Why grow with a tunnel?

The decision to start growing is an easy one! The hard part is deciding how you are going to grow. You could grow indoors, for a nice controlled environment, or outdoors to take advantage of the natural sun. To get a little bit of benefit from both methods you could try an outdoor high-tunnel.

A high-tunnel allows you to take advantage of growing outside by making use of the abundant, and free sun. An outdoor tunnel also protects against heavy weather conditions and pests. Allowing a grower the ability to achieve indoor quality outdoors!

What is a high-tunnel?

A high tunnel is not a greenhouse, but they do have their similarities. A tunnel is a grow space made from steel and covered in polythene plastic, which is usually in a semi-circular shape. Both tunnels and greenhouses protect from the elements but greenhouses provide heat and through electrical ventilation systems. On the other hand, tunnels provide passive ventilation through airflow and rely on the sun for heat.

Why not a green-house?

Greenhouses are amazing but they are expensive to buy and laborious to set up. Tunnels are much more affordable and are super easy to assemble. If you have a DIY spirit you could even build a tunnel yourself. For an 8m x 4m area you are looking at a price of R5000. There are many guides online about how to build your own for an even cheaper price.

Check out our video for a discussion on the many benefits of growing in tunnels!