@Obelixx I agree ventilation is key, with the size I'm after I don't know if a door at each end would be needed? I'm not sure if just the side nets and main door would be enough. @Lyn oh no! I can't imagine the feeling of horror finding all your cuttings on the floor. I do have a small plastic greenhouse thing with 4 shelves in but it's just not going to be enough! lol It's full now 😁 I've worked out to grow and fill what I want I need around 300 plants! give or take a few lol Plus planting in succession. I've got alot to grow 😊
@scroggin I do have a greenhouse but that gets taken up by my veg plus toms, cucumbers, peppers etc and I'm going to need to grow around 300ish plants. 😲
VPM - mine is 8m long by 4m wide so I can grow permanent frost tender plants as well as sheltering citrus and other more tender pots and growing seasonal toms and peppers and so on. There wasn't a vented side wall option for this model so having both doors open allows air to flow thru and, so far, no probs with disease or pests or stagnant air.
OH left one door closed one day after weeding round the outside and the difference was tangible
If you can't ventilate the sides, two doors are a must IMHO.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
much as you will never say "I wish I had done more housework", you will never say "I wish I had bought a smaller polytunnel (or greenhouse)". Get the biggest one you can. And in any size, a door at both ends is a really good idea.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I have some experience with both commercial size (30m by 10m) and my own two (8m by 3) Roll up sides are a must, whereas doors at both ends are optional. while all of ours have doors at both ends we don't open them on the large one and one of the small ones.
Depending in your budget and how much time you have automated sides can save your plants if the sun comes out while you are away.
Now to quality. the two small ones are the cheap kit ones with a fitted cover (clear in this case but same idea) They have survived a pair of gales BUT they will not do more than two years, water sits on them and there is no real way to get the plastic tight enough to stop this. We will also be taking them down over winter, they have survived 15-20m/s wind but we can get well over 30 here. that will murder them. However saying that they are excellent at playing with so you can see if you want a "real" tunnel as it were. The large one came from Poland with a team to put it up, the poles on that are huge, thicker than scaffolding, the frame at least is not going anywhere.
I will be buying myself one from either first or northern next year, just saving up the 4-6k it's going to cost with delivery!
The instructions on my tunnel say the tubes are " overall diameter 2" x 4mm thick" I kid you not. Another section says " take the 2" x 1/4" batten and fit with a 45mm nail"
I looked at polytunnels but ended up going for a Keder Greenhouse 8Mts x 3Mts with door each end and two large automated roof Windows on each side. Had it a year now and more than delighted with it so far. 6ftx3ft heated bench plus potting bench and 4 raised veg beds up one side. The other side is stageing all the way up the other side no bother with the really hot weather so very happy don't think it can get much warmer than we have had recently.
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@Lyn oh no! I can't imagine the feeling of horror finding all your cuttings on the floor. I do have a small plastic greenhouse thing with 4 shelves in but it's just not going to be enough! lol It's full now 😁 I've worked out to grow and fill what I want I need around 300 plants! give or take a few lol Plus planting in succession. I've got alot to grow 😊
OH left one door closed one day after weeding round the outside and the difference was tangible
If you can't ventilate the sides, two doors are a must IMHO.
And in any size, a door at both ends is a really good idea.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Another section says " take the 2" x 1/4" batten and fit with a 45mm nail"