My Poly Tunnel

I Thought I would show some details on my attempt to build my first Poly Tunnel.
Cheap at approx £70.00
Notorious for blowing away made me very wary so I made a base of 3'x 3' pallet wood and attached the frame to it after leveling on some spare slabs I had lying around.
I then introduced some ground anchors then pulled on the plastic covering.
I realize after a few weeks I have set myself on a new learning curve.
With the unusual weather, we have been having with temperature fluctuations it has been confusing and already lost a few young plants and seedlings I have reverted back to my Greenhouse for protection, it is a lean-to south facing.
But I have some cabbages, Radishes, Beetroot and all year round lettuce in various stages of growth so I am hopefull
Any tips for first-time users would be most welcome

 

Excellent Belto....
Yes it will be colder in there than in a glassed gh.
However, watch out for overheating and ventilate well during the growing season.
Tomatoes? Early sowings of runner beans?
You will rapidly learn to enjoy your polytunnel

 

1) Probably too late now the cover's on, but the supplied nuts and bolts often have a 'pimple' shaped head that'll wear holes through the cover. Replacing with flatter headed bolts (from Wilko if in UK) will prevent this, pluse using longer bolts will enable fixing of horizontal timber battens on the inside of tbe horizontal tubes which can be used for fixing vertical cane supports, (demountable) staging, etc. to.

2) Anti hotspot tape on the metal hoops and horizontal tubes will prevent heating of the tubes from sunshine burning the covering.

3) The zips can fail fairly quickly, so making doors (with mesh to keep birds/rabbits/etc. out) is normally a good idea.

4) Be ready to replace that cover with 'proper' clear polytunnel polythene.

5) Take some max/min thermometer readings, temps inside can crash overnight and soar in the morning before you get a chance to ventilate.


I'll add some links to some earlier threads when I've finished today's potting up of tomatoes ....

My £50 polytunnel from eBay

My £86, 6 x 3m polytunnel from ebay

 

Thanks for your reply's.
Can you indicate how to understand ventilation required?
I do not want to seal completely as this will generate problems, but I wish to maintain as much heat and favorable growing conditions as possible.