Gardman walk in polytunnel

Those of you with real staying power, those loyal few who regularly read this blog, will know that I've got the full hand of polytunnels. Way back last year in June I built a 3m wide x 3m high x 10m long fruit cage / polytunnel out of water piping and scaffold netting. That's going really well and has easily withstood the winter weather to be filled this season with raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes and melons.

But this post is to give you an update on the outcome of the April topic on a walk in polytunnel, when I agonised over the decision to part with £82 for a 3m x 2m x 2m Gardman walk in polytunnel. So what follows is a pictorial blow by blow account of the polytunnel construction with a summary of it's likely longevity. Just click on any of the images to enlarge.

So here's the spot I chose to erect the polytunnel. Quite lucky the space between the shed and greenhouse was just right and would give added protection from the wind. Unlucky that I'd only just installed shelves aiming to raise strawberries (bad idea in the end... they don't like an exposed spot). And having the storage bin there was a bit of a problem too... I'd dug it into the ground so it didn't impede the view from the back of the shed... only to find on first use that when the lid was open I couldn't see out anyway! So it would take a lot of shifting. Not a loss overall though since I hadn't been using it fully for some time and stripped down to the frame it would go on to make a good wood store.

Site cleared and ready for action!

Bit concerned the local rodents might have a field day gnawing through the polytunnel walls so decided to use some paving slabs going spare to surround the base from the outside. Sampson the cockerel isn't particularly impressed with progress.

Paving slab surround now completed, let the digging commence! Decided it would be best to do the heavy duty digging before putting up the polytunnel. Knowing my luck I'd put a spade through the wall otherwise.

Digging finished. After this stage I put in two level raised beds and hammered in levelled wooden pegs on which to rest and tie down the polytunnel frame.

The frame and cover were easy to put up. Once installed I put loads of wood chip into the cavity between the polytunnel and the paving slabs.

On both sides there's just enough room for me to squeeze through if I need to.

After finishing off with wood chip down the middle of the raised beds, the first plants go in... cucumber and squash.

A few weeks later, having kept the zipped front closed to keep the warmth in, plants are growing well. Started to keep the front open to enable pollinating insects to do their job.

Now virtually having to beat the gourds back with a stick to get in the polytunnel.

Tomatoes bursting forth.

Squash flower.

One of the types of gourds I'm growing for the first time.

Another type of gourd getting bigger... and bigger... and bigger! Since you can't eat gourds, wonder what I'm going to use them for? Here's some samples of gourd art. Amazing, eh?

A developing snake gourd, from which you can make a didgeridoo and craft other works of art.

But there are early signs of wear... partly my own fault! When putting up the polytunnel frame make sure you put bolts in so the bolt heads are showing outwards from the frame. It's not so obvious since the easy way is to screw the bolts in the highest part of the frame from the inside out. But this leaves the bolt ends sticking out into the polytunnel cover. I've temporarily compensated for this by covering the bolts with thick cardboard and will repair when I take the cover off in winter... although I am intending to grow lettuce over the winter months so not sure when that'll happen.