Author Topic: Polytunnel Drainage (Read 4659 times)

ScribbleUk · « **on:** January 27, 2014, 09:23:44 pm »

Hi,

I'm thinking of moving one of the polytunnels to a more sheltered part of the field this year. It's current location is a bit exposed to wind. I use a ground cover sheet and then raised beds on top in the polytunnel, but with all the heavy rain the soil has got quite soft under the ground cover sheet leading to trenches forming in the paths and then filling with water.

Any recommendations what could be done to help prevent/minimise this in the new location?

shygirl · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2014, 09:35:46 pm »

i saw a lovely polytunnel with raised beds and a floor of big woodchips. if it works for horse arenas im sure it would work in a polytunnel.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2014, 12:28:16 am »

I use wooden boards to walk on. Easy to move around and spread the load.

Stellan Vert · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2014, 09:38:49 am »

Hi All

I saw the NT use chippings, years ago, on woodland paths that ran with water. The water was eroding the paths. The chippings stabilised the paths and produced a smooth surface.

I have used this technique around raised beds and on our clay paths (Stops them being slippy) successfully, I would consider it in a polytunnel.

SV.

ScribbleUk · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2014, 10:06:26 am »

Thanks - will look into the chippings idea - hadn't thought of that. I wonder if they would encourage mould or algae being kept in a humid atmosphere?

Had been considering just laying some loose flagstones down on the paths as well.

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2014, 12:47:10 pm »

I remember seeing in an old copy of Permaculture magazine a polytunnel where the paths were made into water reservoirs with some sort of grid over them to walk on. This meant the raised beds didn't dry out and the water acted as a heat storage system keeping the temperature in the tunnel more consistent.

ScribbleUk · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2014, 04:55:10 pm »

Quote from: clydesdaleclopper on January 28, 2014, 12:47:10 pm

I remember seeing in an old copy of Permaculture magazine a polytunnel where the paths were made into water reservoirs with some sort of grid over them to walk on. This meant the raised beds didn't dry out and the water acted as a heat storage system keeping the temperature in the tunnel more consistent.

Interesting idea but sounds expensive to get the grate coverings I suspect. I have toyed with a couple of permaculture ideas for heat retention such as using a couple of black IBC containers or running coiled pipe through our every increasing compost pile and then under the raised beds. It would be interesting to see feedback on the real-world benefits. Most of what I have read looks at the set-up only, but doesn't review after a full season to see if the ideas had worked as expected and worth the effort.