We got a new polytunnel!
Our polytunnel has given us the gift of gardening outdoors/indoors, with crops and flowers growing faster and stronger when sheltered from winds, warmed by the sun and protected from frosts. It has also provided us with an ideal space for sowing earlier, harvesting later and hugely improving the growing potential of every square foot of soil in the community garden.
After many years of service, our old polytunnel had seen better days and the GL Hearn team agreed to take on the challenge of replacing the polytunnel plastic as part of their volunteer action day in July.
The team did a wonderful job and this improvement has give our garden groups the opportunity to grow a whole variety of plants and develop their skills further in years to come!
Here's what the team had to say about their day:
“The centre needed help renewing the polytunnel material in the community garden...7 volunteers from the Bristol office took part on what was one of the hottest days of the year so far. The day really tested the strength and endurance of the staff involved! Under the guidance of the centre’s Garden Coordinator, the GL Hearn volunteers carried out weeding, digging a trench, renewing the polytunnel material and then filling in the trench to hold the new material in place. It was extremely satisfying to see the end result of all the hard work and knowing it would make a big difference to the centre.”
Since the repairs, our polytunnel has provided an ideal space for sowing earlier, harvesting later and hugely improving the growing potential of every square foot of soil in the community garden. It has meant that there are more activities throughout the year for volunteers and participants to get involved in, giving people the opportunity to grow a whole variety of plants and develop their skills further for years to come.