Regardless of its smaller size, gardeners in the UK must learn how to maintain a mini polytunnel using regular check-up conditions and cleaning and sanitation. These two simple tips are straightforward and easy to follow to ensure a helpful polytunnel and thriving British garden. If you maintain your mini polytunnel properly, you will notice a difference in your plants’ health.
Upon starting, you have probably learned the responsibilities for taking care of a mini polytunnel. But as time goes on, maintenance will dictate the polytunnel’s lifespan and productivity of the plants year-round. The good news is that the small size of a mini polytunnel makes care more comfortable and quicker.
Therefore, you have no excuse to skip these responsibilities.
How To Maintain A Mini Polytunnel: Tips For New Gardeners in the UK
One of the things that new gardeners in the UK assume in maintaining the mini polytunnel is that it will be difficult and costly. However, the difficulty of the tasks mentioned below depends on your passion for gardening in the UK itself. Do not be overwhelmed by the thoughts that come to mind as a newbie because you will find a technique that works for you as time goes on.
As for the expenses, a polytunnel is like a living and controlled environment. Therefore, even if it’s mini, you can expect some costs as time goes on. However, it’s possible to choose management practices that are more economical and even conserve energy.
Regular check-up of conditions
Temperature
One of the essential internal conditions is temperature. Besides its effect on the plants, not checking and managing the temperature also affects the longevity of mini polytunnel materials. You can save expenses and hassle later on by using a monitoring system, so you’ll know if you need to adjust the coldness or warmth inside.
Th proper management is essential because it’s crucial to plan everything, including the plants you’ll have in the polytunnel, at the same time. You can ensure that they are in their optimal environment. Additionally, do not overlook the outdoor temperatures, so always refer to your county’s hardiness zone as a guide.
Lights
Did you know that lights also affect the temperature in the mini polytunnel? Some plants are sensitive to shine, so choosing the proper one for the mini polytunnel is crucial. You’ll also play a role in their maintenance because some crops will thrive in a specific spectrum that requires changing as they grow.
Ventilation
After temperature and lights, the following condition in your maintenance list is the ventilation of the mini polytunnel. Always check the vents and doors if they open successfully and adjust to the external climate accordingly. In some cases, you might need to add an airflow fan in the mini polytunnel to ensure proper circulation.
Watering system
An easy mistake that a UK gardener can make in the mini polytunnel is not checking its watering system. You don’t want to overwater your plants, and you want to avoid having drips that can damage the plants. It’s best to check if the water targets the soil and not the leaves of your plants.
Cleaning and sanitation
Cleaning and disinfection
The term maintenance of the polytunnel already puts cleaning and disinfection the first responsibilities to come to mind. Cleaning is also one of the tasks that you must do consistently to avoid problems later on. For example, not addressing the weed problems in the mini polytunnel early can then lead to pests and diseases.
Additionally, you must always maintain cleanliness and orderliness in the polytunnel. Since it’s smaller than a typical polytunnel, you can spot untidy areas or debris in some spots quickly. These may include fallen plant materials, spilt soil, or tools haphazardly arranged.
You want everything, including pots, to be clean thoroughly to avoid harbouring pests and diseases. It’s even better to sanitise them with an oxygen bleach solution. As for an area with debris, you can use diatomaceous earth to treat it before leaving the mini polytunnel dormant.
Pest control
Besides proactiveness, regular disinfection of paraphernalia and checking of the polytunnel structure can help in pest control. Did you know that irrigation lines and holding tanks can encourage gnats because of algae?
To address this, use oxygen bleach to disinfect reservoirs and lines. On the other hand, the polytunnel structure itself, such as its wooden parts, can harbour spider mites, aphids, thrips, and whiteflies. You can also disinfect your mini polytunnel with an oxygen bleach solution and use vegetable-based horticultural oil on the wood to reach crevices that can serve as pest hideouts.
Lastly, practice good hygiene as your clothing and shoes can contribute to the contamination of pests and diseases.
Conclusion
The mini polytunnel is a small yet functional addition to your British garden. But for it to serve its purpose at full potential, gardeners in the UK must know how to maintain a mini polytunnel correctly. It can get overwhelming for beginners to learn about these tasks and responsibilities, but the fruit of your labour, later on, will be tenfold.
You can think of mini polytunnel maintenance as a duty divided into check-up conditions and cleaning and sanitation. Doing both of these tasks responsibly and consistently will prevent more significant problems later on. Besides, these things are easy to include in your daily schedule in the mini polytunnel.