I received two mesh grow tunnels for Christmas, and they’ve come in extremely useful given the mixed weather we’ve had so far in 2021. The biggest issue with these particular grow tunnels is that they come with thin metal pegs/stakes to hold them down, but when you put them in soft fluffy soil they are completely ineffective when winds kick up.
I tried to tie them down, but the string I used wasn’t strong enough and they would come loose when the winds picked up. So I went onto Amazon this week and purchased a pack of outdoor D-shaped carabiners which I attached to large galvanised hooks that I hammered into the raised bed, and I’m pleased to report that this cost-effective solution has done the trick. The grow tunnels are holding firm, even during the fairly strong winds we had this weekend.
All in all, we are extremely pleased with these grow tunnels and they are certainly getting the job done, protecting our seedlings from the elements and maintaining the heat and moisture. As a result, everything is growing at a good speed and even the seed tape carrots (Autumn King from DT Brown) have germinated in less than 10 days.
The lettuce, onions, cabbages and pak choy in the grow tunnels are all coming along brilliantly too.
Outside of the grow tunnels, the potatoes are all popping up, as are the different varieties of kale, chard, leeks, broccoli and celery.
All of our seedlings are now in the ground, with the exception of our tomatoes, courgettes, beans and peas. Just as soon as we think we’ve dodged the last threats of frost, they’ll all get transferred to the raised beds in our vegetable garden. We’re just hopeful that the weather will warm up soon, and that we will have some sunny months ahead so that we can enjoy our own fresh produce.
We’ll continue the updates on what’s growing well, and what isn’t.