Polytunnels

[Pasty]

Not sure where to post this. Anyway, we are going to get one (or more). Purpose is to grow food a bit further into the season that we could outdoors and also grow some things we otherwise couldn't. Also to dry firewood in pallet crates over summer which will then go into the big barn for use in autumn. Then the laying hens go in over winter and clean up all the bugs / create some decent compost.

Anyone bought one recently? I'm looking for recs on suppliers and also comments on size. Should I just go as big as I can afford or is that counter-productive in some way? Probably comments on suppliers should be done over PM if anyone has any.

 

[Kidds]

Northern Polytunnels. The ones with straight sides to about 4' and vented below that. You can have a poly sheet that drops to the floor to retain more heat but I prefer them to be a bit more vented than that and use shade material.
Site it on a slight hill so the warmed air rises through it, that will dry your logs better. You will grow stuff in there through the summer so don't reckon on filling it right up with logs. So buy the biggest you can afford.
I would buy a second hand frame and a new sheet for best value. They don't really rot or anything, any devaluing is usually down to folk crashing into them.
If I fold the rollbar down on my 35 I can go in and out with a pallet cage of logs on my rear fork frame. Exhaust only just clears the door frame and the fumes cause a cascade of spiders out of the roof (there are always spiders in them.
Nowt wrong with putting hens in over the winter but there are scarcely any bugs for them to eat. The ground will be dry and dust unless you are excessively watering in there (in which case your logs won't dry so well)

 

[Gong Farmer]

Are they fox-proof enough for hens?

 

[Welsh Farmer]

Like wot @Kidds said ... Our straight sided ones are taller though (prob nearer 6'6" - 7') because we need the greater height and air-to- bed ratio.

We always run a dwarf wall round the base of ours because we've found it makes replacing the covers easier plus you can get a better tension on them. If you do need to concrete anchor it down then H blocks at the legs are pretty good because they allow for movement whilst setting it up and then your just pour the concrete to hold it in place.

 

[Pasty]

Northern Polytunnels. The ones with straight sides to about 4' and vented below that. You can have a poly sheet that drops to the floor to retain more heat but I prefer them to be a bit more vented than that and use shade material.
Site it on a slight hill so the warmed air rises through it, that will dry your logs better. You will grow stuff in there through the summer so don't reckon on filling it right up with logs. So buy the biggest you can afford.
I would buy a second hand frame and a new sheet for best value. They don't really rot or anything, any devaluing is usually down to folk crashing into them.
If I fold the rollbar down on my 35 I can go in and out with a pallet cage of logs on my rear fork frame. Exhaust only just clears the door frame and the fumes cause a cascade of spiders out of the roof (there are always spiders in them.
Nowt wrong with putting hens in over the winter but there are scarcely any bugs for them to eat. The ground will be dry and dust unless you are excessively watering in there (in which case your logs won't dry so well)

Thanks. Hens is more for their benefit as we are on heavy clay and it will be a case of piling in deep litter which will be spread in spring once they have enriched it. I've heard they do clear up a few bugs and slugs though so win, win.

 

[Pasty]

Are they fox-proof enough for hens?

Will be with 10,000v running around the outside.

 

[Kidds]

Are they fox-proof enough for hens?

Mine has chicken wire all round it. This is to keep rabbits out but will keep fox out too.

 

[Pasty]

Anyone know about planning for tunnels? Looking at a smallish one 24x54ft but it would be in public view. Permitted dev?

 

[spin cycle]

Anyone know about planning for tunnels? Looking at a smallish one 24x54ft but it would be in public view. Permitted dev?

think it'd be more about if it were concreted in or ground anchors perhaps.....sorry to hijack thread a little but i'm looking at one for sheep....would 33mm hoops be ok or do they need to be 50mm?

 

[annonimouse]

Anyone know about planning for tunnels? Looking at a smallish one 24x54ft but it would be in public view. Permitted dev?

Should be, was for me.

 

[Kidds]

Anyone know about planning for tunnels? Looking at a smallish one 24x54ft but it would be in public view. Permitted dev?

I've never sought permission nor ever had a problem.
If it's new the folk you are buying it off should know the law on such things. Not that every council applies the law in the same way.

 

[Welsh Farmer]

We had to have planning permission

 

[Kidds]

think it'd be more about if it were concreted in or ground anchors perhaps.....sorry to hijack thread a little but i'm looking at one for sheep....would 33mm hoops be ok or do they need to be 50mm?

I would definitely go for 50mm. You may get away with smaller but they do damage easier. I'm guessing you would be mucking out with machinery, it doesn't take much to bend them. Doesn't take much to bend 50mm either but they can stand it a bit more iyswim.

 

[Kidds]

This seems a good article to me.
http://www.smallholder.co.uk/news/2...ytunnels_and_related_planning_issues/?ref=arc

 

[grainboy]

Not quite polytunnels but these are available,

 

[pgk]

We had to get planning because we put it up within 400m of the nearest house (350m) and 25 or 50m (can't remember which) of the road. in contrast to hay/ machinery shed which although within 350m was far enough from road and as not for livestock was subject to permitted development order.

 

[Pasty]

We had to get planning because we put it up within 400m of the nearest house (350m) and 25 or 50m (can't remember which) of the road. in contrast to hay/ machinery shed which although within 350m was far enough from road and as not for livestock was subject to permitted development order.

Did you tell them the tunnel was for livestock? I thought that was the 400m stipulation.

 

[pgk]

Yes you're right on that front, second issue was distance from road both of which meant it failed on pdo rules.

 

[SRRC]

Not quite polytunnels but these are available,

Is that an Allegro van den Plas in the third pic?

 

[SRRC]

Not sure where to post this. Anyway, we are going to get one (or more). Purpose is to grow food a bit further into the season that we could outdoors and also grow some things we otherwise couldn't. Also to dry firewood in pallet crates over summer which will then go into the big barn for use in autumn. Then the laying hens go in over winter and clean up all the bugs / create some decent compost.

Anyone bought one recently? I'm looking for recs on suppliers and also comments on size. Should I just go as big as I can afford or is that counter-productive in some way? Probably comments on suppliers should be done over PM if anyone has any.

I use a very good chap called Peter Olek who does covers in this sort of area. 07854 873724. Good place to start as he will advise accordingly?