Raised Bed Kit

Now you can make any size raised bed for your garden, greenhouse or polytunnel with these innovative raised bed brackets.  Each kit comes with four brackets and screws for making one tier ideal for all salad crops. They can however be made up to three tiers high, perfect for deep rooted vegetables.

Timber required needs to be 22mm x 150mm and can also be purchased from First Tunnels or sourced from any timber merchant or DIY store.

 Create any size, any shape  – The possibilities are endless!

Come and join in the fun, make friends, share Polytunnel Gardening hints and tips on First Tunnels Facebook page.

It’s the place to hear first about new promotions, products and competitions, share pictures of your polytunnel construction, tell us what you are sowing and harvesting and in general share your progress reports on what you’ll be growing over the winter months & what you are hoping to sow, grow & harvest in 2012

 There’s always something new, lots of really useful advice and it’s a great place to start if you’re looking to grow a bit of something unusual, chances are someone else has done it as well or knows someone who has.

PLUS there’s lots of great pictures, videos and other polytunnel info on there from leading gardening experts like Paul Peacock, Mark Gatter & Andy McKee. So make yourself a brew and log on to find out more.

www.facebook.com/Polytunnels

Winter is a time for maintenance and planning

As the growing season winds down and the remaining hot weather crops are stripped out, the Polytunnel will suddenly look more spacious and calm and this is the golden opportunity for a general tidy-up.  Repair any accidental damage or tears in the polythene cover. Secure doors! Unless you have sliding doors, put a weight against the outside of hinged doors to prevent them catching in gusty winds. Clean the Polythene cover allowing as much light transmission as possible through the darker months and….. start planning for the new growing season ahead, grab your seed catalogues and enjoy a few minutes thinking about what you’d like to grow in 2012. 

Fleece Protection inside a Polytunnel

Frost Protection - The Polytunnel Gardener  should protect all tender crops from extreme temperatures, whilst still making sure they get as much light as possible. Cloche hoops covered with Fleece and Mini Polythene Polytunnels act like double glazing and are just as useful inside a Polytunnel throughout winter in much the same way as they are in the outside garden in early Spring. Whatever the surrounding temperature, frost sensitive plants will be several degrees warmer with extra protection..

Heaters for Polytunnels

Heating – Check your heaters before you need them. If you rely on any heating in the Polytunnel over the winter, make sure that it is over hauled and in good working order. It’s also a good idea to check your gas bottles are full in readiness for the cooler nights ahead too!

Winter on the Allotment

 Watering - Although very little water is needed during the winter, be careful to get as little water as possible on the foliage, where it could cause damage if it freezes. Watering is best done as soon as the temperature in the Polytunnel rises above freezing, to give any accidental splashes as long as possible to dry. In extended periods of freezing weather, no watering is required at all. *TIP TOP * Make sure to drain all automatic irrigation systems to prevent frost damage.

Tidy up the Polytunnel

Clear up Debris – Try to pick up plant debris as soon as you see it. Mould can be a real problem at this time of year because of the damp weather.  Also woodlice, slugs and other pests will be happy sheltering under leaves, in small piles of rotting plant matter or snuggled away in little nooks and crannies to hibernate, storing up an enormous appetite for the spring time and your spring veg… get rid of them as far away as you can

Time to Sow – Broad Beans, Winter Lettuce, Early Carrots, Mangtout Peas, Rocket and Mustard Greens.

Mark Gatter

For more of  ©Mark Gatter  monthly growing tips and advice please visit First Tunnels Growing Guide

The winter is rapidly advancing and with that in mind, Grow Your Own have arranged for one lucky reader to win not just any Polytunnel, but one from First Tunnels the company chosen by Grow Your Owners readers as “Best Polytunnel Stockist” in the GYO awards 2011!