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Wednesday, 31st December 2014
It has apparently been one of the windiest Decembers on record and unfortunately we have watched the polytunnel slowly get more and more damaged this month. Back on 3rd November we did some patching up of a few holes in the hope we would stop them getting any bigger.
As the photo shows, we have not succeeded and so we are now looking at a cover that is damaged beyond repair. We have recovered this polytunnel THREE times now and whilst the first recovering was blamed on the animals (turkeys on the top making holes with their claws and a ram lamb tearing it with his horns), we have now come to the conclusion that the design of this polytunnel is perhaps not the best.
The problem appears to be with the 'elbows' where the straight sides join the curved top. At this point the polythene runs against the frame and even with protective tape under it, the friction is just too much and so holes start to appear.
This is a huge problem as to build a totally new polytunnel will be tricky and expensive and yet we do need to grow under cover up here on the moor due to both the weather and the presence of so many vegetable-loving rabbits!!!!
Time for some SERIOUS re-thinking!!!
