Update on Solar Tunnels.

Had a good look at the recent National Amateur Gardening show. (3m wide version on display)

They certainly look better, lower roof height so not so 'in your face' as a poly tunnel and a nice greenish look due to the green mesh.

The material looks pretty tough, its in one piece (for the 6m on display) with two separate bits for the ends so pulls down without all the 'gathered' polythene on a standard tunnel. Extensions available with additional cover.

Framework looks pretty decent, slot together galvanised with rails around the bottom (so no digging in polythene), also rails along the top of sides at eye level. All seems to go together quite well, no overhead crop bars though, but wire would do.

Doors (hinged) again in galvanised so no wood to rot away, again these looked pretty decent with a basic workable opening handle system. Didn't see the sliding doors so can't comment.

Steel 'corkscrew' fixing to screw into the ground so no digging it seems, frame work fixes to these so looks quite easy to put up. Cover stretches down (with metal insert strips) to hook onto the bottom frame. A small gap between the two allows ventilation.

Seems that you can fill a water butt from the roof but not with a supplied system, standard guttering can be fitted and an adhesive flap would need to be attached to direct water from the roof into the gutter, a DIY option really but would work.

All in all it looks better than a poly tunnel and seems easy to put up. Framework and cover all look good and tidy compared to poly tunnel. Whether the extra cost versus a poly tunnel is justified is debatable, but I think it is and will be ordering one when I have prepared the site, it would certainly look better in a garden than a polytunnel and is more like a greenhouse in appearance.

Hope this helps

Dave (need any more info send me a message)