The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: rusticranger on April 06, 2015, 06:30:21 pm
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Hello! I wanted to ask for some advise please guys, I'm considering getting a small polytunnel for my garden but I don't have anywhere for it to sit in full sun all day as we are surrounded by tall trees. Would it be worth getting one for it to have sun for a few hours a day? Or is it not worth it? Thanks in advance!
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It depends how much of a job it will do in terms of providing shelter and maybe extending your growing season a bit. I would think it would be worthwhile.
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Endless sun makes a tunnel too hot. Try checking up several possible spots to put it, record when the sun is on each one, and how deep the shade is for the rest of the time. The advice usually is to orientate a tunnel E-W, but if you have only a few hours when the sun shines on it, then face the long side that way, to get max benefit. Also compare how much full sun it will get in summer with how much in winter, when the sun might not get above the tree tops. Often a tunnel helps extend the crops into winter, and to start early in spring, but if the sun is even more of a problem in winter, then it might not be worth it.
What do you intend to grow?
I love my tunnel which I've had now for about 18 years and would hate to have to get rid of it, but I never manage much by way of winter crops. I live in a very cold area so use mine for tomatoes, cucumber, squash, climbing beans, courgettes, garlic and overwintering onions (they do much better being able to dry properly compared with outside which is always wet), sweet corn, chillies and peppers, strawberries, spring salads. I would have no chance growing most of these outdoors. All I do grow outside is potatoes, broad beans, some peas, leeks, beetroot and winter brassicas.
Oh and I use it to set up an emergency mothering up pen at lambing time :sheep:
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It's a matter of degree.. how tall the trees are and what type.
I'm happy with some trees near my greenhouse becasue it saves having to put shade netting up in the summer. The trees aren't too big and all deciduous so this time of year the glasshouse is getting full sun still.
If the trees ever get so big that they're a problem for me then they'll get pruned or removed and new ones planted