[Chrissie]

Hi everyone,

After buying a couple of green cheap plastic polytunnels on ebay which got broken by snow (last year) and wind (this year)  I have decided to embark on the daunting mission of trying to built my own....Not tremendously skilled in building sheds and bases for things but have built shelter and fencing with palletts and have a willing mind to learn new things.

Due to space capacity I can only do 2x2 (max 2x3) meters - also really only want it for tomatoes and having a shot a growing cucumbers or starting seeds of so nothing on a largeish scale. I had a look at various websites and polytunnels seem to be veeeery expensive - I guess as long as I secure the frame well to the ground I would be prepared to take the cover of over the winter (If that would make a difference in price/design).

I have made some small polytunnes for my veggie beds with bathroom pipe which stand up ok (unfortunately I got the wrong cover fleece which got ripped to bits in the winds so also any suggestions on what fleece/plastic to use for small tunnels welcome  ). Presumably you need an aluminium frame for stability and can't get away with thick bathroom piping?

Any suggestions welcome 

[hughesy]

Google it! There are loads of articles on the net about building polytunnels. A very succesful one can be built using alkathene water pipe for the hoops with wooden battens as the struts between them. Ours was a second hand metal framed one but next time I'll start from scratch ai reckon it will be easier than rebuilding a used one.

[Chrissie]

Thanks - Had a look last night and after refining some of my search words I got some really useful pictures so I will have a go at starting to gather the material on the weekend!

[OhLaLa]

From experience:
 
Make sure you have enough Hotspot Tape when you put the skin on.
Attend to the ground before the weeds go potty in the tropical conditions and grow to 6ft.
Keep some Weather Proofing Tape put by and fix that rip before it gets any bigger.
 
 
 
 

[Fleecewife]

I would add that the secret to a successful polytunnel is a really tight cover.  If you put it on in hot, still weather the polythene will have stretched, so when it's colder and windy the cover will shrink a bit and not flap.  Getting it tight and even around the door and louvres is tricky.  Any flapping bit will sooner or later weaken and tear.

[hughesy]

If your hoops are made of plastic pipe you won't need the hotspot tape. Make sure that you are able to adjust the hoops after putting the cover on as this will help you to get it nice and tight. As said do it on a warm still day, any wind at all will have you tied in knots!

[FrostyM]

I don't claim to be any sort of expert in the area but we put up our polytunnel earlier this year and have already had to make changes. We buried the covers edges in the ground but it was nowhere near tight enough, despite our best efforts. We live in a windy area and after many a morning expecting to get up to see the tunnel a few hundred yards down the field we finally got the weather to allow us to attach base rails. They were nothing fancy, just a long timber attached to uprights buried in the ground. We then rolled 2x1 into the plastic and screwed them to the rail. The tunnel is infinitely more secure now. If I was putting up a tunnel again I would either get one with base rails or add them to the design. Hope this helps

[Simon O]

At that size I would have thought you are better with a greenhouse. And probably cheaper. I would avoid polycarbaonate though as they blow in with the wind.

[Victorian Farmer]

i would not go dawn that route ,Build some think that will last even if it costs you .So a polytunnel get as meney window frames as you can put them on 2 by 2 each side and on the end same with the doore .Plastic sheets for the roof it will last and you will be Happy .Iv changed since i was 50 i build every think to last .

[Simon O]

Just happened to be in garden centre and saw they had a 'polytunnel' 2mx3m made by Gardman at £99.99. Does not look as if it would stand up to much wind though