If you are one of the many people who have joined the recent allotment trend, you will find that polytunnels come in handy. As well as protecting your crops from the elements, these are spaces in which you can lengthen the growing season and carefully plan your produce.
Plus, if you have any children or grandchildren and want to show them how to grow their own, this is the perfect place for them as they can head inside and take charge of their own fruit and vegetables.
If you select the right one, you will also find that they are long-lasting and durable. To help you choose the best polytunnel for your allotment, here are some useful tips.
Buying the Perfect Allotment Polytunnel
As you start looking into buying the perfect allotment polytunnel, you will find there are some important points to consider. These are:
Planning Permission
What is your allotment like? Do any other gardeners on the site have polytunnels already? As a polytunnel is classed as a structure, it is worth checking to see if you need to get permission for adding one before you start searching for the perfect one for your plot.
Size
How much space do you have to cover? Thinking about the size of your plot and deciding if you want to keep some land outside of your polytunnel early on is a good idea as you can then decide what size you need.
We offer polytunnels in a range of sizes, starting from 6ft, so you are sure to find one that suits the dimensions of your allotment. Unless there are size restrictions in place – again, check with the site manager before you add your polytunnel – you can choose the one that best suits your plot. The 8ft wide polytunnel is a popular choice for an allotment.
Share the Space
Depending on how your allotment operates, you may find it useful to share a larger polytunnel with fellow gardeners. As well as being a great way to get to know fellow green-fingered plot owners, you can use the shared space to build in confidence if you are new to the allotment. Why not allocate a large raised bed or grow bag inside the polytunnel for each gardener to grow their own tasty produce and share growing ideas and tips with one another?
Planning Your Polytunnel
Once you have your polytunnel all set up on your allotment, you can then spend some time thinking of how you would like to plan it out. To make it the best polytunnel for your allotment, it is worth taking some time to research how to maximise the space you have.
There are many ways you can arrange your layout, however, and you can get creative with the set-up. Keep in mind how much space you may want to set aside outside the polytunnel for other plants and crops on your plot so you can work out what will be kept inside.
To help you create the optimal layout for the polytunnel on your allotment, there are various accessories available that are designed to protect and boost your crops. If you work out what you want to do with your space, you may find that you can add in more crops to the plot.
Make Your Polytunnel Your Own
Although you may be limited by the size of your allotment, a polytunnel gives you the opportunity to personalise the space and create an area that you can really focus on. Plus, by keeping your crops safely tucked away inside, you can leave your plot safe in the knowledge that everything is well-protected and growing well.
To find out more about polytunnels for your allotment and for some detailed construction tips, find out more here.