the reason they provide the door plastic in two parts is to allow the top part to be covered in windbreak netting for ventilation. I was sweating just thinking about being inside your carefully sealed plastic structure. Ventilation is essential to avoid things like botrytis mould on your plants. Nice job and thanks for the useful tips.
Yes, you're right. If they'd have provided some netting at the time, I definitely would have fitted it. Our package didn't come with any but on reflection, maybe I could have sorted out some ventilation in the door anyway. Currently we just leave the doors ajar all the time except on really cold nights which seems to work just fine (although not as neat). Thanks for watching and for the feedback. Graeme
Brilliant. Just wish we’d seen this before putting ours together. We had exactly the same issues as you, although we have to be baserails; plastic touching storm bars, corner plastic ripping on edges. We gaffer taped our edges too. We also had the same method as you on the end panels! :- ) got there in the end, but doors catch the creases in side plastic so that’s our next challenge. First Tunnels themselves have been a terrific company to deal with though, but I think we will be sending some of our feedback to them as we are not alone it seems with gotchas.
We got ours from First Tunnels and it's a 12x20. Only wish we'd bought a bigger one now, otherwise it's great. First Tunnels provided excellent customer service and I would recommend getting one from them (although in fairness, I haven't bought one from anywhere else for comparison).
Hi Eleanor. Glad you enjoyed the video. We chose a 12ft x 20ft tunnel and we decided we should have bought a bigger one before we'd even finished building it! We used canes to mark it up on the ground before ordering and it seemed like a big area. But once you've factored in the door areas and walkways, you lose quite a bit of space. Having lived with it for a while now, we could definitely make use of more space inside the polytunnel. If I chose again, I would probably go for a 15ft x 25ft one. Maybe even 30ft. All the other costs go up too (compost, wood for raised beds, etc) but you don't have to do it all at once. Replacing the current one isn't a realistic option but we could add a second one alongside it in future. Despite that, we still really love it. Hope that helps, Graeme
@@GreenTubers Graeme Thank you so much for replying, I really appreciate it! I was thinking 10 x 15 but the max Im allowed on my allotment is 12 x 20 which is what I think I'll settle for.... Many thanks ....
It depends which panels you're referring to. The small one attached to the polytunnel (possibly only shown in later videos) drives the irrigation system. The much larger ones behind the polytunnel form a normal domestic PV setup for our house. There wasn't enough roof space in the right direction, so they were built in the field instead. It's a 4KW array.
We were close to negative, but we've just switched from oil to an ASHP, so our electric usage has just gone up. When the budget allows, I'd love to add more panels. I've never thought about additional lighting, I guess we don't need it. Is it expensive? Worth it?
@@GreenTubers the footprint is good . I dont know if lights are needed for veg . I grow cannabis the light is needed but only a little . We dont get enough sun . The lights in holland work well with veg.
the reason they provide the door plastic in two parts is to allow the top part to be covered in windbreak netting for ventilation. I was sweating just thinking about being inside your carefully sealed plastic structure. Ventilation is essential to avoid things like botrytis mould on your plants. Nice job and thanks for the useful tips.
Yes, you're right. If they'd have provided some netting at the time, I definitely would have fitted it. Our package didn't come with any but on reflection, maybe I could have sorted out some ventilation in the door anyway.
Currently we just leave the doors ajar all the time except on really cold nights which seems to work just fine (although not as neat). Thanks for watching and for the feedback. Graeme
Brilliant video. Looking forward to more polytunnel exploits.
Looking forward to watching yout polytunnel progress Cheers Ray
Brilliant. Just wish we’d seen this before putting ours together. We had exactly the same issues as you, although we have to be baserails; plastic touching storm bars, corner plastic ripping on edges. We gaffer taped our edges too. We also had the same method as you on the end panels! :- ) got there in the end, but doors catch the creases in side plastic so that’s our next challenge. First Tunnels themselves have been a terrific company to deal with though, but I think we will be sending some of our feedback to them as we are not alone it seems with gotchas.
Use twine to get your hight on the screws so they are even.
Where do you order your tunnel from and what size, interesting to get one but can't make up my mind
We got ours from First Tunnels and it's a 12x20. Only wish we'd bought a bigger one now, otherwise it's great. First Tunnels provided excellent customer service and I would recommend getting one from them (although in fairness, I haven't bought one from anywhere else for comparison).
Hi Graham Great Video, what size is your polytunnel and the million dollar question is would you build the same size or consider going larger?
Hi Eleanor.
Glad you enjoyed the video. We chose a 12ft x 20ft tunnel and we decided we should have bought a bigger one before we'd even finished building it! We used canes to mark it up on the ground before ordering and it seemed like a big area. But once you've factored in the door areas and walkways, you lose quite a bit of space.
Having lived with it for a while now, we could definitely make use of more space inside the polytunnel. If I chose again, I would probably go for a 15ft x 25ft one. Maybe even 30ft. All the other costs go up too (compost, wood for raised beds, etc) but you don't have to do it all at once. Replacing the current one isn't a realistic option but we could add a second one alongside it in future.
Despite that, we still really love it.
Hope that helps,
Graeme
@@GreenTubers Graeme Thank you so much for replying, I really appreciate it! I was thinking 10 x 15 but the max Im allowed on my allotment is 12 x 20 which is what I think I'll settle for.... Many thanks ....
Are those solar panels for supplimentle light?
It depends which panels you're referring to. The small one attached to the polytunnel (possibly only shown in later videos) drives the irrigation system. The much larger ones behind the polytunnel form a normal domestic PV setup for our house. There wasn't enough roof space in the right direction, so they were built in the field instead. It's a 4KW array.
@@GreenTubers you must have a - carbon footprint . Im in ireland i would not get bye without extra lighting. Great set up man happy growing .
We were close to negative, but we've just switched from oil to an ASHP, so our electric usage has just gone up. When the budget allows, I'd love to add more panels. I've never thought about additional lighting, I guess we don't need it. Is it expensive? Worth it?
@@GreenTubers the footprint is good . I dont know if lights are needed for veg . I grow cannabis the light is needed but only a little . We dont get enough sun . The lights in holland work well with veg.