There are plenty of ways to make the most of the space in a small polytunnel. Container gardening can work well in a constricted space. If you are interested in sustainability then you may be glad to know that you can re-use and reclaim a wide range of items to serve as containers, rather than buying new items. To give you inspiration for your own small polytunnel, here are a few unusual container ideas for a small polytunnel:
Drawers from old furniture are perfect for smaller growing areas. You can either lay drawers as raised beds directly on the ground, or stack them for vertical growing solutions. The depth of a drawer will determine what can be grown within it.
Belfast or butler's sinks also make attractive containers, with built in drainage. Other bathroom fittings can also be recycled in this way. How about using an old toilet? Ceramic bathroom fittings come with their own built-in drainage, provide thermal mass and can easily be disguised with planting or screening if you'd rather not have them as a quirky feature. For larger containers, baths also work well.
If you have kids, you will know how quickly boots and other footwear are outgrown. But everyone has old boots that they no longer use. Old work boots or wellies make perfect, quirky little containers for plants, with a little extra drainage added. Using them in the polytunnel will save them from landfill and give these items a second life.
Appliances from your home are often a problem as waste. But a drum from an old washing machine can make a very useful planting area, and using such items in your polytunnel or garden will reduce your impact on the planet.
Garden equipment often works very hard and can become damaged and beyond use. An old wheelbarrow, for example, may collapse and no longer serve its original function. Rather than throwing it away, why not use it as a new container for your small polytunnel? That way, well-used items can continue to serve a useful function.
The unusual container ideas for a small polytunnel are almost endless. Be creative about using 'junk' in your polytunnel and your gardening efforts will become cheaper and more sustainable than ever and you will be able to grow even more in your little space.
