Presenting Poly Tunnel

As promised here is the polytunnel all clad in plastic.

And now there remains the small task of converting field into vegetable beds ready for sowing! We have considered quite a few options for making beds and the adding of fertiliser. We want to be as eco friendly, avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals wherever possible, and are taking particular care incase one day we might opt to head towards organic certification. There is a local free supply of spent mushroom compost, but unless its organic it can be high in commercial pesticide residues and all the other delightful cocktails that have been added.  The horse manure we got has wood chip through it, which is used for the stables bedding, so that will have to compost for a year or two before its good, otherwise the wood on the soil will actually remove nitrogen in the process of decomposition (which defeats the purpose). Apart from that, horse manure is a good source of compost, as horses don't tend to be given much in chemical treatment as would intensively farmed animals such as cows.

 

Trying to source organic grade compost is next to impossible because, as it should be,  most organic farmers keep all their manure and vegetative compost to recycle into their own land. Our soil is pretty good as it is, and during the last few years its had a horse on it for 6 months, chickens free ranging and goats on it for another good 6 months, so it ought to be fine without any additions for this year at least. The proof of that will be in the pudding come autumn! 

Comments

[a simple yarn]

Congratulations and well done on the completion of the tunnel! It will be interesting to see how it extends and improves your growing season...

[Valerie]

For the first few years of our farm we used nothing but horse manure...it's great, but I just wanted to give you a head's up that it tends to be rather weedy...all that hay they eat kind of comes through into the manure and then the seeds sprout again in your garden. So mulch mulch mulch to keep that down. The first year we used horse manure was a weed nightmare, but once we stayed on top of it, it was fine :).

Good luck, and the new blog looks GREAT.
Val
LongEars Farm

[hedgewizard]

Huge congrats, and your frame tucks look really tidy. Path maintenance in the tunnel can be a nightmare, and one organic gardener I know solved this by skimming all the turf off her paths and stacking it for loam next year. Then she put 4" edging boards round the beds so that she could raise the contents a little each year, membraned the paths and then mulched them with 3" of sawdust from a local woodturner. It looks the biz and is zero maintenance.

In my case I was working on subsoil, so I've just avoided getting good soil or moisture onto it and weed growth has been minimal. So far!

[Moonwaves]

That looks fantastic. It must be so exciting planning all your planting now that it's that bit closer to reality.

I'm trying green manure on two bed I created last autumn. I just received my buckwheat seeds from the Organic Centre. I planted the phacelia a few weeks ago and was thrilled to see it coming up. I'm so eager to get going on things now I was actually planning on digging it in soon but when I went back to read through the leaflet I saw that it grows to about 90cm. I've probably got about 7cm so far so think maybe I'll leave it for another while. I put buckwheat seeds down in the spots I missed with phacelia and hope the current sunny spell means it'll sprout quickly. Have you ever used a green manure?

[Tom]

Looks great!
I've had a polytunnel for the past the three years and its the best gardening investment I've ever made. I covered the entire floor of the tunnel with weed-suppressant fabric (can't remember what its actually called) and built raised beds using 2 X 12 timbers that were left over after building my house. I coated the timber with linseed oil to give them some (hopefully safe) protection. I had no soil available so I substituted with compost from the local re-cyclying facility mixed at about 4-1 with sand. Its worked really well for several seasons.
By the way, I have a couple of relevant books; "The 12 Month Gardener" and "4 Season Harvest" that I'd be happy to lend and send to anyone who will take care of them.

[Tom]

Reading this again; I can imagine the problems/fun of two people trying to get a large tunnel covered. It might be interesting to see if your readers would be willing help someone who needs help with a similar project. Kind-of an Irish version of Amish community barn-raising.

[Gwyn]

I can't help but think that looks perfect to have a sleep out in with the kids!

[Anne]

Now next year......you could make a trellis at the side of one of the doors and grow your vegetables or flowers up that side? My cousin who has been my inspiration on polytunnels has left no space unturned in his.
Great job and the tucks look neat. have a long bath after all that digging but isn't it grand to feel such satisfaction that by your own hands, with the help of soil, air and rain, you can achieve such a lot.
Enjoy and see the it grow from here.... The cross bars can be used too. I have hanging baskets with strawberries that work quite well.

[Amanda]

Wow you've been so busy - and you've made me so hungry telling me all those delicious names of delicious veggies you're growing!!

[Amanda]

whooops clicked on the wrong post to comment - my comment is related to your next post about sowing the seeds!!

[Maddy]

I missed polly's unveiling but she is very lovley and I am sure she will shortly be filled with beautiful organic veg.

[Amy]

WOW!!

and

WOW!!

again.

Congratulations you've gotten ALOT done.