Left over gutters and pipework
Grant26
Posts: 24
Hi all,
There is currently a couple of runs of both large pipework and guttering that were not needed when my dad was doing an extension to our house.
I was planning on cutting the guttering to a more usable length and making some sort of stand and putting my strawberries in it but was wondering what else can be done with it all?
Easiest for the next bit If i get a bit of a story.
I've started getting into tropical plants so will be putting up a small poly tunnel in an area that I have almost cleared to house some of these tropical plants; bananas, palms, tree ferns, gunneras and anything else that is slightly hardy in UK. Toying with the idea of putting some cable warmers down and maybe some LED grow lights to keep them in growth through the winter.
One option I was thinking was putting a slight fall downwards towards the polytunnel at maybe a depth of 1-2ft so that some rain is diverted in to reduce my watering. Issues are though, will it actually work? Do I need to worry about it freezing the roots at that depth?
Any other ideas are appreciated.
Thanks,
Grant
Posts
Very interesting ideas Grant
I would want to divert rainwater to a storage/holding tank to give me control over the watering - I think just diverting rainwater 'as it falls' towards the plants might end up with some very boggy conditions in the winter months, which wouldn't be good.
There's a way of heating greenhouse/polytunnels by having a water storage tank in the middle of the greenhouse - this heats up in the sunshine during the day and radiates heat at night - I've never done this but if I were you I'd be researching it - there's stuff on the internet - certainly a way to reduce your heating costs.
Good luck
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Never thought about it bogging in winter
I have thought about running the gutters to a waterbutt, then maybe some how elevating it so I can I can just turn a tap and water the polytunnel, or even I might set up an automatic system, some moisture and temp sensors connected up so I don't even have to do very much. Would be much simpler to have the waterbutt on the ground and run the gutters along the fence to fill it up but my gardening interest usually dies off in winter so I'd never get out to water them.
I also have loads of left over long plastic strips, say 1x6ft, I want to say they are fascia boards but im 99% sure they are not haha. Thinking of either using them along side a raised bed to prevent the timber from rotting through, could also use them as a weed barrier
I have heard about that water tank idea to give out heat, I wonder If it was laid length ways and half submerged would it still do the job? Poly tunnel will only be 3x2m so a great big 10 gallon barrel will take a lot of space.
That doesn't bode well for 'tropical' or 'not quite hardy' plants in a poly-tunnel
they'll be vulnerable to moulds, infestations etc at that time of year when you're not able to ventilate the polytunnel as much as in the summer - are you likely to increase your interest, or should you be looking for hardier plants that can more or less 'look after themselves' in the winter without heat/light etc?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hmmm... I guess if I see any progress or growth with the plants I will still keep an interest, I'd say 90% of what I've got is supposed to be able to cope with UK climate with little or no protection but I want them to get as big as possible as quickly as possible hence why they will be in a poly tunnel.
Hmmm .... If you've got plants in heat and light you'll need to be involved all year round. I suspect that it wouldn't be so much growth in the winter - I think it would be more regular inspection to make sure that things weren't deteriorating or that there weren't pests or botrytis setting in.
Gunnera naturally dies down in the winter - which would be just as well - one well-grown gunnera plant would be bigger than your polytunnel.
I hope it doesn't seem that I'm throwing a spanner in the works - it's just that it's such a shame when someone's enthusiasm goes to waste because they've not prepared properly. I hope that you can find some plants that you'll be really interested in growing and that will hold your interest
Do you know the Hardy Tropicals UK website? http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14270&sid=d5ee25e4ec7f0a7b3315eb9b3af15054&start=15
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Can use guttering for sowing peas in so you just slide out the whole row when ready to transplant into veg plot, or for growing cut and come again varieties of lettuce.
Left over pipes can be used for making homes for insects to help pollinate your garden, cut down to shortish lengths and pack with an assortment of hollow stems, bamboo canes, dead leaves, moss etc and then secrete in an undisturbed spot.
Banana trees (Musa acuminata or balbisiana) are tropical perennials. With their huge, wide leaves and bunches of bright yellow fruit, the plants are unmistakable and are an attractive and delicious addition to any tropical landscape. However, make sure you have enough room for a banana tree, before you plant one. Some cultivars reach heights of 25 feet in as a little as one year.
Banana tree heights vary depending on the specific cultivar. Most trees are a hybrid of the two species. All grow quickly, however. "Manzana," which is popular for its sweet-tasting bananas, grows to a height of about 12 feet. "Lady Fingers" and "Cuban Red" grow to heights of 25 feet.
It's not just the height of banana trees that impresses, but also the size of its leaves. Banana plant leaves can reach lengths of 9 feet and widths of 2 feet. A single plant usually contains between 8 and 12 of these leaves, according to the University of Hawaii.
Ok so check which species you have first, then check the size of your tunnel
Am alone in thinking you have many plants in this tunnel, which might not even fit the banana tree?
If you don't give this tree the room it needs and the attention it needs, it will all be a waste of time in the end
In regards to the temp of your tunnel, a banana tree will not reach its full height if it is not cared for properly. The plants thrive in warm, calm conditions. Temperature extremes slow the growth of the plant. Bananas stop growing when the temperature nears 100 degrees Fahrenheit or drops below 53 degrees. "Orinoco" is the most cold-hardy cultivar; it is frequently grown in California as a tropical plant rather than for its fruit. Strong winds will tear apart the leaves, and one night of freezing temperatures can kill the plant. Cultivate your banana tree in a warm, sheltered location, and keep the soil continually moist -- but not soggy -- during the growing season.
I hope this was helpful
I also have left over guttering, I personally use it for growing micro salad and micro herbs, you could try this if you wanted
Thanks for the replies all.
I created an account on Hardy Tropicals 3 weeks ago and it still hasn't been approved
Also I must add I have started growing tropicals as this is what I want in my garden when I get my own house, I am 22 and looking to move out in the next 2-3 years, so decided to buy smaller plants, that are considerably cheaper, grow them out and transplant into my own house. Doing so means I get to do a hobby I love + it saves me a fortune in the long run; smaller palms for example have cost me £8 and should be 6ft in 5 or so years with proper care, where a similar plant in 5 years will be £200 to buy. At least growing them myself I will hopefully learn to care for them properly. After all, if an £8 plant dies I can try another a different way. Not so easy at £200.
I have started buying different plants, sometimes a number of them and I may sell the smaller ones in a year or two to focus on the better ones. Therefore hopefully recuperating some of my costs.
The plants that can be transplanted will be grown in the ground then dug up in a few years and others will be grown in a pot (cordyline for example).
So hoping to grow plants till they no longer fit in the polytunnel then moving outside. All the plants I have bought are supposedly hardy in UK so I'm hoping that this would be ok.
Thanks,
Grant