'Tropical rain forest' in the polytunnel

• 2 Aug, 2009
• 3 likes

Here is our polytunnel in full summer. As well as towering tomatoes, and burgeoning beans, there are aubergines, peppers, chillies, melons, cape gooseberries and flowers. It's so lush and humid you can pretend you are in a tropical rain forest. Only problem is how to stop the red spider mite which is a problem this year.
A bit of advice to potential polytunnel buyers/owners. Think of the biggest size you think you may need. Then double it! For growing food in a small space there is nothing better as you can grow food all year round, with winter salads, radishes,Chinese greens, then spring cabbage, and peas, and early lettuce, followed by early crops of dwarf and climbing French beans, then tomatoes, peppers, herbs and other summer vegetables. Keep the earth well fed and covered in a thick mulch to suppress weeds. Main problems are snails and slugs, overheating in very hot weather, and molds in the autumn. Also once green fly or aphids get a hold it takes a lot of effort to get rid of them.