Polytunnel Set Up - Planting tomatoes / string supports / companion plants
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 มิ.ย. 2019
- It's time to get the polytunnel ready for a summer of homegrown harvests! Join me in this how-to video to see my method for planting tomatoes, watering them directly in the ground, setting up the string supports and the companion plants I use to help ward off insect pests.
This video is packed with useful tips and advice for growing your own tomatoes and preventing blight, the dreaded fungal diseases.
// MENTIONS //
Thank you very much to Rootgrow for sending me some of their mycorrhizal fungi free of charge. For clarity, I have not been paid to endorse their product, I genuinely love it and have been using it for the past few years!
// SOCIAL //
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Couple of thoughts: #1 bury the string under/around the rootball, avoids putting pressure on the lowest leaf stalk. Once rooted the string will be firm. #2 I don't like to plant my Tomato plants deep as that puts the main roots near the subsoil, which I think restricts them (you might have deep loam? :) ) so i plant mine horizontally instead. I plant two plants, side by side, in each other's planting holes and then up each other's string, if that makes sense? Gets plenty of stem underground for rooting. #3 I would cut the bottom off your bottles and put them in upside down. Much bigger target to water them through :) I don't think surface evaporation from the bottle will be significant, and presumably the water has seeps out reasonably soon. If you are worried about animals falling in then a 3"-ish flower pot should fit. Great video, thanks.
I love your diagonal planting tip. Going to try that this year.
As a gardener in GA, USA who is having to time my gardening to not get heat stroke (again) watching you garden in a sweater/jumper is making me insanely jealous LOL.
I’ve just bought a poly tunnel, I was going to use grow-bags but you have just given me new ideas 💡I’m going to do exactly the same. Thank you 🙏🏽 it really brightened a gloomy day seeing your lovely smile too 😃
I’m just into my second year with my allotment and poly tunnel, really enjoyed your video, I more or less do what you have done but like the idea of using the canes and tying the string to the center bar👍🏻
Delightful and informative. The buried bottle is a brilliant watering idea.
I think Gardeners World should give you a spot. Great video 👊👌👏👍
what an absolute breath of fresh air!
Say "tomato" on more time! oh and "baazil" is nice too. Lovely dialect!
This was a great video. My tomato’s grow so tall in the greenhouse. Thanks for sharing how you supported yours .
I'm doing this this year! Thank you so much for the idea and use of the plant wire to fit it to the tomato- I love I can reuse these year after year!! 💕🍅💕
Awesome! I really like the idea of how tied the plants up. Hoping the jungle of tomatoes tasted great!
Great work. Loved your style of presentation. Great tips. Thank you for sharing!
Enjoyed your update, got some good tips, many thanks for sharing kind regards
alan🌿
THE DAWN CHORUS PLOT
Loved this video and how you support your tomatoes!
Great video thanks for the ideas! I couldn't find plastic ends for the canes so I just drilled a hole half way into some used Corks (have plenty 😉), worked a treat 😁
That's a smart system! Really! I use to put some tomatoes support with pieces of wood.
I love tomatoes 🍅 any type and varieties 💕 great tips 💕
Really enjoyed the video, great info and ideas.
Thanks and Happy Growing
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I just LOVE watching your video's! You have a great personality and a beautiful garden. I'm sure your channel will become huge:)
I already started my tomatoes for this season. I am in Wisconsin, USA in growing zone 5 and try to get garden planted by the middle to end of May. Per your example, I ordered Basil and marigolds. I will start planting some companion plants. I have an automatic water system. It waters a few minutes a day on the surface of the soil. As you mentioned, That may be an issue for fungus. I have had a major problem with Septoria leaf spot on tomatoes so I am dealing with that as well. I enjoy your channel. Thank you, beautiful girl.
Superbly enjoyable video as always.
Good watch I will give the bottle watering a go. Thx from New Zealand.
I think you are an amazing person and very inspiring.i allso watch Charles he is simply amazing and I have a no dig garden 😁
Really helpful and informative video. I intend to grow vine tomatoes next season in my new polytunnel so I'll be following your advice to the letter...thank you! 🙂👍
Ok I'm going to do this too now!!! Brilliant idea
A great informative video cheers Ray 🍅🍅🍅
Great video as always, gardeners world could learn a thing or two from your presenting style. young, vibrant, enthusiastic and informative. Rather than dull, condescending and repetitive. Right, rant over I'm off up to the plot! Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your allotment. 👨🌾
Thanks so much. Have just got my first polytunnel and was trying to plan a drip watering system - but will give the bottles a go instead!
Really enjoyable and informative video. Thanks so much for sharing. Mags
Thanx for the video. I am getting ready to set up my polytunnel this spring and I am definitely giving the "bottle method" a try.
Valuable ideas...👍
Love your videos. So informative 🇨🇦💝
Interesting and useful information, thankyou. Aesy on the eye too. Thankyou.
Nice video - Thanks for sharing.
Some great tips there, I've not long subscribed & catching up with your videos, I love your presenting style, very relaxed in front of the camera.
Hi ive recently discovered u and i love u. I had an allotment a couple of years ago and became disabled and had to let it go but I've just got a new smaller one and I'm taking everything your doing and producing my own wild secret food garden xx love from south yorkshire 💜
Love your channel, I do lawns, badly, on mine but you inspired me and the lawn care mutt to make, badly, a very small veg patch....and im growing, badly, loofahs in the greenhouse.
My channel is bad and my gardening skills bad but i try and my dog is a star. Keep inspiring.
I learnt something, many thanks.
Morning Katrina. Your enthusiasm for gardening is very interesting. Making films. They are very good. English is foreign language for me. So I am learning.
A very enjoyable video.
Excellent video. Thank you
Nice idea! Think I'll try that 👍😀
Interesting tip. Thanks.
Intelligent stuff - thanks!
Applying mychorhizae and green house are two techniques. your well done! congratulation!
outstanding engineer gardener! i do the same way with my veges
Very nice video, i watched all, actually i am planting the same kind of tomatoes 256 tomato plants, i have, i wanna say your way of explaining your smile, your life, yiur beauty, made me love this work more and more 😊😇
smashing video
Thanks Dear, I ll take these tips into consideration, 👍🍅🍅🍅
I put wholes in bottle around the half way post That way is a reservoir of water left in bottle. This then condenses and exchanges posture with soil on dry days
She’s beautiful and intelligent makes my want to move to the UK
Damn what a great idea with the water bottle I might have to steal it thanks!
Ah Its coming up to that time soon now where we are going to be planting out tomatoes! I cant wait. I just do as other have commented burry the string around the root ball.
very nice soil! I haven't started my garden yet. Working on livestock right now.
Very nice video
Thank you 👍
Love yr system. When the plastic bottles finally disappear we’ll all be using terracotta flowerpot Ollas . 🍅
There are drip irrigation fittings you could use to connect all of your bottles together which would allow you to fill them all at the same time...
Excellent
Thanks your a joy to learn from
Protected growing is a must in this uncertain growing season! I like the buried bottle irrigation, will try that. Happy June as productive colourful days unfold....In your main photo of produce is that Honeyboat Squash? looks like it, i am trying it for first time this year. Enjoying Strawbs, Mangetout, Tomatoes, 1st courgettes and i notice the Raspberries are changing colour today! Yippee! lets hope for warmer days now. Wishing you Abundance too....
Looks nice, well done:)
Thank you friend.........
very nice
pretty and smart
Some really interesting ideas. You do things differently from me but I think I'll be stealing the odd idea. I like the buried bottle for a start.
Your brilliant
Que agradable señorita. Me suscribiré
Your a green godess inspired by your allotment cant wait till my onions and garlic grow
great
I plant the bottle upside down with the bottom cut off open above the soil, with holes down one side facing the tomato plant.
Just fill the bottle when watering..
Loved your video, great pointers and tips, will def. be using!! Love your accent, and your a very Beautiful woman.. :)
Excellent video again. Great channel very informative, great job :)
Does the bottle also water the companion plants as well. Great video! Thanks for sharing!
Good stuff Katrina like your blog. I have stopped using the commonly available polypropylene garden string because over time I observed the effects of UV disintegrating & stripping off the fibres which then became unwanted, potentially toxic (?) additions to the soil. I too now use the biodegradable jute-type string.
Great to hear that you’ve swapped to a natural, more environmentally friendly garden string! That plastic stuff gets everywhere and birds find and use the thin strands as nesting material. I’ve heard stories that the chicks then get their feet in a tangle and makes them unable to fly the nest! 😢
Natural twine is so much better is so much easier to remove the plants at the end of the season!
Hope to see you on TV Gardners type programmes soon.
Thank you for such informative and easy to follow guidance, I would like to know the size of your polytunnel please, it see just about right, although I’m wondering is it deceptive through the lense, or on a big plot. So if you have the rough measurements I can see if it would do in my garden. Thank you in advance 🙏
how do you remember all of this? great info given. thank you
I'm keen to learn to start gardening and just found your channel, thanks for all the great tips. Am about to buy a polytunnel, the type you're using looks like it has a PVC cover? Do you have any concerns about phthalates leaching into your plants/food?
Very informative thank you. So do you leave plants in there all year? (I am new to all this. Just bought a tomato plant for the garden)
Well presented & informative video. I must get a polytunnel, but I'll have to dig-up most of my back lawn to accommodate it - bah. Only got a smallish back garden. Searched Ebay for those plant support ties & found some others also, saved ready to purchase later. Do you have an videos of the pruning & identifying of side shoots to nip off? Also any tips for increasing the yield? I like the concept of 'companion plants'; I'll try that.
I was half expecting you to part bury the end of your pony tail when you buried the tomato roots; that would have been soo funny. Totally immaterial point; I love long hair on a woman, so nice. Lovely lady.
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I read maybe fifteen years ago that the 'watering during sunshine' thing was a myth, and in my experience (both here and in much hotter climes) that's been true. I have not once (yet) seen leaves burned by water droplets - including in the tropics. This makes sense as most climates have showers while the sun is shining. HTH
I agree! I’ve watered in the sunshine and never seen a scorched leaf.
It's an old timers saying. Apparently, water droplets form lenses on the leaves and burns the leaves. He also told me that the burning would not take place in the early morning or late in the afternoon as the sun is at an lower angle. Take it for what it's worth. I never had problems when I followed that rule.
@@brianrichard8310 I understand the reasoning (water lenses) but I've grown mostly veggies in the fifteen or so years since reading that not watering in sunshine was a well-intentioned myth. In that time never once have I refrained from watering in sunshine (including several years in the tropics) and never once had burns on leaves. It seems to me now to be obvious. How often have you seen heavy showers while Sun is still shining? Sunshine on heavy dew? Plants evolved to survive all that.
I respect that clearly it's your decision how you treat your plants, but there are times when weather conditions change drastically and unexpectedly and it becomes urgent that a plant gets water before damage occurs. I'd hate anyone reading this to feel watering in full sun will do irrevocable harm. It really is a myth.
@@davebox588 I completely agree. I was just passing along what I had been taught. Didn't say it was right or that I agreed with it. I was just clearing up some confusion that I perceived. Never thought about the validity because it worked for me.
@@brianrichard8310 Ok, I see what you're saying now. I agree there's not many occasions when you need to water during sunshine in the UK, but I lived on the High Veldt in South Africa, just under the tropic of Capricorn. Due to the high altitudes, Winters there are very dry, though you did get frosts at night. Some mornings we'd have overcast so you were reluctant to water because it was still so cold, but then the cloud would break up and the Sun would come out, so you'd suddenly need to water because the plants were starting to wilt in the Sun. It reminded me of the article I'd read and true enough I never once had leaf burn even though I was growing typical UK plants like brasiccas, carrots etc. At those latitudes the Sun is pretty fierce even in Winter also.
As a side note, I did get an introduction to growing squashes which opened up to a whole new world of flavours. Ones out of Tescos are just not the same. :-(
The bamboo canes must be stronger where you are? The bamboo wouldn't be able to candle the weight of mine, I believe they would snap. I do love the way you tied them up though. To the best tomato harvest ever, thank you for sharing! ;) 👍🏼
Hi. I am a new subscriber and really enjoying your channel. Thank you for sharing. My wife and I have just taken on an allotment in our village. Could I ask what size your polytunnel is, it looks perfect for the sort of under cover growing space we are interested in. Thank you.
I built a miniature poly tunnel for my tomatoes, I call it a tomato house, I've grown my strawberries in the polly tunnel.
I use tomato clips. The vines are held in place and will not slide down the strings,
I did the same thing on my first poly tunnel, I found it a bit too low, especially the sides, SOOooo My next poly tunnel I raised it by 400mm, I made a garden wall that uses 2 x 200mm x 50mm sleepers high, used inline gal steel, ends and corners, I concreted these first, I then put the PT on top of the sleepers, secured the pt with pipe brackets. I then put in garden beds that were 400mm high (approx) I left the zip up door at one end and at the other I made another door, so I could allow the air to flow through on hot days, I also planted a post in the middle at the back for extra security and I had to posts at the front for the door which served as a duel purpose, and also fastened the PT to the front and back posts.it now stands 600mm above my head (2.4m high) It cost me just as much as the PT but it is well worth the extra cost and effort. Yes I could have just planted the plants straight into the ground and I would be no worse off BUT Im well over 60 and your back and knees are not as good as they use to be, so this reduces a lot of hurt on your body, I even made the main door wide enough that if I was ever in a wheelchair, I could still go to the PT and tend my plants.
Wow! ;)
Damn, a beautiful lady that has some really innovative ways of growing tomatoes :-) Do you store that mycorrhizal fungi,? do they go dormant or die. off after a certain amount of time. Have you considered putting sardines or dead fish in that tomato hole too? I'm a bit gutted as I've just built a polytunnel lie that but i put weed membrane down the soil seemed quite fertile plenty of earthworms :-) Subscribed
Got a tunnel in early spring 2022. Thought it would be a great idea. Was not convinced ced that 15cm was deep enough to protect the tunnel and considering I've been gardening for 30 years and used polly tunnels I thought I'd give it a try.
I read different reviews and thought ok, positive feedback.
Living where I am I was worried about high winds. Not a problem I read good and sturdy, so I am wondering why after a very windy day the polly tunnel has wrapped itself around one of my apple plus damaging another.
So not the best polly tunnel, but had a good growing season of tomatoes and cucumbers, which are also now damaged. I'd stay clear of this type of polly tunnel.
Velcro plant tie is better than that soft twine, which DOES degrade.
Wow, I am impressed. I will have to try this soon! I look forward in watching more videos. I am your new friend/subscriber.
Just finished planting our greenhouse tomatoes. Wow, wish id'd watched this first!
Mighty fine eye for detail from this young lady, whose braid matches the braid pattern on her sweater. Fair dink'm .
My granddaughter is coming up to 19 and learning to drive, what do you think about a dash cam as a birthday present.
Just wondering what are the dimensions of your polytunnel? Does it allow your tomatoes etc to get to their full height? And whereabouts did you get it from? Asking around for recommendations where to look 😊
great video but not sure re the string method I've always used bamboo canes tied onto the cane across the roof cane mega sturdy reusable for years and Ecco friendly
You are so natural like tomatoes you are growing! ❤❤❤
you can plant tomatoes deep right up to the lowest leaves same as potatoes
mind plenty of potash
Pointless doing that with potatoes, its been proven time and again you dont get any more potatoes that whats at the bottom where the roots are, all you do is end up with less of a harvest, do a youtube search and see the experiments with building up spuds.
I was thinking of buying one of those green polytunnels. In you're honest opinion are they any good?
Katrina could you please tell me what sort of polytunnel you have please as I’m looking at getting one. Thanks