Oh dear… what have I done????? Wandered into Huntingdon Garden & Leisure to have a look at the replacement polytunnel covers intending to build my own frame… and came out with a large box containing this, a Gardman walk in polytunnel. How did that happen?
On the previous visit I’d fancied the walk in greenhouse but on line reviews didn’t score it highly… the plastic joints seem to break in a breeze. Hmmm… I could build my own more stable polytunnel frame with spare water/gas piping on the plot and the purchase of some doweling.
But after hovering inside the polytunnel on display and with a few encouraging noises from Linda it was a done deal. £129.99, less my HRAA 10% discount, less my £35 retirement vouchers = £82. The replacement cover cost £60 so seemed a bargain. But when manhandling a box onto the trolley noticed they were reduced to £99! No HRAA discount on sale items, but the cost now down to £64!
That has to be a steal for a 3m long x 2m wide x 1.9m high polytunnel which opens both ends and has two mesh windows. Early lettuce, summer chillies and peppers, my first attempt at gourds and other heat loving plants will hopefully thrive.
The frame looks pretty strong, all tubular steel bolted together. But I’ll hammer some posts in at each corner and attach the frame to give added strength. Probably put a large post at the back and attach the end roof section to it. Oh, and will have to put a wooden border around the outside to exclude next door’s family of rats. The strawberry shelves will have to move in front of the existing greenhouse and the large wooden storage bin at the back of the shed that I don’t use any more will have to go. Dig over and prepare the earth before putting the polytunnel up. It’ll extend quite a bit out from the current greenhouse so will have to consider how that effects access.
And all at the very time when I’m under pressure to get things potted up and seeds planted out! Well, can’t hang around here blogging away. Got things to do and the sun’s shining!
I’ll update this post regularly to record polytunnel progress and success rate.
7 comments:
Takes me back to when we had a polytunnel in Orkney. It blew away not once but twice. Don't have space for one where we are now not even a dinky one like yours. Hope you enjoy it.
I've seen a few collapsing gardman greenhouse on people's blogs but your polytunnel looks good and a steal at that price. Best of luck with it!
82 quid, that's a bargain! Can't argue with that. Looking forward to seeing how it goes, I could definitely be tempted to invest at that price.
Hugely exciting - I look forward to reading about how you get on...
What a great bargain! A steal almost! I had a polytunnel almost the same size about 5 years ago, over time its become ripped and tattered but i just cant bring myself to do it! The repairs take up almost more space that the cover itself :-) Gary the Mini Greenhouse Guy.
amazing simple as that
just got myself one of these its the same size as yours but no windows, I had the same idea make a stronger frame for the cover, I done this with a walk in greenhouse Ireinforced the thin metal tubing with timber and used old metal weights to anchor it down its very strong. Good luck :)
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