In article , Dave
writes
So you should be, heavens that was some effort to set it up. Sounds a
proper job though.

Thanks, we are just in the process of finding out how it will all work
out in practice. I omitted to mention that the project revealed several
unexpected challenges, mostly arising from differences between poly-
tunnel and greenhouse design and operation. We have used both for many
years, but until I actually began replacing greenhouse glass with a
poly-tunnel cover, I had tended not to think too much about those.

One major difference is that greenhouses mostly have opening lights in
the roof and/or sides and one entrance door. Polytunnels do not have
lights, they allow passage of air through the ends. We have doors fitted
in the ends of our polytunnel so that it can be enclosed at cooler times
and either one or both end opened in warmer weather. The restored
greenhouse used to have one entrance door and four roof lights, so to
replace the lights, I constructed a new door at the other end.

I then laid a 30" wide brieze block walking path along the length
because it is a permanent structure, whereas polytunnels are designed to
be mobile, and mostly have an earth or grass path. That means we can
enter it or ventilate it from either end, as we do the polytunnel, and
we can work the beds from the path as we did before the restoration.

Polytunnel covers are usually pinned down at the sides with soil or
whatever, but this cover is fixed in place with lats at the sides and to
the bottom main structure rails. The cover fixings had to be such that
could be taken off when a new cover is needed - after 5 or so years.

And so on ad infinitum. Re the effort, it was never onerous because here
was a gardener working in and improving his [and her] garden, i.e. it
was a labour of love. It never took priority over other garden jobs, I
did an hour or two on it on most days, leaving myself plenty of time to
look after our two acres of mixed garden. It also enabled me to think
over snags rather than blundering on into too many difficulties.
At age 77, one has to plan to the physical resources available.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.