The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: katog on June 03, 2012, 09:17:15 am

Title: Polytunnel - side or end on to wind?
Post by: katog on June 03, 2012, 09:17:15 am

What  do you think works best to errect a large polytunnel - side or end on to wind?

Title: Re: Polytunnel - side or end on to wind?
Post by: Fleecewife on June 03, 2012, 12:14:12 pm

We-e-el, we placed ours so a long side faces south to catch the sun, which means that an end gets the prevailing wind ie westerly which helps with ventilation.  We have found that it is best to have a gale hit the ends rather than a long side.  The only time we lost a cover to the wind was with a southerly gale - the wind went over the top of the tunnel and created a vacuum on the north side, which 'sucked' the cover off  :o  It was extremely scary and unbelievably noisy.  It was shortly after we put up the tunnel, and we had made a mistake with attaching the film to the base rail.  Since then (16yrs) we haven't lost another cover  :fc:  in spite of 100mph winds occasionally.  I think probably getting sufficient ventilation through in the summer is important, and deciding how best to place your plants to take maximum benefit from the sun.

Title: Re: Polytunnel - side or end on to wind?
Post by: katog on June 10, 2012, 12:39:01 pm

I asked several polytunnel sellers and 7/10 say side on to wind.
Will think about it some more.

Title: Re: Polytunnel - side or end on to wind?
Post by: darkbrowneggs on June 10, 2012, 02:18:57 pm

The old name of my place is Winthill (Windhill) and I am just on the Worcestershire border and look out across the Wye Valley to Hay Bluff and Sugar Loaf in the far distance. 
 
Mine is end on and been standing for nearly 20 years no probs.  Cover replaced twice, only because the second one was put on badly.  This cover will probably do another 2 seasons if lucky.  From memory I got it from Northern Polytunnels as it was said to stand up well in the Shetland Isles.  I use LBS for the covers.
 
I have the double doors at the far end which is east, a single door at the west (windy) end - and this is opened in very hot weather.  The side faces south. 
 
Has worked well for me over the years.

Title: Re: Polytunnel - side or end on to wind?
Post by: Fleecewife on June 10, 2012, 02:58:27 pm

Quote from: katog on June 10, 2012, 12:39:01 pm

I asked several polytunnel sellers and 7/10 say side on to wind.
Will think about it some more.

...then they can sell you a new cover every time it flies off  :innocent:

Title: Re: Polytunnel - side or end on to wind?
Post by: sabrina on June 13, 2012, 07:01:56 pm

Mine is end to the wind and I have had it 4 years now. Stood through a few gales.