Description
A 12ft wide polytunnel will easily allow you to have one central bed and a further growing bed on each side - a layout that can really maximise the use of space while making it easy for the gardener to get around. If you are taking the next step on your journey towards a more sustainable way of life then a 12ft polytunnel could be perfect, it is big enough to grow an impressive quantity of food but not so big that it becomes overwhelming in a domestic, allotment or community garden setting.
Our Quickcrop specification includes 200 micron 'Supertherm' polythene, crop bars, anchor plates an easy fix timber base rail and doors at both ends, all as standard. When comparing the price of tunnels elsewhere please take into account that what we offer as standard are often priced as extras with other suppliers.
Our 12ft wide tunnels are available in a wide range of lengths, please choose your preference using the drop down menu above.
What is Supertherm polythene?
We supply Superthem polythene as standard. Supertherm is a 'thermic' polythene which helps retain heat in the polytunnel in cooler weather, this is beneficial in spring and autumn as it helps extend the growing season. A thermic polythene will also decrease the likelyhood of frost damage to crops when outside temperatures drop below freezing.
Why do I need crop bars?
Crop bars or crop supports are horizontal bars attached to the tunnel hoops that run accross the width of the tunnel. The crop bars are used to hold support lines for tall growing crops like tomatoes, cucumbers or climbing beans. Wire or light rope can be fixed from one crop bar to another which will give support along the full length of the tunnel. In our opinion, they are an essential part for the tunnel structure as they significantly increase the range of crops you can grow.
Base rail or buried polythene?
Polytunnel polythene can be attached by either digging a trench down each side of the tunnel and burying the excess polythene in the ground or by using a timber or metal base rail to fix to. The advantage of burying the polythene is that the structure will be marginally cheaper and will more securely fixed to the ground. The disadvantage is it is a LOT more work to install and, unless you are an expert, very difficult to get the polythene properly tight.
A base rail sysytem is more commonly used with modern tunnels as it is much quicker and easier to install and allows adjustment of the polythene tension to achieve a drum tight finish. It is a far better system, espacially for a DIY build, so is the only one we supply. We view anchor plates as standard kit for base rail systems in all but the most sheltered sites as they provide the extra ground fixing power lost through not burying the polythene.
What are anchor plates?
Anchor plates are square steel plates which are fixed around the tunnel foundation tubes. The anchor plate is buried in the ground and ensures the tunnel hoops remain firmly fixed by preventing both lifting and sinking. Anchor plates also avoid the need to set polytunnel tubes in concrete making the structure quicker to install and eaiser to move to a new location if required. We feel anchor plates are essential for tunnels fitted with base rails as a base rail system doesn't benefit from the extra stability of buried polythene edges.
Do I need doors at both ends?
We supply doors at both ends of the polytunnel as standard becuase, as seasoned polytunnel growers, we feel two doors are essential. Apart from the ease of access for the gardener, doors on both gables are very important for aiflow in hot weather and for the passage of beneficial pollinating insects through the tunnel. Airflow is also very important to control fungal diseases in a tunnel so doors should be left fully or partailly open whenever the weather allows.
First Tunnels Polytunnels
We source our polytunnels from First Tunnels who are one of the leading polytunnel suppliers. Vegetable gardening guru Charles Dowding has one so we figure if they are good enough for him, they are definitely good enough for us.
You could order your tunnel direct from First Tunnels so why would you order one of their kits through us? Apart from the peace of mind of dealing with a reputrable Irish supplier, you would also have to pay import duties, shipping and vat which can be complicated and make it difficult to calculate your 'all in' price. When ordering through Quickcrop, all costs are up front with any taxes and duties taken care of by us. The price you see on our website is the final price and is no more than it would be if you ordered direct.
As fruit and vegetable growing experts with a full range of raised beds, soil mixes, irrigation systems, seeds and seedling plants, we can also supply absolutely everything to get you up and running with your new polytunnel garden.
