Mud on the Rooftops 2015 - the Fiddling goes On !

AOK... here are the photographs of the tubers.
I may have been a WEE bit too vigourous with the brush, as some bits fell off ! They seem to all have roots, and tiny little stems, so perhaps they will still produce something ?

As ever, these are posted on the RoofNet, so you can click for a larger version of each picture.

I'll be getting the sulphur dust this weekend. Umm.. once I've dusted them, should I still put them in dry soil in a cool place etc ?

AHEM... umm.... daitheplant, Moonlight, dianthus ... any update on this ?

Gotcha - thanks for that daitheplant.

Hmmm ... I'm having a slight condensation/leakage problem in my 'tunnel.
The water is pooling between the 'tunnel skin, and my bubblewrap 'insulation'. It is so severe that after a couple of days, it bulges down and starts to drag the insulation down.

In fact, almost ALL of my insulation panels have fallen down as a result.

The pooled water then waits for me to arrive, and suddenly discharges down the back of my neck.

This is vexing !

I have a suspicioun of what is happening. Rainwater pools on the ground, and seeps underneath the sides of the 'tunnel, forming a thin layer of moisture on the floor. This didn't bother me much, 'cos my Tiles keep me off the floor, and my feet nice and dry. HOWEVER... I think this thin film of water is "feeding" the condensation. As the condensation ultimately lands back on the floor, this is a perpetual cycle.

I think I need to empty the 'tunnel of EVERYTHING - leave it bare - and then find some way of sealing the edges. A mixture of rubber strips, and silicon paste (from those outsized syringe thingies you can get from B+Q).

Obviously, it won't be entirely waterproof, but it should help a bit.

A project for the Christmas break, methinks .

Unless any of you have any other suggestions ?

daitheplant - you have several PolyTroubles ... have you ever experienced this sort of problem ?

I hope it doesn't come to that daitheplant, though it may do.

The thing is ... the insulation bubblewrap itself doesn't seem to suffer too badly from condensation 'internally'. Most of the water appears to form between the bubblewrap, and the outer skin.

My hopes are that IF my 'sealing' plan can reduce water flooding in at floor level, then the condensation would become somewhat more manageable. I might even be able to control it more by using those passive dehumidifiers. (basicly blocks of silica gel).

My thinking is that - in theory - there should be an advantage of having a PolyDrip based on tarmac, rather than soil. If I can stop (or significantly reduce) the 'flooding' (and plug any physical holes that have developed in the skin), then there should be very little water available to evaporate - hence minimal condensation. With a soil-based PolyCondensor, there would ALWAYS be a reservoir of moisture in the soil (at least over winter) as water in the 'outdoor' soil moves sideways through capilliary action, and into the 'indoor' soil.

Well, even if my plan doesn't work (and they so often don't ), it would be a good opportunity to clear out the Polyclutter and sweep up the floor whillst I'm at it. Sort of a "spring cleaning" ... but in Winter.

BAH ! It goes from bad to worse.

JUST when I had come to terms with condensation, I now have to worry about Exacerbation AS WELL ?

Life is just SO unfair

Meh - not THAT big a task dianthus, and perhaps it would be a good thing to empty the 'tunnel, and "rebuild" it. Like I said, a sort of a "spring clean", and perhaps an opportunity to start anew and remove some of the 'clutter' ?