New polytunnel

Share your collection with the rest of the forum here.
Conrad
BCSS Member
Posts: 128
https://www.behance.net/kuchnie-warszawa
Joined: 11 Jun 2013
Branch: None
Country: United Kingdom
Role within the BCSS: Member

New polytunnel

Post by Conrad »

I put up a 36x16ft polytunnel in November last year, with the aim of eventually having a small mail order nursery along side my 'real job'. The tunnel was heated over the winter by a 11kw gas heater (not that it was needed much), with the aim of keeping the tunnel above 1.5c. I have a couple of thousand seedlings I've been growing on over the past couple of years, and will probably begin selling plants next spring once I've built the website (with a discount for BCSS members!). It's all looking frankly a bit of a mess in the photos below as my real job is keeping me extremely busy at the moment, and I can only manage to visit the tunnel 1/2 days a week (it's built on land at my parents farm - I'm 29 and don't have any real estate to my name, yet).

So here's the tunnel:

Image

Various seedlings, mostly Acanthocalycium, Astros and Neochilenia in the top left. A bit of a mess as I say - when I get an opportunity they'll be arranged more logically:

Image

More seedlings, 1 yr olds, each tray holds 112. A mix of stuff, lobivia, turbs, astros, coryphantha etc. etc.

Image

A handful of 2ish yr old Lobivia famatimensis, coming into flower for the first time:

Image

The above, repotted, with various Lophs in need of the same treatment!

Image

A days work right here....

Image

A sea of seedlings!

Image

I'll update this thread with better pics as the year in the tunnel progresses.

Cheers,
Liz M
BCSS Member
Posts: 3018
Joined: 22 Dec 2007
Branch: MACCLESFIELD & EAST CHESHIRE
Country: United Kingdom
Role within the BCSS: Trustee
Location: The North West of England
Contact:

Re: New polytunnel

Post by Liz M »

Great stuff, keep up the good work. There are less and less people selling as nurserymen get older. There will always be a market for good quality, well grown and interesting plants.
Obsessive Crassulaceae lover, especially Aeoniums but also grow, Aloes, Agaves, Haworthias and a select number of Cacti.
User avatar
Keith H
BCSS Member
Posts: 588
Joined: 12 Aug 2013
Branch: BROMLEY
Country: uk
Role within the BCSS: Member
Location: South East London

Re: New polytunnel

Post by Keith H »

Hi Conrad, I agree with Liz's comments above ^^^^^ . Returning to cacti after my thirty year break I was stunned, how could all those cacti nurseries that I read about in my youth have dissapeared whilst I was not looking?
It looks like you have made a good start setting up your business, well growing some stock, I expect running the business will be very hard work and wish you all the best of luck with your venture.
Regards Keith.

BCSS # 50554
Cactipod
Registered Guest
Posts: 43
Joined: 15 Apr 2016
Branch: NORTH DEVON
Country: United Kingdom
Role within the BCSS: Member

Re: New polytunnel

Post by Cactipod »

Conrad, that is an amazing polytunnel.

You have a massive collection of seedlings. I wish you all the best in setting up your little mart. I'm sure I don't just speak for myself when I say -I believe you will get a lot of interest in your plants. Very excited for you. :razz:
There is always room for more cacti...
gtyang
BCSS Member
Posts: 2
Joined: 01 Feb 2016
Branch: None
Country: UK
Role within the BCSS: Member

Re: New polytunnel

Post by gtyang »

(tu) Really really really amazing! I like this polytunnel a lot.
mistyhiss
BCSS Member
Posts: 29
Joined: 16 Apr 2016
Branch: KING'S LYNN
Country: UK
Role within the BCSS: Member

Re: New polytunnel

Post by mistyhiss »

Oooh wow, you're doing exactly what I'd love to do eventually. Well done, looks great. :smile:
Conrad
BCSS Member
Posts: 128
Joined: 11 Jun 2013
Branch: None
Country: United Kingdom
Role within the BCSS: Member

Re: New polytunnel

Post by Conrad »

Thanks for the replies all, very encouraging! Shan't be too long now until I start selling plants, likely autumn or next spring.

A few photos from today - was about to start taking picture of all the flowering mother plants when my phone ran out of battery, so only seedlings.

Matucana ritteri first - surprisingly happy with the tunnel only being heated to 1-2C over winter.
20160509_112356.jpg
Similarly - Melocactus interpositus - sulked for a while after the winter but almost all of them seem very happy now, though a few are still in a red sulk. I never normally grow Melos, and I'll probably try to get rid of these before next winter for fear of them not making it through.
20160509_113847.jpg
The above unpotted, pretty decent roots on all of them, the few reddish ones had clearly lost a few over winter but all were showing lots of new root growth.
melo_inter.jpg
Mediolobivia steinmanii - a good example of why I ought to sow more thinly.
20160509_123409.jpg
Good fat roots on them though, at least 1/2 the mass of these is underground.
20160509_123645.jpg
A couple of Mamm. guelzowiana, only 20 or so of these to repot.
20160509_122718.jpg
Why re-potting hook-spined cacti ends up with me effing and blinding. You pick up one and get 5 instead.
20160509_121215.jpg
Avoiding further hook-spined repotting; the reason these poor Mamm bocasana are all crammed in together still.
20160509_120626.jpg
More next week if I remember!
dalesmatt
BCSS Member
Posts: 245
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Branch: None
Country: UK
Role within the BCSS: Member
Location: Nr Harrogate
Contact:

Re: New polytunnel

Post by dalesmatt »

It would be great to see an update on this (tu)
Matt
Joined online :) Member number 49972. Bradford Branch.
Interests include South American cacti and spiny Euphorbias
Cactusgirl
BCSS Member
Posts: 267
Joined: 31 Oct 2016
Branch: CLACTON-on-SEA
Country: United Kingdom
Role within the BCSS: Member

Re: New polytunnel

Post by Cactusgirl »

When you putting up your sales list on the site?!
User avatar
gerald
BCSS Member
Posts: 645
Joined: 28 Jul 2010
Branch: OXFORD
Country: UK
Role within the BCSS: Member
Location: Watlington
Contact:

Re: New polytunnel

Post by gerald »

Bump!
Post Reply