Ciara, Dennis and Ellen. The UK is getting battered and the storms just keep on coming. Yellow warnings from the Met Office are now a regular occurrence. Of course, the British weather has always been unpredictable. But climate change has thrown a whole new spanner into the works. All of which makes strong winds an occupational hazard for gardeners and horticulturists. Especially those who have invested in a polytunnel or greenhouse. So, it’s no wonder that at this time of year we often get asked, ‘are polytunnels windproof?’

Polytunnels don’t look very strong

It’s an easy assumption to make. A layperson looking at a polytunnel for the first time would be forgiven for thinking the structure would blow away on the first breeze. After all, it looks more or less like a giant tent.

But polytunnels are incredibly resistant to wind. Assuming it’s anchored correctly a heavy duty polytunnel will ride out the stormy British weather. Here at Direct Polytunnels we manufacture our own tunnels and they are specifically designed to withstand high winds. We have customers all over the UK and Europe and haven’t seen one of our tunnels blow away yet! We use the very same polytunnels we sell on our website on our large nursery here in Norfolk. We know how good they are.

Making sure your polytunnel is windproof

As we’ve mentioned the polytunnel must be fixed securely. It’s the same as any other structure or building. Anchors, fixing plates and trenching will ensure the polytunnel remains in position. The walls of the tunnel are aerodynamically designed to ensure wind flows around the structure. Additional strength is provided by high tensile steel hoops along with roof bars and storm bracing bars. This gives the polytunnel tremendous strength. You can also add extra crop bars to your structure to add even more support. The galvanised high tensile steel we use in our polytunnel frames has a life expectancy of 50 years. Our polytunnels are incredibly strong and built to last. No matter how much they get battered by the elements. 

But when it comes to ensuring polytunnels are windproof don’t forget the importance of the polythene cover. It should be stretched tightly over the frame. The tighter the cover the less likely it is to be damaged in high winds. Conversely a loose cover will catch the wind which could lead to serious issues.

Fighting back against the elements

Although polytunnels are windproof to a large degree it’s only sensible to carefully consider where you position your tunnel in the first place. Pick the most sheltered position you can. If you’ve the choice between an exposed hillside or the lee of a high-sided building you’d naturally pick the second site.

But there are things you can do if you haven’t got a naturally sheltered spot. Hedging makes an attractive and very efficient windbreak. And the hedge doesn’t have to be huge to be effective. A hedge around six feet (two metres) tall will provide excellent protection to a polytunnel sited up to 50 metres behind it.

Hedging, or a line of deep-rooted trees, makes an excellent windbreak which helps protect your new polytunnel in a storm. But do make sure there aren’t any branches near to or overhanging the polytunnel. In severe winds they could be ripped from the tree and damage the polythene cover on your tunnel. But a windbreak will deflect wind away from the polytunnel and take the force out of even the fiercest winds.

Growing a hedge as a windbreak

It’s all well and good us saying plant a hedge but it can take years for a hedge to mature enough to be a good windbreak. You’d have to be very patient waiting for that hedge to grow before you bought a polytunnel. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait.

You can purchase pallet lots of root ball hedging up to seven feet tall from Direct Plants. No need to wait for a hedge to mature you’ll have an instant windbreak delivered to you on a pallet.

More advice and help on making polytunnels windproof

Here at Direct Plants we manufacture our own polytunnel kits made from the highest quality materials. We use our own tunnels on our five-acre nursery and supply countless commercial growers all over the UK and Europe. We supply polytunnels from 10 x 12’ for home gardeners to massive 18 x 90’ structures for professional growers. You can see a video on how to build a polytunnel here.

We’re always pleased to help our customers so if you have any questions about our polytunnels or want some advice on how make sure its properly secured feel free to contact us on 01485 601143 or email us at sales@directplants.co.uk