Domestic Polytunnels:The Future Of Gardening

More of us than ever before are growing vegetables in our gardens. When you want to grow your own vegetables all year around, a great way of doing so, is to invest in a polytunnel. Domestic polytunnels are a bit like people. They come in all shapes and sizes. You are bound to find at least one that meets your needs.

Polytunnels are surprisingly easy to assemble. If you are looking for advice, there are specialist suppliers of domestic polytunnels that can help you. Not only can you grow fruit and vegetables in polytunnels, they are also perfect for when you want to store gardening equipment or provide shelter to animals such as chickens, geese and other types of farm animals.

What Can I Grow In My Polytunnel?

Of course, it depends a little bit on where in the UK or the rest of the world you live. However, garden polytunnels are very versatile when it comes to growing both fruit and vegetables.

That being said, not only can you grow fruit and vegetables in your polytunnel. Many berries love growing in garden polytunnels. As a matter of fact, polytunnels are so versatile they are used by large commercial flower growers across Europe and perfect for growing flowers and even exotic house plants. A polytunnel is a perfect solution for when you want to start your own small pop-up vegetable or flower shop business.

Growing With The Seasons

One of the best things about polytunnel gardening, is that you can produce seasonal fruit and vegetables easily.

During the warmer part of the year, summer crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers are right at home in a warm polytunnel environment. One of the many benefits of growing vegetables in a polytunnel, is that you have to worry less about pests and don’t need to use harshchemicals used by many of the commercial growers, who grow crops out in the open.

The poly covering offers plants protection from insects that may damage your crop as well as the worst the weather can bring.

Both commercial and domestic Polytunnels also have another advantages when compared to growing crops out in the open. Many gardeners forget that a polytunnel offersgreater protection fromcontaminants within rain particles. If you are a city or town gardener, you are probably only too aware how much carbon emissions and other pollutants such as acid rain that can interfere with the healthy growth of your crops.

Are Polytunnels Expensive?

Compared to greenhouses, polytunnels are much more cost-effective. That is probably why experienced gardeners like to have more than one. Often you will find some of the larger gardens and allotments may contain several polytunnels. As they are easy to maintain, you can have one for growing fruit, another for vegetables, and a separate tunnel for crops such as berries and other plants.

Do I Need To De-construct My Polytunnel Once A Year To Clean It?

No, you don't need to de-construct your polytunnel to clean it. It is easy to both clean and maintain the tunnels once they have been erected.

To clean a polytunnel, you use exactly the same solutions and techniques as you would do when cleaning a greenhouse.

When you ventilate your polytunnel well and maintain it on a regular basis, you have very little to worry about as far as upkeep goes. Bad weather can cause a problem but the same thing applies to your average greenhouse. At least, you don't have to worry about broken glass.

Polytunnels can turn us all into gardeners and encourage us to grow more. Isn't that exactly what we should be doing to help to control climate change?