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phil · Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:16 pm Post subject: is there any difference

Is there any difference between growing vegetables at home in a pollytunnel or growing them commercially in my opinion they are all being forced to grow at an unnatural rate.

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1157 Location: Campile. Wexford

I think that you are right Phil. Perhaps the only difference is that hopefully we don't use synthetics to boost their growth. My ground is slow to warm as I have seen with all my tenderly cared for seedlings lying dormant for weeks on end. It is only in the past few weeks that has seen them grow. More poly tunnels me thinks Wink

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blowin · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:09 am Post subject:

Probably no difference if you use chemicals but a huge difference if you don't . The quality of flavour and texture , together with whatever it is that comes from their being eaten within minutes of coming out of the ground is so much better than even the organic stuff you will find in most shops .

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1157 Location: Campile. Wexford

Just a small point. Is growing crops in the poly tunnel unnatural?. I think that the plants would grow at that rate anyway if weather conditions suited.
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quarryman · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 417 Location: Sligo

Growing veg in a poly is just the same as growing them in the South of France. No chemicals are used so it's good for you and you don't need to book online with Ryanair to pick a few salad leaves.

MrsL · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:06 am Post subject:

I've never hankered after a polytunnel; I prefer my veg and fruit in their rightful seasons, and have no wish to extnd thsese seasons, as polytunnels can. I would say, though, that this might change if/when we move to somewhere isolated/remote/cold/windy, rather than the balmy south where we are just now. I'd like to think I'd manage wihtout one for a number of reasons, but never say never (as my old dad never said)
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blowin · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:50 am Post subject:

Extending the season is beneficial over here where fresh veg from the shops tends to be both expensive and relatively poor quality .

MrsL · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:36 am Post subject:

True. I've experienced shop bought vegetables over there.........

As I said, I work on current cricumstances, and that could all change at the drop of.
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Graney · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 81 Location: East Clare

Never terribly convinced about the argument that using chemicals destroys the flavour of produce, Blowin. No particular reason scientifically why it should.

The big difference in growing your own is being able to grow varieties that may not be the highest yielding but have flavour, being able to harvest a little bit early when many veg are at their sweetest, and being able to cut or dig veg and have them on the table within the hour. There's nothing that can beat that kind of freshness.

My tunnel's going up next month so I can garden out of the rain ... and after the last two years, I think even the veg will enjoy a break from the rain Wink