what i can grow in a polytunnel now pls advice pls

[gunners71uk]

so what can i do in the polytunnel is it too cold to sow toms chilis etc its not heated could i sow spring onions carrots beetroot lettuce now ? just a few of each in polytunnel ?? going to sowome spuds soon please help me im a polytunnel virgin lol we put the polytunnels up at weekend there not heated

[boboff]

Hi

The commonly understood wisdom is pollytunnels start a month to 6 weeks early and go on a month to six weeks later than outside.

So when looking at outside stuff, come back a month, and thats what you can do in the polytunnel. So your past the worst at the end of April.

Early spuds, onions, garlic, parsnip, broad beans, some lettuce I suspect would all be ok.

Start off your Toms indoors for now, then they can go out in a month or so.

I have tunnel envy though, so I might be wrong!

[Odsox]

Spring onions, carrots, beetroot and lettuce should be fine although I would start lettuce off indoors and transplant them later.
Broad beans near the door (as they need bees), try Sutton variety, they are short and VERY productive in a tunnel. Early peas, they don't need bees so can be further in and Mange Tout peas can be grown from now till November in succession.
I find it important to choose pea and beans that are shorter varieties as I have found that they grow nearly twice as tall as outside, I have had 3 foot variety of peas reach the roof.
Also you can sow Summer Cabbage, Cauliflower, Calabrese and use the tunnel as a protected seed bed, either grow them outside later or transplant in the tunnel for an early crop.
Strawberries are another option, bare rooted ones can still be bought and will give you ripe fruit in May.