Going Under Cover… The Pleasure of Polytunnels!

With the British climate able to be termed ‘average’ at best, gardeners in the UK look for any help they can when it comes to growing fruit and vegetables.  If, like me, your garden resides in the Peak District on the outskirts of Manchester, then this help is needed even more than usual!

Polytunnels offer a flexible and versatile space to grow fruit, vegetables and plants.  Due to the build and construction, they tend to offer a greater height and more room than greenhouses, helping gardeners who are focused on yield and production – certainly of interest to those seeking a more self-sufficient lifestyle!

The majority of people use polytunnels to help them vegetables, with nearly 4 in 5 users growing potatoes, carrots, cauliflowers, lettuce, chard, onions, sprouts in their polytunnels.  But polytunnels are also increasingly used by British gardeners to grow fruit such as strawberries, melons, tomatoes, peppers and squashes (yes, they are fruit!) amongst others.

Interestingly enough, 90% of British strawberries are grown in polytunnels, which allows us to extend the British season from early spring to late autumn.  Polytunnels also make excellent environments for growing plants, with the added warmth helping gardeners to grow varieties that may otherwise struggle in the British climate.

Now, you may be thinking that polytunnels are vast constructions that exist in long rows on commercial growing properties.  And while you’re right, it’s important to note that polytunnels are actually becoming more important to the everyday gardener.  From 6 ft wide to a whopping 30ft wide(!), Premier Polytunnels supplies a wide range of polytunnels, catering for the commercial grower to the humble vegetable gardener.

So what is the benefit of a polytunnel to fans of the London Vegetable Garden?  Firstly, they offer more room and height than many conventional greenhouses.  They are affordable and high-quality and offer the flexibility that greenhouses cannot.  A wide range of accessories, quality materials and workmanship ensure that gardeners can install a roomy polytunnel that fits in the garden nicely, giving shelter and storage for fruit, plants, vegetables and flowers all year round.

The following infographic highlights the different uses for polytunnels – we like the thought of housing sheep in there, too!

For more information and to explore polytunnels in more detail, please visit Premier Polytunnels today!