Buying a polytunnel

A question about : Buying a polytunnel

We have a 2m x 5m space on our lotty where there used to be a large greenhouse which didn't survive the February gales, mainly due to the previous plot-holder's lack of maintenance & repairs.

We are considering a polytunnel, and would like advice / recommendations as to best value & best service please.

TIA
Floss

Best answers:

• Avoid the cheapy ones. Several plot holders bought the green ones and when we had the storms last year they ripped, Mostly the seams coming apart.
  I kept looking at them buy decided i would build my own or get a decent one.
• IMO value + service = First Tunnels, but there are alternatives. None of them manufacture their own materials, so they are all middle men with profit margins you can erode a bit by hard bargaining.
  2m wide will limit you, but you could purchase a 'proper' tunnel for around Ј300.
  Smaller tunnels do get very hot and claustrophobic in summer. Frankly, I'd want a door at both ends.
  Also, don't believe you can build it quite as fast as they say. They do it all the time, and they also know where the mistakes are in the instructions!
• I'd suggest trying to source second hand frame hoops - those are almost indestructible, and then look at buying the poly separately. On average and with a bit of patching, the polythene needs replacing every 10 years (in our experience)
• we got ours from Premier Polytunnels, the reason being that they offer a system where you can tighten the tension of the cover from the inside without having to dig up/use base rails. We trenched ours in because we get high winds so this system suited us. I have heard that the base rail system can be fiddly. We also upgraded to thicker hoops and side rails. Its very sturdy!
  The frame and doors were easy. The P clips were a pain to put on. Getting the cover tight and pleated correctly nearly caused a divorce I would be tempted to pay someone next time...
• When you order the polytunnel you get the upgrade choices. Half way down are "cover tensioning tubes" for a small extra charge. They are two part hoops, the larger one fits over the smaller base and you can just lift the hoops up and then re-clamp them. This is useful when the weather gets warmer and the cover slackens.
• Oh, and although we only got a 10x10 in hindsight I would have got a door at each end rather than just one. It would make the ventilation much easier in the summer.
• Side ventilation is a real bonus, we got the dreaded late blight last week - only in the tunnel not outside so I know the lack of ventilation had something to do with it. I'm going to make another door for next season.
• Hi OP,
  Looked into something similar last year and asked around my own allotment for peoples thoughts. The general opinion was you'll get 2 years max out of a polytunnel if left up all year, 4 years if you dismantle it every Autumn and put it up again in spring.
  I sourced a 2nd hand greenhouse for Ј30 from ebay.
• Well the cover of mine is guaranteed for 5 years so I'm guessing it will last at least that! The hoops are 35mm and are very sturdy. Are you talking about the smaller flimsy ones? You certainly wouldn't dismantle a proper tunnel every year such as the ones we are talking about!
  Also, part of the point of a polytunnel is the year round gardening so why would you dismantle it in the autumn? This week I am sowing pak choi, lettuce, rocket, kale, beetroot, carrots and turnips.
  That said, the flimsy ones that cost about Ј50 quid don't last long. A proper tunnel is somewhat more of a financial investment, mine, with lots of extras and extra strengthening was about Ј450.
• Thanks for all the advice...lots to think about and some saving to be done!
• the best polytunnel i have is made out of scaffolding poles and blue tubing,all the high winds there stood up to it,few of the others on our plot were mangled as they had the green covered ones.