Mud glorious mud

No photos to show you but Anna and Myself went to plot today to start digging trench around tunnel to bury cover, I have to say we were both pleased with progress made. We managed to dig trenches down both sides so that is 50 foot of trench 30cms wide and 40cms deep all done in 3 hours. The downside was it pissed down for all of those 3 hours so we were like drowned rats and knee deep in mud, I could not get in car after without stripping down to my long johns(actually an old pair of Anna's leggings).

We were hungry after all that digging so went to Burger King drive thru for a burger, I got a funny look from the man in the serving window when he lent out to give me my order and change and I got an even funnier look when I got out of the car to fetch my phone from the boot by a bunch of school girls.

Hopefully Les and myself will be assembling the doors and door frames at the weekend(if I get up in time) and then it will just be a case of when can I put the cover on????? I want to put it on ASAP but it says to do it on a warm sunny day I am not sure when that will be and I am not sure how warm it has to be?
I was thinking if I kept the cover in a warm room(which I am at the moment) and kept it wrapped in a quilt or blanket on route to plot I could do it sooner rather than later but I have not got a clue.

Any clever people reading this blog who have experience of polytunnels feel free to leave a comment I could do with a bit of advice, think I will go and pose this very question on the place I always go to when I am stuck the grapevine http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/

More updates soon adios amigos or as we say in Bristol 'ta la'

The tunnel arrived and the assembly has begun

The polytunnel arrived last week and we have started to put it up today, thankfully I have had the help of Les my Mother in laws partner. We used postcrete on the corner ground tubes for more stability and as you can see from pictures below we made good progress in the 2 1/2 hours we had today.

Unfortunatley we were unable to get the self tapping screws in as the piddly rechargeable screwdriver I thought would do the job just did not have the guts, I will be borrowing the Father in laws cordless drill tomorrow so weather permitting we will get it done then. Dreaded nights have come back round again I start them tomorrow 10pm, luckily I am only in for 4 of the 7 as I have leave on my last 3. I also hope to start digging the trench around the outside tomorrow it has to be at least 40cm deep(that is a minimum) and 30cm wide so the back breaking bit will start then.

We can't really put the cover on until the weather warms up as you need it to be warm so as it will stretch better and you get a much tighter fit so here's to an early spring it also has to be dry or the hot spot tape will not stick to the poles. Hot spot tape if you did not already know is used as a barrier between the metal poles and plastic cover without it the cover would melt on to the hot poles in the middle of summer and be no use to man or beast. We can continue to lay out path and beds within tunnel before the cover goes on but as soon as it does the better, I am not very patient so watch this space as to when it does get put on!

Anyway enjoy the pictures below and if anyone has any hints or tips for erecting polytunnels or growing in them feel free to leave a comment.

 The corner ground tube held in with postcrete.

 Les hiding in the background I would have been lost without him, good work fella.

 It's starting to take shape.

 Where we finished at!

The empty ground ready for construction.