Polytunnel Vs Greenhouses


What is considered the best option for your garden? If you are thinking about growing your own home-grown fruit and vegetables, you are probably debating whether to invest in a polytunnel, or a greenhouse. Both are great ways of growing crops. However, installing a polytunnel is cheaper. Plus, you can “tailor” a polytunnel to suit your style of permaculture depending on your choice of polytunnel covers and other polytunnel supplies and accessories.


Choosing The Right Covers

One of the top priorities is choosing the right type, from the range of polytunnel covers available. Your choice of cover depends on what you are planning to grow in your tunnel. Don't forget that the climate is heating up. In the past, the focus was very much on keeping the heat and humidity in. As it is getting warmer, this is changing. Keeping your tunnel cooler is quickly becoming increasingly as important.


Shopping For Polytunnel Supplies

Not only does your choice of polytunnel covers matter. You also need to make sure you choose the right type of polytunnel supplies, from different supplies that are available. Popular polytunnel supplies include anything from watering and heating systems, to growing benches and netting. When you start putting a list together for your tunnel build. Set yourself a budget and try to stick to it. If you are not sure what is going to work for you, speaking to other gardeners who currently grow produce in polytunnels is extremely useful, or go online. Yes, you can pick up books, but there is nothing like speaking to someone who actually has personal experience, or viewing it on You Tube!


What About Space?

One of the reasons many gardeners opt for a polytunnel instead of a greenhouse is down to space, there are so many different widths and lengths to choose from with a tunnel. When you plan the lay-out of your polytunnel in the right way, you will be pleasantly surprised that you can end up with a lot more space. Greenhouses are often smaller and do not come in as many different sizes. On top of that, they are more expensive to invest in. One of the most expensive parts of your polytunnel project is going to be the polytunnel covers. The other polytunnel supplies that come with the kit, or can be bought separately are relatively and comparably cost-effective. If you want to grow crops directly in the soil, you don't even need growing benches, so always work-out exactly what you intend to grow, first.


Should I Add Compost?

It is a good idea to add compost to your tunnel. Another top tip is to make the most out of your growing area by adding raised beds. They are easy to make from reclaimed pallets – no special polytunnel supplies are needed! Instead of spending your budget on expensive growing benches, make use of what you have got instead. It is better to invest in better polytunnel covers when you first get started rather than spending money on supplies that you may not need.


Final Thoughts

Adding a polytunnel build to your garden is a great idea. Nothing tastes as good as fresh homegrown vegetables and other delicious produce. Don't be afraid to experiment. Some types of fruits, or berries, blueberries do well in polytunnels. Try to figure out what you can grow to save you the most money. That is one of the basic advantages of permaculture.



Read More:

How Often Should I Repair My Tunnel? 

Polytunnels UK Wide

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