Getting Started
Are you considering investing in a polytunnel?
At Haygrove, we’re here to help you find the perfect solution for your growing needs. In this guide, you’ll discover everything you need to make an informed choice.
If you need personalised advice or can’t find the information you’re looking for, feel free to call us on 0800 255 0875 or use our contact form – we’re always happy to help!
Why Choose a Haygrove Garden Tunnel?
Haygrove Garden Tunnels are designed with the same precision and quality as our commercial-grade polytunnels, trusted worldwide. Here’s why they’re a great choice for your garden:
Choosing the Right Polytunnel for You
Finding the perfect polytunnel depends on several factors. Here’s what to consider:
Size Options
Haygrove Garden Tunnels come in three widths:
- 3m Wide Polytunnels – For smaller gardens, available in lengths from 4 to 14 metres.
- 4m Wide Polytunnels – For bigger gardens, with lengths ranging from 4 to 20 metres.
- 5m Wide Polytunnels – For large gardens or gardening businesses, available in lengths from 4 to 12 metres.
Top tip: Choose the largest size your space and budget allow for. Our customers often wish they had gone bigger!
Access and Ventilation
Would you prefer one or two doors?
- Single Door – Standard on all tunnels for easy access.
- Double Doors – Optional upgrade to add door at the other end for enhanced ventilation.
- Accessibility – All doors are 1m wide, suitable for wheelchairs and wheelbarrows.
Rainwater Gutters
Looking to be more water-efficient?
- Optional gutters allow you to harvest rainwater into a water butt for sustainable irrigation.
- Better for the environment, your plants, and your water bill!
- Gutters also add stability to the polytunnel’s structure.
- Note: Must be installed during initial construction or when re-covering the tunnel.
Potting Tables
Maximise space and convenience with our hinge-up potting table, designed to clip onto the internal steel sidewalls.
- Easy to assemble and store away.
- Prevents shadowing, ensuring optimal light for your plants.
- Provides a generous working area of 1.94m x 0.7m.
Construction or Self-Build?
You can either build the polytunnel yourself or choose our professional construction service:
- Self-Build – Comes with a detailed manual; allow two days for assembly with at least two people.
- Professional Installation – We’ll arrange a convenient date after your purchase and complete the build in under a day.
Benefits of Using a Polytunnel
A polytunnel offers several advantages that help you maximise your garden’s potential:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Get in touch with us through the contact form below.
How long do polytunnels last?
This very much depends on the quality of the frame and covers. Many polytunnels use wood in their frames and these will rot over time. Haygrove Garden Tunnels only use galvanised steel and so the frames will last at least 20 years. Similarly, covers vary greatly in strength and durability. Haygrove Garden Tunnels use a unique woven material that is super resistant to wind and UV degradation.
Do polytunnels need full sun?
Polytunnels can benefit from full sun, but partial shade can work for cooler weather crops, especially during summer months. It is important to have a diffusing material for the cover to reduce scorch on hot days. The unique woven polythene cover on a Haygrove Garden Tunnel diffuses the light for an even distribution throughout the Garden Tunnel. By diffusing the light the Haygrove cover also regulates the temperature to prevent heat spikes.
Can you grow veg all year round in a polytunnel?
Yes, with a polytunnel, you can grow vegetables year-round, especially with cold-hardy crops in winter and heat-loving plants in summer. Growing in a polytunnel allows you to manipulate the conditions to create the ideal growing climate for your plants. This allows polytunnel gardeners to grow fruits, vegetables and flowers earlier and later than would be typically possible outside.
Do I need planning permission for a polytunnel in my garden?
Planning permission is generally not required for domestic polytunnels, but local rules may vary, so checking with your council is advised. The Haygrove Garden Tunnel does not use concrete foundations and so generally is not regarded to be a permanent structure. Instead it is secured to the ground by 80cm steel anchors,
Are polytunnels bad for the environment?
Polytunnels can have environmental impacts due to plastic use and disposal. Choosing high quality materials and recycling covers helps mitigate this. Growing your own produce without the use of chemicals is environmentally beneficial. The unique woven cover on a Haygrove polytunnel is durable, and can prevent early or frequent replacements of covers.
What to do with a polytunnel in winter?
Many of our customers grow vegetables and salads year round. Due to its strength the Haygrove Garden Tunnel is designed to be used year round. Using our experience of over 30 years in polytunnels, our engineers have designed a superbly strong structure using industrial-grade materials. All the steel is galvanised and our polythene cover is a unique woven material. Haygrove Garden Tunnels are built for the long term!
Can you grow everything in a polytunnel?
Most vegetables, fruits, and flowers can thrive in a polytunnel, although some root vegetables may not require indoor protection. Growing in a Haygrove Garden Tunnel allows you to manipulate the conditions to create the ideal growing climate for your plants. This allows polytunnel gardeners to grow fruits, vegetables and flowers earlier and later than would be typically possible outside.
Where is the best place to put a polytunnel?
This is a very personal decision and will depend on the size and aspect of your garden. The Haygrove Garden Tunnel is an incredibly strong tunnel meaning that it can be positioned in almost any location, be it sheltered or exposed. Giving it some shelter from the prevailing wind will certainly help reduce wear on the covers. But the key thing is to put it in a position that works for you and your garden. Do not worry too much if the tunnel has tress around it. The diffusing covers mean that there will be ample light to grow your crops. It is also possible to position the tunnel on a slope as long as there is not too much undulation.
How do I keep my polytunnel warm at night?
You can use thermal covers, water-filled containers to retain heat, and insulation to keep your polytunnel warm at night. Closing the doors and sealing your polytunnel traps heat inside the tunnel and in extreme conditions heaters can be placed inside a polytunnel to further raise the temperature. Side venting on the Haygrove Garden Tunnel gives you extra control over your polytunnel climate.
Do you need raised beds in a polytunnel?
It is important to decide if you want to grow in the soil or in raised beds or a combination of the two. If you are growing in the soil then the only thing we would recommend is putting a metre wide strip of heavy duty ground cover down on the outside of your Haygrove Garden Tunnel, and place the frame on top of this. This allows you to keep the area around the Garden Tunnel weed free and away from mowers and strimmer’s! If you are going to be growing in raised beds then we recommend a complete sheet of ground cover being put down and the tunnel build on top of this.
What to look for when buying a polytunnel?
Most importantly ensure that the frame is strong enough to resist the worst of the UK winds. We get a lot of customers who have bought a cheap tunnel and it has blown away in the first storm. At Haygrove Garden Tunnels, using our experience of over 30 years in polytunnels, our engineers have designed a superbly strong structure using industrial-grade materials. We build them in some of the harshest UK conditions and they do not let us down!
What do you put on the floor of a polytunnel?
Polytunnel floors can be covered with gravel, mulch, weed matting, or left as soil, depending on drainage and crop needs. It is important to decide if you want to grow in the soil or in raised beds or a combination of the two. If you are growing in the soil then the only thing we would recommend is putting a metre wide strip of heavy duty ground cover down on the outside of the Haygrove Garden Tunnel, and place the frame on top of this. This allows you to keep the area around the tunnel weed free and away from mowers and strimmer’s! If you are going to be growing in raised beds then we recommend a complete sheet of ground cover being put down and the tunnel build on top of this.
What is the best layout for a polytunnel?
Maximise space with rows or beds that allow access to all plants. Leave room for pathways and ensure ventilation areas are unobstructed. Haygrove Garden Tunnels are uniquely A-framed polytunnels. The 2m side height ensures you are maximising the growing space inside your polytunnel. Perfect for tall plants, and tall people!
Get in touch
Looking for some more information or after a quote? Fill in the contact form below and a member of our team will be in touch as soon as possible to assist you!