December 10, 2019 - Garden and Allotment Tips and Advice

Erecting a Polytunnel

February 18, 2024December 10, 2019 by Gardening With Ben

When it comes to erecting a polytunnel it is not as hard as it actually looks!

It can be quite a manual job erecting a polytunnel whether it is on your allotment or whether it is actually in your garden. If you have a business it could be a commercial polytunnel.

Some of the job you can actually do it on your own but if there is two of you it will definitely make the job a lot more easier and faster when putting it altogether.

We will explain the steps needed to build your polytunnel.

If you have a council allotment you may need to ask permission to hae one on your plot. Check with them first.
You will need to work out where your polytunnel is going to go.
Then you will need to measure the area and work out the size of the polytunnel you want.
You can order your polytunnel. Work out the extras you need for it. Also if you want black membrane down on the floor to stop the weeds.
Now wait for it to be delivered.
In the meantime you need to be digging out where the polytunnel needs to go. This ideally needs to be level.
You can now erect the framework – this will need two people.
Once the frame is in place you can dig a spade and half channel all the way round it but not in front of where the doors are.
The Polythene can now be put on this will need 2-4 people.
Once the polythene is on put some bricks on it uin the channels to keep it weighed down. Then fill with soil asap as you do not want it blowing off.
You can then cut off any excess plastic round the doors
The doors can now be hung on it.
Mission completed.

Allotment and Kitchen Garden Book

Are you starting an allotment or planning on growing your own fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers in a kitchen garden? If so we highly recommend the book Allotment Month By Month. This does exactly what it does on the cover to help you with what you should be doing in the allotment and kitchen garden each month. Below you can see the link for Amazon where you can purchase the book directly. This book is extremely popular with all allotment holders as you will read in the reviews:-

You can check out all the allotment and kitchen garden books we recommend here.

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Building a Polytunnel

February 18, 2024December 10, 2019 by Gardening With Ben

When it comes to building a polytunnel it is not as hard as it actually looks!

It can be quite a manual job building a polytunnel whether it is on your allotment or whether it is actually in your garden. If you have a business it could be a commercial polytunnel.

Some of the job you can actually do it on your own but if there is two of you it will definitely make the job a lot more easier and faster when putting it altogether.

We will explain the steps needed to build your polytunnel.

If you have a council allotment you may need to ask permission to hae one on your plot. Check with them first.
You will need to work out where your polytunnel is going to go.
Then you will need to measure the area and work out the size of the polytunnel you want.
You can order your polytunnel. Work out the extras you need for it. Also if you want black membrane down on the floor to stop the weeds.
Now wait for it to be delivered.
In the meantime you need to be digging out where the polytunnel needs to go. This ideally needs to be level.
You can now erect the framework – this will need two people.
Once the frame is in place you can dig a spade and half channel all the way round it but not in front of where the doors are.
The Polythene can now be put on this will need 2-4 people.
Once the polythene is on put some bricks on it uin the channels to keep it weighed down. Then fill with soil asap as you do not want it blowing off.
You can then cut off any excess plastic round the doors
The doors can now be hung on it.
Mission completed.

Allotment and Kitchen Garden Book

You can check out all the allotment and kitchen garden books we recommend here.

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Cheap Polytunnel

February 18, 2024December 10, 2019 by Gardening With Ben

When looking round at purchasing a polytunnel they come in all different sizes but then they come in all different prices. You can purchase a cheap polytunnel from £40 all the way into the thousands.

The thing about investing in a polytunnel is you get what you pay for!

When purchasing a polytunnel I would always say invest wisely as I’ve seen lots of people purchase cheap polytunnels for there allotments once they have got a plot and come winter they have been destroyed by the wind or the plastic has split on them.

I would definitely recommend saving up for a year and purchasing a high quality named branded polytunnel which will probably set you back about £500. I did this and it’s still going strong in it’s 10^th year.

The more costly ones are strong and sturdy – made out of steel and has wooden supports. This will hold down when it does come to winter. You certainly wont be looking in your neighbours plots for your polytunnel after it has taken off and blown away.

Don’t always go for a cheap polytunnel!

Allotment and Kitchen Garden Book

You can check out all the allotment and kitchen garden books we recommend here.

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Polytunnel Greenhouse kits

February 18, 2024December 10, 2019 by Gardening With Ben

When you are looking around for polytunnels you can purchase Polytunnel Greenhouse kits.

The polytunnel kits come well organised when purchasing from an online garden shop these will come all bundled up with the instructions on how to erect the polytunnel up.

The kits will usually come with the steel hoops (which will need putting together), the doors, the polythene, the screws.

When purchasing your polytunnel online you can design your own polytunnel to the specifications you want to how you exactly want it. This means you can choose the variety of the polythene you have on it and the UV rating. You can choose if you want some black membrane for the flooring – Which is highly recommend if you are not planting in the soil. Then you can choose if you want water irrigation added into your bundle. Obviously you can choose the size of the polytunnel you want. Then finally you can chose if you want extras like shelving or hooks ect.

Allotment and Kitchen Garden Book

You can check out all the allotment and kitchen garden books we recommend here.

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Small Polytunnel

February 18, 2024December 10, 2019 by Gardening With Ben

Polytunnels come in all different shapes and even sizes. Even a small polytunnel

As well as the large polytunnels you get for commercial or for allotments you can now purchase small ones for the garden which are perfect for growing some vegetables in or protecting your plants.

The difference between a commercial polytunnel and a small polytunnel is that a small polytunnel can be moved quite a lot easier then a commercial one. It is quite a hard job to dig up a commercial one and move it.

There are two types of small polytunnels. There is a mini polytunnel and then there is a cloche type polytunnel.

The mini polytunnel is one that you can walk in as it is about head height depending how tall you actually are. These will add an extra 6-8 weeks growing time in the garden. Plus you can use them for protecting plants in the winter and also continue growing some vegetables throughout the winter period.

The cloche is not like a polytunnel this just covers the plants. So when it comes to weeding and watering you will need to remove it to gain access to the plants. These can be removed very easy but it’s not like walking inside one.

Out of the two I would choose the mini polytunnel as you can use it to work in as well as growing things inside it.

You can purchase these from Polytunnel suppliers and also from online garden centres as well as online shops.

Allotment and Kitchen Garden Book

You can check out all the allotment and kitchen garden books we recommend here.

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Polytunnel

February 18, 2024December 10, 2019 by Gardening With Ben

Here you will find out all about Polytunnel

Polytunnels are also known as a polyhouse, hoop greenhouse, hoophouse, grow tunnel or a high funnel.

Polytunnels come in all different sizes. They are often used in commercial business and garden centres for growing there plants in to sell.

Polytunnels work by heating up from the suns radiation which warms up all the plants and the ground.

Polytunnels are often made out of steel and polythene but they can be half brick then polythenee for the roof. It just depends how much you are willing to spend on your polytunnel.

Polytunnels are ideal for working in commercially and on the allotment as they can obviously be very hot in the summer but in the autumn and winter when it is colder and the weather is more unpredicatable you can use them to protect your crops from the snow and bad weather. Plus it stays that little bit warmer in them.

In more recent years polytunnels have now started to be used for livestock and farm yard animals. These can be from sheep, alpacas, goats, calfs, and chicken.

There are many different types of polytunnels. There are the more expensive ones which are made out of steel and need to be dug into the ground to support them. There are also a cheaper variety which has a green cover on – this cover does not provide the same UV as the ones with the clear covers on. These are a bit more flimsey and are usually for back gardens or even allotments.

When it comes to constructing a polytunnel it is definitely a two man job. It can be quite easy putting up a polytunnel but it certainly makes it easier have two sets of hands to put it up than just the one. Especially when putting the cover on over the top. The wind can be your worst enemy when trying to put it in place

Allotment and Kitchen Garden Book

You can check out all the allotment and kitchen garden books we recommend here.

Time to make those plans

February 18, 2024December 10, 2019 by Gardening With Ben

Carrying on from yesterdays blog of making your list for your seeds it’s also time to make those plans.

When I say it’s time to make those plans you need to get yourself a pencil and paper. Get drawing your plot of how it looks like now. Then draw a plan of how you would like it to look next year.

Draw all your garden beds, garden shed, poly tunnels and greenhouse. Then draw what crops you would like to plant where.

When putting where your crops would like to be remember about companion planting and also think about where you planted crops last year and the year before. It is best to use some where they have not been for the last 2-3 years.

I love making a plan of what I want to do. Who else makes plans of the allotment and task lists?

Let me know in the comments below

Allotment and Kitchen Garden Book

You can check out all the allotment and kitchen garden books we recommend here.

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Time to make those seed lists

February 18, 2024December 10, 2019 by Gardening With Ben

It’s now December and before you know it next year will soon be here. With how fast the year passes now it’s time to start making those seed lists.

By making those lists I mean your seed lists. Do you know what you are growing next year? If not look through magazines and garden centres. This will give you an idea of the things you want to grow.

Why not have a look on facebook groups and online see what other people have grown. One thing I like to do each year is to try something new. Try growing something you have never grown before and see how you get on. It could be something totally new, or a fruit or vegetable that you have grown but with a difference like white beetroot or even purple carrots.

It’s interesting to try something that you would never be able to buy in the supermarket. These are somethime the best varieties as the supermarkets only sell the things that you would want to buy – not crazy varieties which people would not often try.

What are you going to try this year? It’s now time to start making those seed lists!

Let me know in the comments below.

Allotment and Kitchen Garden Book

You can check out all the allotment and kitchen garden books we recommend here.

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