I received two mesh grow tunnels for Christmas, and they’ve come in extremely useful given the mixed weather we’ve had so far in 2021. The biggest issue with these particular grow tunnels is that they come with thin metal pegs/stakes to hold them down, but when you put them in soft fluffy soil they are completely ineffective when winds kick up.
I tried to tie them down, but the string I used wasn’t strong enough and they would come loose when the winds picked up. So I went onto Amazon this week and purchased a pack of outdoor D-shaped carabiners which I attached to large galvanised hooks that I hammered into the raised bed, and I’m pleased to report that this cost-effective solution has done the trick. The grow tunnels are holding firm, even during the fairly strong winds we had this weekend.
All in all, we are extremely pleased with these grow tunnels and they are certainly getting the job done, protecting our seedlings from the elements and maintaining the heat and moisture. As a result, everything is growing at a good speed and even the seed tape carrots (Autumn King from DT Brown) have germinated in less than 10 days.
The lettuce, onions, cabbages and pak choy in the grow tunnels are all coming along brilliantly too.
Outside of the grow tunnels, the potatoes are all popping up, as are the different varieties of kale, chard, leeks, broccoli and celery.
All of our seedlings are now in the ground, with the exception of our tomatoes, courgettes, beans and peas. Just as soon as we think we’ve dodged the last threats of frost, they’ll all get transferred to the raised beds in our vegetable garden. We’re just hopeful that the weather will warm up soon, and that we will have some sunny months ahead so that we can enjoy our own fresh produce.
We’ll continue the updates on what’s growing well, and what isn’t.
Hi Mars
We’ve had a nightmare here with the frosts, we live
On the foot on the moors and are quite exposed, our seedlings have been hardening off in the summerhouse. It’s been too erratic to put anything in the poly tunnel just yet as the sun fries them in the day and the cold shocks them at night.
We’ve build raised beds and planted a living Willow hedge around the perimeter, mainly to keep our three excitable cockerpoos out as they love to dig.
Are e grow tunnels mesh ? They look interesting
Thanks
Anna
Interesting comments Anna. I moved our pumpkin (in a coir pot) to the grow tunnel on a temporary basis, and it’s hated it. I’ve moved it back to the cold frame where temperatures are more constant. All the stuff that’s in the ground is loving it. I guess that’s what you’re describing with your poly tunnel.
I can imagine your location to be very tricky. One of our followers has recently moved to Skye, and one of their neighbors said they were hit with frost in early June last year, which devastated their veg.
As for the material of these grow tunnels it’s called a mesh. This is what it says on their website: “The PE cover consists of a white internal grid sandwiched between two layers of durable polyethylene. Its far thicker than the PVC covers supplied with most grow tunnels for superior strength and stability. It’s also UV-resistant to reduce fading and deterioration from sunlight.”