You can grow almost anything in a Polytunnel and planning is very important. From this handy chart – taken from “How to Grow Food in Your Polytunnel All Year Round” you can work out the best time to start sowing and growing and help determine when different plants and ready for harvest.
Seasonal Crop Planner
| Crop | Sow | Harvest |
| Aubergine | Feb-March | June-Nov |
| Broad Beans | Oct-Feb | May-June |
| French Beans | April | June-Nov |
| Beetroot | July-Aug | Oct-March |
| Broccoli, Sprouting | March-May & Aug Sept | March-July |
| Cabbage | Feb-Nov | All Year |
| Carrot | Feb-Aug | All Year |
| Cauliflower | Feb-Sept | All Year |
| Celeric | Feb-March | Sept-April |
| Celery | Feb-March | June-April |
| Chard Swiss/rainbow | Feb-April | All Year |
| Coriander | All Year | All Year |
| Courgette | April-May | June-Nov |
| Cucumber | April-May | June-Nov |
| Fennel | March-July | July-Dec |
| Garlic | Feb & Nov | June |
| Kohl rabi | Feb-Oct | All Year |
| Lettuce | Feb-Sept | All Year |
| Melon | April-May | Aug-Sept |
| Onion, bulb | July-Aug | May-July |
| Onion, spring | Feb-Oct | All Year |
| Pak choi | Jan & June-Aug | Sept-March & May-July |
| Peas | Jan-Feb & Aug-Sept | Apr-June |
| Pepper | Feb | July-Dec |
| Potato | Feb & Sept | April-Dec |
| Radish | Feb-Oct | All Year |
| Rocket | Feb-Sept | All Year |
| Spinach | Feb-May & Aug-Sept | All Year |
| Strawberry | Feb-April & July-Sept | Feb-Nov |
| Sweetcorn | April-May | July-Spet |
| Sweet Potato | Feb & Aug | Sept-Oct |
| Tomato | Feb-March | June-Nov |
| Turnip | Feb & July-Aug | Nov-May |
Produced exclusively for First Tunnels by Andy McKee and Mark Gatter – the best-selling authors of ‘How to grow food in your Polytunnel’ and ‘The Polytunnel Handbook’. See First Tunnels website for FREE downloadable Growing Guides which will take you through a whole 12 months of activity in your polytunnel. What you should be doing, what to look out for, maintenance and ideas to maximise your crops, PLUS… what to plant, pick and enjoy!
Sean Barker is the MD of First Tunnels, and is enthusiastic about providing quality gardening supplies to gardeners across the UK