Pippenhall

Progress in the polytunnel

ek
June 19, 2016, 6:33 p.m.

I've got and setup a polytunnel in April, one of my biggest concerns was being able to water the plants in the tunnel. I can only really go to the plot over the weekend and can't go and water the plants daily. The solution was gravity, I've built a table out of some fence posts and an old pallet. This way I can put a water butt on top of this table and gravity can water the plants, all I needed was a £7 drip irrigation system and a timer that works with batteries.

At first I did not put a floor in the polly tunnel, just had the grass as a floor. This does not work unless you want to grow really long grass. So I've covered the floor with tarpaulin which works really well.

This is the first couple of tomatoes that I've added to the tunnel. This picture is the 2th of May:

Here you can see the progress and benefits of the polytunnel, this picture was taken one week later on the 8th of May.

These are grown from seed at home.

This picture was taken on the 18th of May and again the tomatoes grow more and more.

The tomatoes is starting to need supports, picture was taken on the 22th of May. I've also added some basil and other random plants from home to see if they grow as well as the tomatoes.

The tomato plants is now in need of big supports, the plants is also covered in flowers. I've not been cutting the side shoots and I'm paying for it. The plants is getting big and bushy. The picture was taken on the 29th of May.

Here you can see the table I've made with the water butt.

I've taken some new plants today. The plants below is a watermelon and a cucumber plant.

These are some grafted tomato plants that I've taken today, they look a little bit thirsty from being in the garden, lets hope they pick up soon.

Another angle of the thirsty looking tomato plants.

This is a picture of about 16 bees in the tunnel, the moment I open the tunnel bees start flying in and then gets kinda stuck in there. Took me about 10mins to try and get them all out.

The tomatoes that is on the plants today (19 June) is about the size of a golf ball.

I also have an avocado seed growing, would be wonderful if it can grow into some sort of tree...fingers crossed.

These are my random basil plants.

Another picture of some of the tomatoes (19 June)

This is my aubergine plant that I've added today.

My big bush of tomatoes :P

I also have a problem with slugs and snails getting into the tunnel, I've used some blue pellets and it works well. Today I've watered with some nematodes to see if that might put a dent in the slug and snail population.