Is my poly plan sound?

Hi Everyone,
I've just bought a small polytunnel 3m x 3m - to be erected next week when the wind drops down and the sun shines. I've got a pretty good sheltered spot for it and am going to dig and muck the beds before I erect it. All sound advice I got from reading this forum!

I've already got a 18m veggie plot with four metre wide beds running the length. A new 18 m x 1 m strip at the top of the garden that I plan to use for onions and leeks only - first year for this experiment.

So, I'm thinking in the polytunnel - summer crops, tomatoes, sweet peppers, chillies, and aubergines - plus one melon plant to try. Idea ? - could I edge the front of the beds with strawberry plants - about ten metres of plants - or is this a bad idea? If I did this can they overwinter inside the tunnel?

Over winter - I just want salad type stuff -I live in the middle of France and normally I'm still picking lettuce outdoors until the beginning of December. I'd like to be able to do that through till spring.

I know I've not even got the thing built yet but I'm thinking of buying another one and putting it side by side for sowing and growing on in pots etc. Then swop over their uses next year. The polytunnel is only 145 euros so not a huge amount of money (although that sum would buy me a few more daylilies!). Given what I want to grow inside would it be worth it? Or should I juggle (or would I need to juggle?) with the one? I don't have a greenhouse (it blew away in a storm) or a potting shed (I pot up on the kitchen table).

Sorry such a long post...

Thanks
Jen

 

The sun came out about 4 o'clock so made a start. Marked out with the aid of two 3 metre long pieces of wood so should be square (ish). I removed about a third of the turf which is now upside down on another piece of the garden that required soil. Hopefully, I'll finish the ground prep tomorrow or Saturday if the weather holds. Looks tiny now it's marked out!

 

looks and sounds great you should start a thread about you , and how you are getting on

Spruce

 

Hi Spruce,
Thanks, I should probably do that as I'm always looking for ways to help keep me focussed! I'm still hoping someone comes back with an answer about growing strawberries as edging within the poly tunnel . Leaning towards buying another one tomorrow -must be March madness.
Jen

 

I cant see why you cant grow along the edge of the path as its utilizing the space it would be handy to have the path edged in a retaining board plus they can dangle over the edge and keep them off the floor you will just have to watch out for slugs

 

OK this thing is growing hands and feet. I've ordered a second one which should arrive in about a week's time. So far I've cleared the earth dug it over and dumped about a cubic metre of well rotted manure on the beds (the difficult bit). For my situation BIG lesson learned for poly tunnel number two - mark out your paths and leave the turf on them. I'm now having to backfill paths

So, a good day's work to dig and about an hour and a half to erect the polytunnel. Still to get it in the exact position and dig in the cover. But now prepping for the arrival of the second one - paths marked out this time!

This morning it's like summer here and the metal tubing is roasting hot (no anti-hot tape with this cheapie). But, I did have some pipe insulation (that grey foamy stuff) - the 22mm size works a treat so the metal is now cooler and cushioned. I've only done over the roof area but think I might do all the metal that touches the cover - 10 euros to do the lot.
Back to digging....

 

hey its looking good , with the grass path you have left cover with weed matting then cover with shingle , less slippy !!! as it will soon wear out and anther home for slugs

 

Just as well I've got a big roll of the weed matting - then going to lay paving slabs on top. 2nd area dug out (much less work) and picture of my foamy sleeves (have only one bit complete as yet - need to purchase more lengths). So tomorrow, off to buy paving slabs and more insolation. Feel almost giddy!

 

More or less done. I've planted geraniums at either end - easy to lift and split when I need to change the covers. Fencing is to keep my pesky hens at bay. Not sure if you can see but I've extended the foam sleeves over 90% of the framework - cushions the cover, keeps the tubing cool and makes the cover a wee bit tighter fit - 20 euros well spent. The beds still need some attention in the tunnels and I'm going to continue the mulch to cover the planting at the front but that's about it...got to get on with some serious gardening now!

 

It's all looking really great. You've achieved a lot in a short space of time!

 

star of the day

looks great , you have done so much.... fence looks good as well

 

Ha Ha Spruce....no stars for guessing what I've planted in front to the tunnels Thanks Morgan Shore it feels like this has taken me way to long - just glad it's done.

 

daylilys

 

Well, I feel a bit like Pollyanna now that I've got my polytunnels in use – why did I not buy these years ago! It’s a bit manic at the moment with so much work to do but good progress I think. The onion bed I dug and filled with muck early in the year looks to be paying dividends I might even get a decent onion crop. Polytunnel one is planted to the max, 6 aubergines, 6 bell peppers, 6 chillies, and 8 tomatoes. I’ve edge around with strawberries and you can just about see the little basil seedlings in the middle bed. I've also planted a few marigolds. Resisting the temptation to squeeze in even more.



Polytunnel two I'm going to tackle tomorrow if this rain persists. I've weeded and dug over the soil but now I have to dig in about 10 bags of compost. We're going to make some staging but currently the seeds are making do on the ground. I’m glad I put in the two paths even with the two reaching into the corners is a bit of a stretch. I’m going to plant some more tomatoes and basil in here along with melons and probably more chillies. All my chillies have germinated well but they're just sitting moping hope they get a move on soon.





Just a wee bit of an eyesore but I still love them and want another one!

Not all fun and games with polytunnels though plenty of other areas needing attention. I almost got all the potatoes planted before the rain started but not quite. Really annoying as we are now scheduled for five day of solid rain which could have been watering all the potatoes instead of three quarters of them. It’s taken me about a month to get the veggie plot to this stage I've got more or less three beds complete which leaves one to be dug over and mucked ready for squash – I’m going to have a whole bed of squash this year plus some in with the asparagus at the top of the garden.

 

Hi Jenny ,

All your hard work is paying off , looks fab , cant wait till the next installment


You get my star of the week
Spruce