siting polytunnel

[Anonymous]

Hello Charles and fellow gardeners

I would like some help and advice on siting my polytunnel on an allotment plot. I was originally going to place it 2-3 metres away from a large apple tree (4-5 metres tall). Shade shouldn’t be a problem but I am now worried that the tree roots might interfere with the plants I will grow in the tunnel. There seems to be a lot of finely divided roots in the ground where I plan to site it but I cannot say whether these are tree roots or old grass roots as the area was recently covered in grass.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[charles]

If they are tree roots you will find them woody and darker than cream-coloured grass roots.
If you can site the tunnel further away, I would! 5m or more.
Otherwise you will lose some nutrients but also a lot of moisture in summer months and that devalues your efforts to grow veg.

[Anonymous]

I guess the roots I found may be tree roots then!
I will rethink about the location of the tunnel. I now realise that planning on a new allotment requires a fair bit of flexibility and adaptabiliy.

Many thanks for your help!

[Author]

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