Page 29 - ALG Issue 3 2020
P. 29

    How to fix guttering to a polytunnel
...and deter seagulls!
I use second-hand roofing gutters, preferably those with straight sides.
I then drill a series of holes spaced
at 3" to 4" apart, and these are ready for the wood screws that hold it up. I
fix a length of wood on the inside but between the metal frame, using 2"x
1" sawn, often called roofing batten. It needs to be the full length of the tunnel. Of course, as this is usually done after the cover is on, you will need to cut the timber in half then join when it is in the correct position. Remember to allow a gentle slope for the run off. As you see in the photograph, I have held the wood in place with a cable tie; once you start to install the screws, they will hold it.
The end wall of my polytunnel is facing the prevailing wind and rain – due
south-west – so I get all the end wall run off. The gutter goes all the way around the polytunnel to fall in a tank at one end. Fix the gutter to the wood by installing the screws one at time along the length. Don't screw the screws in fully leaving a small gap between the gutter and the polytunnel. Once all
the screws are in a run, put a bead of bathroom silicone sealant down the gap then, as you screw up, run your finger along to evenly spread the sealant. Job done! The tunnel in the photo is about eight years old now and still going strong. I have used this method for 30+ years.
The photo of wires above my polytunnel shows my anti-seagull device combined with automatic polytunnel cleaning.
Seagulls love trying to get the flies that buzz on the roof of the tunnel; they can make dozens of holes
Seagulls love trying to get the flies that buzz on the roof of the tunnel; they can make dozens of holes. From the photo, you will see four runs of fine poly rope. One is actually pure copper wire, and, when the rain drips off this one, it drops a very small amount of copper on the surface. This acts as an algaecide and stops the green build- up.
Allan Cavill, SW NAS Mentor
          Allotment and Leisure Gardener 29




















































































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