Gardening enthusiasts in the United Kingdom who want to know how to build a small walk-in polytunnel don’t spend their time wishing for a great head start in spring. They do their research, develop a good set of plans, roll up their sleeves, and build their own flexible or cold frame greenhouses.
You can enjoy your favourite plants year-round if you have your short walk in a polytunnel in your backyard. Contrary to what you might have expected, going the DIY route when building a polytunnel isn’t as difficult as it may seem. You can accomplish this task without going through too much trouble.
Tips for Building a Small Walk-In Greenhouse
Did you know that you can assemble your polytunnel in just a matter of hours? It doesn’t matter if you prefer a polytunnel made of glass or plastic – you can find many affordable DIYpolytunnelkits out there that allow you to put your small polytunnel together set it up in no time.
First, you need to pick the perfect location for your small walk-in greenhouse. Make sure that it has easy access to water, as well as electricity. Once you’ve already selected an area, be sure that the ground is level and that water can drain quickly.
Although getting enough sunlight is essential for your plants, you wouldn’t want to over-expose them. For this reason, it’s best to set up your polytunnel in a partly shaded area. If you can’t find a shaded area, you can use a shade cloth to limit the amount of sunlight and heat that your plants will experience.
Whether you want to build yours from scratch or if you’re willing to get one of those easy-to-assemble polytunnel kits – you can find various polytunnel styles that would suit your taste. Choosing to build from scratch means taking time to pick the right kind of materials that will help you get started. It’s essential to determine the size of the polytunnel you want to build so that you’ll know how much material your polytunnel project will require.
Once your polytunnel is in place, don’t forget to take care of its ventilation needs, heating and cooling systems, as well as the thermostat. These will help make it easier for you to control the temperature within the enclosed space.
What Color Should a Polytunnel Be?
Since white surfaces are better at reflecting rather than absorbing light, you’d want as much white surface area as you possibly can in your polytunnel interior. Ensure that the only dark colours that one can see in your polytunnel are your plants’ containers.
What Can I Grow in a Small Greenhouse?
If you’re a newbie when it comes to small polytunnel gardening, know that plants generally require heat to thrive. Beginners can start growing warm-season vegetables inside. These will include cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, squash, ground cherries, as well as melons.
You may choose to move them outside when the temperature stays consistently above 50˚F overnight.
What are the Benefits of Polytunnel Gardening?
Growing plants in a polytunnel offer plenty of benefits, including a protected growing environment, a space that offers multiple purposes, more savings on grocery shopping, and more control of your produce. Take a closer look at these benefits here:
It provides your plants with a protected growing environment
Traditional outdoor British gardens constantly experience the threat of destructive pests, as well as the ever-changing weather conditions. On the other hand, a polytunnel provides your tender plants with the protection they need against inclement weather, including snow, hail, blizzard, strong winds, and heavy rains. Since it allows you to control your plants’ growing environment, you can make sure that the destructive pests and vermin stay out while you keep the beneficial insects in.
It’s a space that offers multiple purposes
Having your polytunnel can eliminate the need for a garden shed. Aside from being a gardening space, a polytunnel can also serve as a storage space for your UK gardening supplies, tools, accessories, and equipment. It would be more convenient for you to organise these items in the space where you constantly use them.
You’ll save a lot on grocery shopping
One of the best things about having your polytunnel is the opportunity to grow your fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Aside from allowing you to plant your favourite types of fruits and vegetable all year round, polytunnel gardening also gives you more control over the costs of your grocery shopping.
Control over the costs translates to more savings on food bills because growing your food means that you won’t have to worry when the prices of fresh produce fluctuate due to changes in the weather or the cost of transportation.
You’ll have more control of your produce
Not only is polytunnel gardening great for your budget, but it will also benefit your health because you’ll be taking complete control over your plants’ growing environment. For instance, you can be sure that you’ll have access to fresh and delicious produce that’s free from toxic chemicals, as well as pesticides.
Learn How to Build a Small Walk-In Polytunnel!
Learning how to build a small walk-in polytunnel is the first step to your exciting journey as a UK polytunnel gardener. Enjoy the joys of having your botanical wonderland right in your backyard.