i am so glad you showed the importance of cleaning the growing space so many people dont do this then wonder why they suffer disease the next season well done x
Thank you so much Allison. I would have definitely added some plant safe disinfectant in there, had I had any disease issues this year in the tunnel. In fact, had I give that some thought prior to the big clear out and clean, I would have likely done it anyway. Such a time consuming job but certainly worth it.
You know, I really should have mentioned when things were sown again, especially for newer viewers. Whoops! 😅😅 It was a mammoth task. Took all day to do the clearing and cleaning. The planting didn’t take that long at all by comparison. Not enough daylight hours any more for these big tasks is there? 😩
Thank you Lynne. It looked momentarily sad, I do miss the summer jungle. I’m pleased to see it put to use over the winter months though. My hope is I can grow brassicas better over winter/early spring as I had little luck with the broccoli over summer.
They’re dated from when they were down, if that’s what you mean, maybe I’ll make a note of planting out date too. Good idea The broccoli is an early sprouting variety, so hopefully it’ll be matured in time for the summer plantings.
So much hard work, planning and prep has gone in to making this transition look seamless and easy. 👏🏻😍 You are a star! ✨ Cant wait to see how all of this develops over the coming months! 💚
I loved this video clare! Seeing the tunnel go back to the start and then prepare for autumn. Some great tips there for old and new gardeners! I did laugh at the glove caught in the desk.. we've all been there 😂😂😂 Danny 🌱
I wondered if anyone would notice. I was very polite about it wasn’tI? Goes to show this sort of gaff is pretty run of the mill for me. I’m so used to it lol I thought I’d be sad at emptying the tunnel, but in reality it was ready for it. It felt good to tidy it up, clean it out and then get it planted again. So far, so good…everything is still alive. I still feel a fraud passing on tips I’ve picked up along the way. :) Thanks Danny :)
Those kittens are so adorable. So cheeky too I thought I would be sad to see it all emptied but it looks so much fresher seeing plants thriving, than the summer ones dying back
Plenty of plants growing to keep you self sufficient through the winter. I definitely need to buy more spring onions!!! Hope I get more luck with them next year!! Excited to see if you get a luffa 🎉 you’ve done so well with them, almost 12 months of love & care. Hope you warmed up after getting wet and cold!! Not my most favourite job either. Great productive day for you!! ❤Allie & Tricia xx
I am so excited to harvest a luffa. Really not sure if there’s anything in them. Just don’t feel like we had the best summer for luffa growing success. We shall see! Will harvest some.. maybe this week 🙏🏻 Really hope you (and I) have better success with spring onions for next year. Been such a disappointment so far in 2024 Hugely productive day. Took so long too. 😭😂 Hope you’re having a great week, both of you xx
Hi Clare, great video on how you clean your polytunnel 😊 what a great method of having fleece in the polytunnel, especially the poles, brilliant idea! Shall use that next winter. I certainly need to remember to have cauli & broccoli to grow in my polytunnel, too. I do have winter lettuce & spring onions growing in my polytunnel and are doing well with our recent frosts. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
Hi Christine. The fleece seems to be working ok for the tunnel so far this year. It’s easy to put it on/off the plants too. I’m really hopeful of having a good early spring crop in the tunnel, so I can worry less about things bolting in summer. I’ve had such poor luck with spring onions this year. The ones in the tunnel aren’t looking the happiest now either. Thanks for commenting. Hope you are having a good week ❤️
Great jobs Clare ❤ Polytunnel is lovely and clean and plants look great all planted up. It's in my plans for this coming week to plant in our polytunnel. Been on the cards for weeks 😂 Your polytunnel and allotment garden always looks so spot on and it's only hard work that keeps it that way. Well done 👍👏👏👏❤️ x
Awww thanks Linda. There’s certainly more work than it probably looks to any non-gardeners out there. I’ve been quite surprised by the amount of time i spend on the garden. The hoe is my best friend. It’s the secret weapon of weed defence I think. Reguarly going over with a hoe really does help reduce long term weed pulling tasks. I bet you can’t wait to get your tunnel planted now. I felt I was running out of time to get stuff in and finished now, before next summer’s crops need to go out . Have a fabulous week.
Great job in the polytunnel! Huge difference. You left us in suspense with the luffa, I wanted to see what it looked like inside. I'm not growing anything over winter except for some garlic in a fairly small pot. The autumn has been warmer than usual so they have grown quite a bit. And I'd been a bit worried I planted them too deep so they'd never reach the light, well, they shoot right through the straw on top, now I just need to cover with some bubble wrap and fleece once colder temperatures are in the forecast. I harvested the jerusalem artichokes from my so-called guerilla garden yesterday, made some chips in the air fryer yesterday (yummy!) and will make a soup now.
Guerilla Garden! 😂 Awesome. Know what you mean. I need to adapt myself slowly to J. artichokes... Or hope the advice I had from Martin from Gardens for Life in Ireland to cure them for 2 weeks will work...
Thanks Trude. It was a mammoth task. I’m not sure a 20 minute video conveys the entire full day shift it took to clear the tunnel and replant it. Who knew it took so long to clean a bit of plastic. The only time this year I didn’t regret not buying a bigger tunnel! HA! Some of my sister’s (Joanna) garlic has come up really quickly. and rather tall. It’s the germidor. The others are net to poke through the surface. She planted about 3 weeks before me. I guess the germidor is an earlier variety, so it’s no surprise. Hope they do ok for you. Garlic harvesting this year was probably one of my most favourite surprises. Artichoke chips….interesting! Mine are really dying back now, so I think they’ll be ready to harvest soon. I’m excited and nervous…hope there’s a good crop in there. I’m so sorry I didn’t look in the luffa. I promise I’ll do that this week and include it in next Sunday’s vlog. :)
Ooo that’s interesting advice Kirsty. I need to harvest mine soon and I’m a little nervous. I am known to have a, let’s just say “reaction” to certain food lol
My polytunnel is desperate for a good wash!! And travsformation too❤ was great seeing Mary! I LOVED watching you clean the poly, bit like those rug cleaning videos I loose hours watching but can’t seem to stop😂 you’re going to have a bumper crop with the winter veggies too❤ very healthy! Glad you’re using the 77cell trays they are good eh absolute game changer for onion growing! Fab episode!
I think cleaning the polytunnel sounds like a Dave job.. Pollyanna is huge! It was the only time this year I didn’t regret not having a bigger tunnel! lol I love those rug cleaning videos..and the pool guy. I have some very eclectic viewing on shorts/reels. Nothing like my long form viewing preferences. I really hope the winter brassicas do well. I have somewhat alarmed myself because I’ve a greenhouse full of seedlings too. May have overestimated my space. Whoops. Love those seed cells. Would like some a bit bigger too I think.
@ well Dave definitely has the height jobs with the cleaning of Polyanna 🤣 but I’ll do the bits I can reach which isn’t much as I’m a short arse lol Oh and Carrie hoof trimming! That’s fascinating!! I missed the boat in the winter sowings with being out of action, but that’s ok, I’ve still plenty to harvest and eat… just means the hungry gap will boot my butt lol
Fab episode, Claire. Your polytunnel looks fantastic and very clean! What a difference it will make (I'm going to check my greenhouse now 😂) The cucamelon tuber can be saved if you want to. I threw mine away and then saw another video of it being stored, so obviously, I had to rescue it from the bin and store it 😊 my grandsons loved picking mine and eating them. See you next Sunday 😊
Morning Linda. My greenhouses need a good clean too. I thought I’d do them at the same time, but it took so much longer than I expected to do the polytunnel. Definitely a job for another day now. I am so glad you have mentioned the cucamelon. I have saved it, as I thought it looked like something which could be stored. I didn’t dislike them but I certainly got fed up them quicker than the cucumbers. Isobel loved them though. My granddaughter wouldn’t try them. How lovely that your grandson helps you out. Need to think it through, as I have so much I want to do in the tunnel next year. When I make plans I start thinking I need a second tunnel. Oh wow… did I just say that thought out loud? ha! See you next Sunday. Have a fabulous week.
I should also congratulate you on the planting, it looks awesome! I'm on crutches and I am an extremely bad tempered mother chucker patient I can tell you, so watching you 'do' stuff is keeping my sanity intact and my husband thanks you for it! 🤣🤣
Oh good lord..I’d be so impatient too! I hope you are better soon and can chuck the crutches. In the meanwhile, they do offer a good reach on them to prod family members who nap on nursemaid duty Get well soon x
What adorable cats 🐈⬛ Clare. We won’t grow cucamelon again either Gerald likes them but not enough. 2:43 yes chuck it on the compost 😅. I have to wash my poly roof on the outside but me extension brush broke 😢. Excellent job Sir Duncan of the Shorts 👍👍. I don’t like the hose on it because it makes it heavier to handle especially when you’re on a platform so I’d say you were safer without it. Great job Clare you have done well and lots of fresh veg for winter. Who was the lady in the beginning of the video? Have an awesome week, Ali 🥶☔️🇨🇦
Tibby and her kittens, they’re nearly all grown up now. She keeps moving them between us and the farm across the road a bit. We are naturally now trying to bribe her with extra special food to stay here with them. 😅 The lady at the beginning is Duncan’s mum, Mary. I did use the hose on it briefly but it lets out more water than I wanted it to, even on the low setting. Not such a problem in summer, but not so good in wetter weather. Really hope the brassicas do well. Pulled off a few slugs. It’s a mammoth task completely clearing the polytunnel. I do miss the summer jungle. Hope you have a fab week. What’s your weather like? Still hovering around freezing? I can’t remember if I commented earlier. I was impressed by just how many seedlings you’ve got growing on, especially when the weather is so harsh there x
The mummy cat is spayed now (She is the black cat yawning to the left). She keeps moving the kittens between us and the farm across the lane from us. Back and fourth, every few days. We are, of course, now offering a completely OTT a la carte menu to bribe her to stay.
Blimey Clare that looked like a cold job, a lovely job but a cold one. Your polytunnel looks awesome all planted up and you even have your fleece in place too, you are far too prepared, you need to be like the rest of us running around trying to find things at the last minute or like me waking up the morning afterwards and looking out to see some wilted mushy crops 😂 I also would not notice the dials on the pole either 😂. Lovely update, take care 😊
It was such a cold job. I didn’t realise just how wet I’d get, or how cold it had gotten in the tunnel that day. Figured it was easier to put the fleece in ready, before the plants have grow right up. I’m glad I’m not alone in being unobservant 😂😝
Nice work Clare, the tunnel looks amazing now all ready for winter 👏. If you do start noticing slug damage I can thoroughly recommend nematodes, found them really effective this year 🌱
Thanks Joe. Doesn’t the temperature have to be above 5° for nematodes? I need to look in to it more. I used them over summer and will use them next year for sure too. Can’t believe how dirty the polythene had become. So much better now. Hope you’re well ☺️
@TheFarmyardGarden ah cool yea I couldn't remember whether you had used them or not. The temps do have to be something like that for them to work but personally with the protection of the tunnel I'd give them a go if soon, once the tunnel is freezing they'll probably just die off. But hey maybe there won't be any slug issues so won't be the need 🤞🤞
@JoesPatch I think I have already missed the boat sadly. 0.5° in there last night and a frost forecast tonight 😅 So sad, so good in there. Hopefully they’ll leave things alone. 🙏🏻
Hi Claire! Great clean up job on the tunnel. My polycarbonate panels have only been up since July and don't seem to be green at all (yet). So I think I'll get away with doing it in the spring when it's warmer. I have very poor circulation in my hands (and feet) so I really can't work in cold weather especially with water. I had to have a break today bringing in my 100 m of hosepipe... (In sections). In the greenhouse I have winter peas, chard, Chinese leaf, and a few carrots, beets, Spring onions and radishes and very sad looking purple sprouting broccoli already planted, plus some small lettuce and baby kale seedlings. I've got mixed Asian greens and more peas, lambs lettuce and claytonia and I think rocket in plug trays ready to put in when I get the tomato plants out (fruit is off). Planting up is delayed today because the deer came in to the field yesterday for pretty much the first time and munched all my outside chard/beets and had a poke round the carrots. So I think I'll have to cover or harvest things today instead... 🐈⬛ Felix had a look, but said ...."deer are not my job, get a dog!"
Oh Felix… I agree deer are a bit of a challenge for even the bravest of puddicats! I’m so sorry they’ve eaten so much with their alfresco dining in your garden. I love seeing wildlife but they can so quickly decimate you entire garden of crops. Yikes! You have so much growing. I might utilise my chilli greenhouse over winter too, as I’ve so many plants yet to go in the ground. Not sure I want to plant any more in the beds outside. Descisions! You’ve reminded me that I’ve sown rocket too. I should have made room for that. I have a couple tubs of carrots to drag in to the polytunnel over winter. I need to get Duncan to help me move those. They gave a really pleasing crop April time last year. I can completely sympathise over the cold hands and water over colder months. One of my friends has raynauds, and it’s awful seeing the pain it causes her. Duncan gets chillblains a lot and very purple hands in cold weather. Always amazes me he continues to wear shorts year round. I used to suffer with chapped hands all winter, due to the horses and dishwashing. Treated myself to a dishwasher in 2012 and that has been a game changer in helping my hands out a bit. Must have been the constant exposure to washing up liquid for me. Nothing like your issues, but still a discomfort on a much lesser scale.
We dont have deer at all where I am but recently I read a comment with someone saying they get the hair from the local barbers/hairdressers and put it around where they don't want the deer to come. They said they've never had a problem with deer since, they stay clear
I have to admit to being a back seat driver when it comes to dirty greenhouses/polytunnels! I don't have either and yet sit here watching videos, thinking 'seriously, dude, clean your tunnel!/house'...hehe. Not today though, huge pat on the back and the Back Seat Drivers Peoples Choice Award goes to... 😃
Backseat driver, gardening edition! HILARIOUS! I laughed so much at that…..whilst also confessing to having a bit of a similar issue myself LOL I loved cleaning it….even if I didn’t love the actual cleaning. It looks like new again. So fresh and so light and airy. I do have some Algon I can spray on it but the tunnel did have a layer of dust/grime on it, not just algae. It definitely needed a proper clean off. Thanks for nominating me for that award….I’ll work on my acceptance speech next HA HA
Aww shame about clearing out summer crops At least you have some winter crops to plant looks good Wow you looked really cold when cleaning hope you had a nice warm bath and hot drink afterwards 😊
I was very chilly and wet. Worth it though. I’m sad summer crops are over but it won’t be long before our attentions turn to next season. It was a hot coffee and a snuggle with my dog to warm me back up. ❤️
Never really known many people who have raised beds in the tunnel and also paths are too wide you only need a foot of walking space like Charles Dowding the man 😊
I couldn’t kneel down between the beds, like you see me doing when planting, if I had narrower paths. I made them big enough to bring in a wheelbarrow for topping up the beds too. I love Charles’ polytunnel. As I’m not a market garden, I can afford to give over a bit of space to make moving around easier for me, and to help with airflow. Each to their own I say. :)
I've never seen a cucamelon root look like that! Mine just look like normal cucumber type roots. Very curious indeed That shelf up in the center is so great.
Oh don't say we're running out of time 😂😂😂 I've not even pricked out my greenhouse winter veg yet 🙈🙈 I might just plant the tiny seedlings straight in there...
Thanks Liz. I’ll be adding well rotted farmyard manure in spring, before the summer crops go in. I just added fish, blood and bone to the planting holes when I re-planted for winter though ☺️
It’s just a retractable stair gate. It seems to keep the geese out that land on the pond 😅😅 The polytunnel is such a wonderful space, and I know I’m very fortunate to have the space for it, but you can also grow the same things over winter in a greenhouse, if you have one of those? 🤗
What width is you tunnel? I got a 40ft polycarbonate last year but unfortunately the 12ft wide was out of stock so took the 10ft but disappointed that i didn't order the 12ft earlier! I grew most weeds in it this year😂 but next year i plan on big things! I have peat soil and theres deep cracks on the paths as it dries out so much! Still have tomatoes but i dont know how as i haven't given them 1 drop of water since July!!! Your setup looks fab with all your beds outside and your bark pathways! Something I'd like to get done next year (I'm battling with couch grass!) Your setup for holding the fleece, what an absolutely brilliant idea and definitely will incorporate that in mine!! And the shelf up above, how did you think of that?? It looks like a drying rack for clothes that would be suspended from a high ceiling in houses??
I did put the size in the video, you must have missed that bit. It’s 20ft x 12ft. I worked out, when buying, that I needed a minimum of 12ft wide to have the centre bed really. In all honesty, if I could buy it again now I’d go for 14ft wide. What a huge growing space you have though. That’s a massive tunnel! I noticed a lot of the polycarbonate ones (KSB or Polyeco) were predominately 10ft wide. I think Polyeco brought out their 12 ft after we bought our polytunnel, otherwise I may have gone with them. I love the bark pathways but there are some big pros and cons with them. I’ll be doing a video on that soon. I was never sure how far to have the fleece off the plants. I think I’ll likely add some support to the front of the other bed eventually too. Don’t want damp condensation laced fleece touching the plants if it then freezes. I saw a floating shelf on Garden of Weeden Allotment’s instagram page and decided I needed one too. It is absolutely marvellous for the seedling trays over spring. I’ts wrapped up out of the way at the moment, but I’ll lower the chains in another few months when I need the extra space to start of peas etc (mouse proof up there!)
I was really disappointed with the cucamelon too. Found it really bland. Polytunnel looks so big when it’s all been cleared. Always better after a good clean too but in with you on not looking forward to it
It does feel so much more open with the central path cleared. I don’t really know what I expected the cucamelons to taste like. They were ok but I’d rather eat a cucumber 😂
I love how organised and tidy you are when working. Polytunnel looks great after clean up and replanting.
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Thank you Ann. It’s something to try and keep control of amongst the chaos 😃
i am so glad you showed the importance of cleaning the growing space so many people dont do this then wonder why they suffer disease the next season well done x
Thank you so much Allison. I would have definitely added some plant safe disinfectant in there, had I had any disease issues this year in the tunnel. In fact, had I give that some thought prior to the big clear out and clean, I would have likely done it anyway.
Such a time consuming job but certainly worth it.
Hi Clare, you make it look so easy clearing out, clean and then re plant with fresh crops but that takes a lot of planning to have the plants ready.
You know, I really should have mentioned when things were sown again, especially for newer viewers. Whoops! 😅😅
It was a mammoth task. Took all day to do the clearing and cleaning. The planting didn’t take that long at all by comparison. Not enough daylight hours any more for these big tasks is there? 😩
Your polytunnel is looking fabulous all planted up again.
Thank you Lynne. It looked momentarily sad, I do miss the summer jungle. I’m pleased to see it put to use over the winter months though. My hope is I can grow brassicas better over winter/early spring as I had little luck with the broccoli over summer.
@TheFarmyardGarden it will be interesting to see the brassica progress. I hope you label and date them so we can see how long they take to mature.
They’re dated from when they were down, if that’s what you mean, maybe I’ll make a note of planting out date too. Good idea
The broccoli is an early sprouting variety, so hopefully it’ll be matured in time for the summer plantings.
So much hard work, planning and prep has gone in to making this transition look seamless and easy. 👏🏻😍 You are a star! ✨
Cant wait to see how all of this develops over the coming months! 💚
Thanks Sarah. Those brassica babies had been waiting for so long to get planted out. So far, so good! 🙏🏻🙏🏻
I loved this video clare! Seeing the tunnel go back to the start and then prepare for autumn. Some great tips there for old and new gardeners! I did laugh at the glove caught in the desk.. we've all been there 😂😂😂 Danny 🌱
I wondered if anyone would notice. I was very polite about it wasn’tI? Goes to show this sort of gaff is pretty run of the mill for me. I’m so used to it lol
I thought I’d be sad at emptying the tunnel, but in reality it was ready for it. It felt good to tidy it up, clean it out and then get it planted again. So far, so good…everything is still alive.
I still feel a fraud passing on tips I’ve picked up along the way. :)
Thanks Danny :)
Perfect vlog! I want all the kittens!!! Polytunnel cleaned up great and all planted up again. ❤️👍xxx
Those kittens are so adorable. So cheeky too
I thought I would be sad to see it all emptied but it looks so much fresher seeing plants thriving, than the summer ones dying back
@ and surprisingly much brighter too. I didn’t even see the dirt on your polytunnel. 🙄🤦😂❤️
@ true! It is so much lighter . I am pleased I did it ❤️
I didn't know gardening could be so much fun until I tried it! Good luck and have fun!
I’m with you! It’s so addictive and gardening gives us such a mental health boost. I had no idea myself how much I would enjoy it
Happy gardening 😍
Plenty of plants growing to keep you self sufficient through the winter.
I definitely need to buy more spring onions!!! Hope I get more luck with them next year!!
Excited to see if you get a luffa 🎉 you’ve done so well with them, almost 12 months of love & care.
Hope you warmed up after getting wet and cold!! Not my most favourite job either.
Great productive day for you!!
❤Allie & Tricia xx
I am so excited to harvest a luffa. Really not sure if there’s anything in them. Just don’t feel like we had the best summer for luffa growing success. We shall see! Will harvest some.. maybe this week 🙏🏻
Really hope you (and I) have better success with spring onions for next year. Been such a disappointment so far in 2024
Hugely productive day. Took so long too. 😭😂
Hope you’re having a great week, both of you xx
Hi Clare, great video on how you clean your polytunnel 😊 what a great method of having fleece in the polytunnel, especially the poles, brilliant idea! Shall use that next winter. I certainly need to remember to have cauli & broccoli to grow in my polytunnel, too. I do have winter lettuce & spring onions growing in my polytunnel and are doing well with our recent frosts. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
Hi Christine. The fleece seems to be working ok for the tunnel so far this year. It’s easy to put it on/off the plants too.
I’m really hopeful of having a good early spring crop in the tunnel, so I can worry less about things bolting in summer.
I’ve had such poor luck with spring onions this year. The ones in the tunnel aren’t looking the happiest now either.
Thanks for commenting. Hope you are having a good week ❤️
Wow! It’s sparkling!
Thanks Jenny. I was surprised how clean it came up 😀
Great jobs Clare ❤
Polytunnel is lovely and clean and plants look great all planted up.
It's in my plans for this coming week to plant in our polytunnel. Been on the cards for weeks 😂
Your polytunnel and allotment garden always looks so spot on and it's only hard work that keeps it that way. Well done 👍👏👏👏❤️ x
Awww thanks Linda. There’s certainly more work than it probably looks to any non-gardeners out there. I’ve been quite surprised by the amount of time i spend on the garden. The hoe is my best friend. It’s the secret weapon of weed defence I think. Reguarly going over with a hoe really does help reduce long term weed pulling tasks.
I bet you can’t wait to get your tunnel planted now. I felt I was running out of time to get stuff in and finished now, before next summer’s crops need to go out .
Have a fabulous week.
@TheFarmyardGarden Thanks Clare, you have a great week too hoe hoe hoe 👍🤭😂❤️ x
@Feelgoodgardens oh my life.. 😂
Great job in the polytunnel! Huge difference. You left us in suspense with the luffa, I wanted to see what it looked like inside.
I'm not growing anything over winter except for some garlic in a fairly small pot. The autumn has been warmer than usual so they have grown quite a bit. And I'd been a bit worried I planted them too deep so they'd never reach the light, well, they shoot right through the straw on top, now I just need to cover with some bubble wrap and fleece once colder temperatures are in the forecast.
I harvested the jerusalem artichokes from my so-called guerilla garden yesterday, made some chips in the air fryer yesterday (yummy!) and will make a soup now.
Guerilla Garden! 😂 Awesome. Know what you mean. I need to adapt myself slowly to J. artichokes... Or hope the advice I had from Martin from Gardens for Life in Ireland to cure them for 2 weeks will work...
Thanks Trude. It was a mammoth task. I’m not sure a 20 minute video conveys the entire full day shift it took to clear the tunnel and replant it. Who knew it took so long to clean a bit of plastic. The only time this year I didn’t regret not buying a bigger tunnel! HA!
Some of my sister’s (Joanna) garlic has come up really quickly. and rather tall. It’s the germidor. The others are net to poke through the surface. She planted about 3 weeks before me. I guess the germidor is an earlier variety, so it’s no surprise. Hope they do ok for you. Garlic harvesting this year was probably one of my most favourite surprises.
Artichoke chips….interesting! Mine are really dying back now, so I think they’ll be ready to harvest soon. I’m excited and nervous…hope there’s a good crop in there.
I’m so sorry I didn’t look in the luffa. I promise I’ll do that this week and include it in next Sunday’s vlog. :)
Ooo that’s interesting advice Kirsty. I need to harvest mine soon and I’m a little nervous. I am known to have a, let’s just say “reaction” to certain food lol
My polytunnel is desperate for a good wash!! And travsformation too❤ was great seeing Mary! I LOVED watching you clean the poly, bit like those rug cleaning videos I loose hours watching but can’t seem to stop😂 you’re going to have a bumper crop with the winter veggies too❤ very healthy! Glad you’re using the 77cell trays they are good eh absolute game changer for onion growing! Fab episode!
I think cleaning the polytunnel sounds like a Dave job.. Pollyanna is huge! It was the only time this year I didn’t regret not having a bigger tunnel! lol
I love those rug cleaning videos..and the pool guy. I have some very eclectic viewing on shorts/reels. Nothing like my long form viewing preferences.
I really hope the winter brassicas do well. I have somewhat alarmed myself because I’ve a greenhouse full of seedlings too. May have overestimated my space. Whoops.
Love those seed cells. Would like some a bit bigger too I think.
@ well Dave definitely has the height jobs with the cleaning of Polyanna 🤣 but I’ll do the bits I can reach which isn’t much as I’m a short arse lol
Oh and Carrie hoof trimming! That’s fascinating!!
I missed the boat in the winter sowings with being out of action, but that’s ok, I’ve still plenty to harvest and eat… just means the hungry gap will boot my butt lol
I might need to get some more hoops and grown more outside. I chucked phacelia everywhere this week too 🤪
@ great idea!!! Love the metal hoops! 🥰
@Garden-of-weeden me too! They’re the best
The more I start thinking about things the more I’m convincing myself that plot extension is needed 😝
Fab episode, Claire. Your polytunnel looks fantastic and very clean! What a difference it will make (I'm going to check my greenhouse now 😂)
The cucamelon tuber can be saved if you want to. I threw mine away and then saw another video of it being stored, so obviously, I had to rescue it from the bin and store it 😊 my grandsons loved picking mine and eating them.
See you next Sunday 😊
Morning Linda.
My greenhouses need a good clean too. I thought I’d do them at the same time, but it took so much longer than I expected to do the polytunnel. Definitely a job for another day now.
I am so glad you have mentioned the cucamelon. I have saved it, as I thought it looked like something which could be stored. I didn’t dislike them but I certainly got fed up them quicker than the cucumbers. Isobel loved them though. My granddaughter wouldn’t try them. How lovely that your grandson helps you out. Need to think it through, as I have so much I want to do in the tunnel next year. When I make plans I start thinking I need a second tunnel. Oh wow… did I just say that thought out loud? ha!
See you next Sunday. Have a fabulous week.
You definitely said it out loud! 🤣🤣
@ la la la la 😜😂
I should also congratulate you on the planting, it looks awesome! I'm on crutches and I am an extremely bad tempered mother chucker patient I can tell you, so watching you 'do' stuff is keeping my sanity intact and my husband thanks you for it! 🤣🤣
Oh good lord..I’d be so impatient too! I hope you are better soon and can chuck the crutches. In the meanwhile, they do offer a good reach on them to prod family members who nap on nursemaid duty
Get well soon x
The tractor that's not a tractor is so cool
Duncan’s favourite farm assistant 😆
What adorable cats 🐈⬛ Clare. We won’t grow cucamelon again either Gerald likes them but not enough. 2:43 yes chuck it on the compost 😅. I have to wash my poly roof on the outside but me extension brush broke 😢. Excellent job Sir Duncan of the Shorts 👍👍. I don’t like the hose on it because it makes it heavier to handle especially when you’re on a platform so I’d say you were safer without it. Great job Clare you have done well and lots of fresh veg for winter. Who was the lady in the beginning of the video? Have an awesome week, Ali 🥶☔️🇨🇦
Tibby and her kittens, they’re nearly all grown up now. She keeps moving them between us and the farm across the road a bit. We are naturally now trying to bribe her with extra special food to stay here with them. 😅
The lady at the beginning is Duncan’s mum, Mary.
I did use the hose on it briefly but it lets out more water than I wanted it to, even on the low setting. Not such a problem in summer, but not so good in wetter weather.
Really hope the brassicas do well. Pulled off a few slugs. It’s a mammoth task completely clearing the polytunnel. I do miss the summer jungle.
Hope you have a fab week. What’s your weather like? Still hovering around freezing? I can’t remember if I commented earlier. I was impressed by just how many seedlings you’ve got growing on, especially when the weather is so harsh there x
@ I knew she was cool if her name is Mary 🤭🤭 that’s my middle name 👍👍. It’s cold dank and wet but hey it’s winter 🤷♀️
KITTENS!! ❤❤❤❤❤
The mummy cat is spayed now (She is the black cat yawning to the left). She keeps moving the kittens between us and the farm across the lane from us. Back and fourth, every few days. We are, of course, now offering a completely OTT a la carte menu to bribe her to stay.
Blimey Clare that looked like a cold job, a lovely job but a cold one. Your polytunnel looks awesome all planted up and you even have your fleece in place too, you are far too prepared, you need to be like the rest of us running around trying to find things at the last minute or like me waking up the morning afterwards and looking out to see some wilted mushy crops 😂 I also would not notice the dials on the pole either 😂. Lovely update, take care 😊
It was such a cold job. I didn’t realise just how wet I’d get, or how cold it had gotten in the tunnel that day.
Figured it was easier to put the fleece in ready, before the plants have grow right up.
I’m glad I’m not alone in being unobservant 😂😝
Nice work Clare, the tunnel looks amazing now all ready for winter 👏. If you do start noticing slug damage I can thoroughly recommend nematodes, found them really effective this year 🌱
Thanks Joe. Doesn’t the temperature have to be above 5° for nematodes? I need to look in to it more. I used them over summer and will use them next year for sure too.
Can’t believe how dirty the polythene had become. So much better now.
Hope you’re well ☺️
@TheFarmyardGarden ah cool yea I couldn't remember whether you had used them or not. The temps do have to be something like that for them to work but personally with the protection of the tunnel I'd give them a go if soon, once the tunnel is freezing they'll probably just die off. But hey maybe there won't be any slug issues so won't be the need 🤞🤞
@JoesPatch I think I have already missed the boat sadly. 0.5° in there last night and a frost forecast tonight 😅
So sad, so good in there. Hopefully they’ll leave things alone. 🙏🏻
@TheFarmyardGarden 😂😂 yes it was rather chilly today 🥶 even down here it got down to 2c last night so you could be right. It'll be fine 👍
🐝 Thanks for the great video 🌻
Thanks Sandra ❤️☺️
Hi Claire! Great clean up job on the tunnel. My polycarbonate panels have only been up since July and don't seem to be green at all (yet). So I think I'll get away with doing it in the spring when it's warmer. I have very poor circulation in my hands (and feet) so I really can't work in cold weather especially with water. I had to have a break today bringing in my 100 m of hosepipe... (In sections).
In the greenhouse I have winter peas, chard, Chinese leaf, and a few carrots, beets, Spring onions and radishes and very sad looking purple sprouting broccoli already planted, plus some small lettuce and baby kale seedlings. I've got mixed Asian greens and more peas, lambs lettuce and claytonia and I think rocket in plug trays ready to put in when I get the tomato plants out (fruit is off).
Planting up is delayed today because the deer came in to the field yesterday for pretty much the first time and munched all my outside chard/beets and had a poke round the carrots. So I think I'll have to cover or harvest things today instead...
🐈⬛ Felix had a look, but said ...."deer are not my job, get a dog!"
Oh Felix… I agree deer are a bit of a challenge for even the bravest of puddicats! I’m so sorry they’ve eaten so much with their alfresco dining in your garden. I love seeing wildlife but they can so quickly decimate you entire garden of crops. Yikes!
You have so much growing. I might utilise my chilli greenhouse over winter too, as I’ve so many plants yet to go in the ground. Not sure I want to plant any more in the beds outside. Descisions! You’ve reminded me that I’ve sown rocket too. I should have made room for that.
I have a couple tubs of carrots to drag in to the polytunnel over winter. I need to get Duncan to help me move those. They gave a really pleasing crop April time last year.
I can completely sympathise over the cold hands and water over colder months. One of my friends has raynauds, and it’s awful seeing the pain it causes her. Duncan gets chillblains a lot and very purple hands in cold weather. Always amazes me he continues to wear shorts year round.
I used to suffer with chapped hands all winter, due to the horses and dishwashing. Treated myself to a dishwasher in 2012 and that has been a game changer in helping my hands out a bit. Must have been the constant exposure to washing up liquid for me. Nothing like your issues, but still a discomfort on a much lesser scale.
We dont have deer at all where I am but recently I read a comment with someone saying they get the hair from the local barbers/hairdressers and put it around where they don't want the deer to come. They said they've never had a problem with deer since, they stay clear
@Iamhome365 interesting! One of my best friends is a barber
I should do the same for my greenhouse but I'm lazy!
I’ve not done my greenhouses yet. I’ll get around to it .. maybe not today. Bit too chilly
I have to admit to being a back seat driver when it comes to dirty greenhouses/polytunnels! I don't have either and yet sit here watching videos, thinking 'seriously, dude, clean your tunnel!/house'...hehe. Not today though, huge pat on the back and the Back Seat Drivers Peoples Choice Award goes to... 😃
Backseat driver, gardening edition! HILARIOUS! I laughed so much at that…..whilst also confessing to having a bit of a similar issue myself LOL
I loved cleaning it….even if I didn’t love the actual cleaning. It looks like new again. So fresh and so light and airy.
I do have some Algon I can spray on it but the tunnel did have a layer of dust/grime on it, not just algae. It definitely needed a proper clean off.
Thanks for nominating me for that award….I’ll work on my acceptance speech next HA HA
Aww shame about clearing out summer crops
At least you have some winter crops to plant looks good
Wow you looked really cold when cleaning hope you had a nice warm bath and hot drink afterwards 😊
I was very chilly and wet. Worth it though.
I’m sad summer crops are over but it won’t be long before our attentions turn to next season. It was a hot coffee and a snuggle with my dog to warm me back up. ❤️
Never really known many people who have raised beds in the tunnel and also paths are too wide you only need a foot of walking space like Charles Dowding the man 😊
I couldn’t kneel down between the beds, like you see me doing when planting, if I had narrower paths. I made them big enough to bring in a wheelbarrow for topping up the beds too.
I love Charles’ polytunnel. As I’m not a market garden, I can afford to give over a bit of space to make moving around easier for me, and to help with airflow.
Each to their own I say. :)
I've never seen a cucamelon root look like that! Mine just look like normal cucumber type roots. Very curious indeed
That shelf up in the center is so great.
I just looked it up and apparently you can store the tubers, much like a dahlia.
@@TheFarmyardGarden How cool is that? For us, they are a novelty thing, a little goes a long way.
Yes, same here. Not sure if I’ll grow it again
Oh don't say we're running out of time 😂😂😂 I've not even pricked out my greenhouse winter veg yet 🙈🙈 I might just plant the tiny seedlings straight in there...
It felt like I need to crack on, especially for the purple sprouting broccoli, although mine is an early variety
Lovely tomatoes, have you canned any yet?
I’m working up to it! 😂
Such a great video. Just wondering whether you added any nutrients to the soil before replanting.
Thanks Liz. I’ll be adding well rotted farmyard manure in spring, before the summer crops go in. I just added fish, blood and bone to the planting holes when I re-planted for winter though ☺️
@@TheFarmyardGarden Thanks.
whats the thing u have that goes across the door way ? wish i had a PT but only have back garden to grow stuff in thanks
It’s just a retractable stair gate. It seems to keep the geese out that land on the pond 😅😅
The polytunnel is such a wonderful space, and I know I’m very fortunate to have the space for it, but you can also grow the same things over winter in a greenhouse, if you have one of those?
🤗
Thanks for asking about the retractable gate. I had the same question now answered
What width is you tunnel? I got a 40ft polycarbonate last year but unfortunately the 12ft wide was out of stock so took the 10ft but disappointed that i didn't order the 12ft earlier! I grew most weeds in it this year😂 but next year i plan on big things! I have peat soil and theres deep cracks on the paths as it dries out so much! Still have tomatoes but i dont know how as i haven't given them 1 drop of water since July!!! Your setup looks fab with all your beds outside and your bark pathways! Something I'd like to get done next year (I'm battling with couch grass!) Your setup for holding the fleece, what an absolutely brilliant idea and definitely will incorporate that in mine!! And the shelf up above, how did you think of that?? It looks like a drying rack for clothes that would be suspended from a high ceiling in houses??
I did put the size in the video, you must have missed that bit. It’s 20ft x 12ft. I worked out, when buying, that I needed a minimum of 12ft wide to have the centre bed really. In all honesty, if I could buy it again now I’d go for 14ft wide.
What a huge growing space you have though. That’s a massive tunnel! I noticed a lot of the polycarbonate ones (KSB or Polyeco) were predominately 10ft wide. I think Polyeco brought out their 12 ft after we bought our polytunnel, otherwise I may have gone with them.
I love the bark pathways but there are some big pros and cons with them. I’ll be doing a video on that soon.
I was never sure how far to have the fleece off the plants. I think I’ll likely add some support to the front of the other bed eventually too. Don’t want damp condensation laced fleece touching the plants if it then freezes.
I saw a floating shelf on Garden of Weeden Allotment’s instagram page and decided I needed one too. It is absolutely marvellous for the seedling trays over spring. I’ts wrapped up out of the way at the moment, but I’ll lower the chains in another few months when I need the extra space to start of peas etc (mouse proof up there!)
I was really disappointed with the cucamelon too. Found it really bland. Polytunnel looks so big when it’s all been cleared. Always better after a good clean too but in with you on not looking forward to it
It does feel so much more open with the central path cleared. I don’t really know what I expected the cucamelons to taste like. They were ok but I’d rather eat a cucumber 😂