Garden

The Polytunnel

45ft x 14ft

The Barn Re-construction The Vegetable Garden The Flower Garden The Polytunnel

Don't ever give up!

In November the tunnel arrived in 25 packages- the day we started its construction the temperature got up to 1c - bl***y cold!

Bryn helping filling in the holes - he removes the stones as Christian fills the holes

Christian tightening the bolts that hold it all together

Saturday morning 26th November -SNOW!!

Finally the construction is finished 16th December 2005 Christian and I enjoyed the last bits as we were out of the wind! Ruth was at her mothers under the impression that I was sat chatting to our neighbours.

Last years crops they did well but should do better this year in the raised bed.

The polytunnel came from the UK as the size we wanted came under the industrial sizing here and they are very expensive. The entire thing was shipped over here in 25 parcels - and weighs a ton!! That in itself caused a problem getting it delivered as we live in the countryside we are off the main delivery schedules - that was overcome and a very fascinated young chap appeared at about 6.00pm wondering what all the strange parcels were, we showed him a picture but I am still convinced he thought we were mad. Maybe we are but it is a fundamental part of of our new lives in striving to be as self sufficient in food terms as possible. There are a number of UK based suppliers but after discussion with a couple of other ex-pats with tunnels First Tunnels (just ask for Lisette) were the most highly thought of - we must agree that they could not have been more helpful in discussing what we might need and also recommending sizing and build implications.

The sales team made life easy once we had decided what we wanted, the instructions that came with it were very detailed - but most importantly they had a help line for when we novices did not understand what we were doing. It took quite some time to put together as it is on a gentle slope and a slight tilt in the horizontal. However it is now up and sealed from the elements and we will be able to get seeds sown earlier and ready for the 2006 season.

Next on the agenda - a potting table!! Some time in January 2006

Ruth getting to work - 13th March despite the cold it has never dropped below 0c inside the tunnel - Bryn is acting as suopervisor - as usual

A bit more detail of the home made benches.

A home made cloche/propagator - made from an old duvet bag - and best of all it works!

Finally we have crops growing 13th June

- we have already made lettuce soup and the cucumbers are almost ready to start picking - 3 peppers are growing quickly with more fruit coming on soon. The radishes were lovely and more have been sown, the aubergines are in flower and the melon looks as if the fruit is starting to set. Some carrots have started to show and will hopefully be ready in a few weeks as they are supposed to be early's.

The polytunnel is 45ft x 14ft

Crops bars a very useful for suspending crops and also add rigidity to withstand the high winds that we get here.

Shows crop bars in use

Shows the new raised bed - due to both having dodgy backs and weeding being a major issue last year - I built a new bed 9 metres by 2.5 metres and 40cms high it took 16 tonnes of soil - before filling we laid about 10cms of horse manure - as there is alot of soil above it it will not burn the roots of the veg.

Things just starting to grow - we are using soaker hoses to reduce evaporation and stop burning of the leaves when overhead watering.

We left approx 12 foot at the entrance for the benches and also for storing odds and sods