Well there’s another week with no allotment visit. Between the weather and our health it just wasn’t possible so I busied myself with other smaller plans and tasks but ran into a problem. Again.

I have one of those plastic tunnel/green house things at the allotment – what should I call that thing? It isn’t an actual polytunnel in the true sense and it isn’t a greenhouse as such. It has large metal hoops like a polytunnel and came with a green plastic cover which has been covered with a yellow mesh one as the original cover has disintegrated. Anyway, I got an idea in my head to get a greenhouse for the garden and started a little saving plan.

Imagine my delight therefore when I saw on Gumtree a greenhouse going for free!! Yeah, hold your horses there partner it isn’t that simple. Is anything?

The advert said if you wanted it you would need to take it apart yourself so I did some research and found my excitement waning a bit. Looks more like a 2 man job to be on the safe side but there were more problems to be found….

During my research, it became apparent that a greenhouse needs a base built on the ‘level’ ground to keep it stable. Our ground is nowhere near level and I have no clue how to go about building a base. I then had a more realistic look at the space I was thinking about – it probably isn’t big enough for the greenhouse anyway and it would block the view from the kitchen window, so I don’t go for the free one. I then found out the site I was going to buy one from doesn’t deliver to this area anyway – something I missed originally.

So, plan A was out, plan B was a no so I got my thinking cap on (is it obvious I don’t give up too easily?!)

A light went on in my wee napper ie my head. I have several of those 3 shelf type small mini greenhouses in the garden…and a bit of a frame from an old polytunnel type greenhouse thing. So, what I have decided is this:

1 Use the greenhouse money I have saved to get a new cover for the polytunnel thing at the allotment.

2 Bring the old frame parts to the garden and prepare the ground so it’s a little more even

3 Use the old frame and various poles I have from other structures to make a mini polytunnel which will fit the shelving I already have but won’t be too tall to block the view.

4 Use the yellow cover which I already have to cover the new structure – it isn’t waterproof as it’s mesh so that will mean plants get rain water and good air flow. That part of the garden is south facing and can get pretty hot during the 3 days of summer so all should be good.

I can’t see what could go wrong! I will of course bring you along to show you the progress which I anticipate will be fast and impressive…..ok..I might not be at my most realistic but I do believe in the power of positivity!