butt?

 

Do you need one for "trickle" irrigation? (Not something I know the answer to, but I thought it was sprinkers? Perhaps it falls under "unattended hose use"??

 

Yes, last time I checked with my water authority, but I couldn't remember the term for it.

 

OK, must just be Drought Hosepipe Bans where trickle is still permitted (or was last time around ...)