The start of a new year is usually the time for a lot of us to look at making lifestyle changes, be that going to the gym, a diet plan, or just simply vowing to eat healthier from now on. Everyone knows that fruit and vegetables are the key to eating a healthier diet, but you can go a step further by growing your own produce. 

When talking about growing seasons, no-one would expect you to be planting crops in the midst of winter. This is where polytunnels come in handy as there are so many things you can be doing now to help towards a flourishing garden throughout the year.

Irrigation systems are a sure-fire way to ensure that your crops are watered an appropriate amount and within their specific requirements, particularly if your irrigation system is set up with a timer. Which is why it makes perfect sense to apply your fertiliser in the same way.

With the temperatures dropping every day at this time of year, it is important to make sure that your plants are still getting the warmth they need to grow. Propagators and heaters for your polytunnels are excellent ways of helping your plants along at various stages of their lives.

In Northdown Park in Margate a small community garden project is starting to make a real difference to peoples’ lives.

In an ideal world we would all spend every minute of the day in our polytunnels, trying to get the most out of our crops. However, if this isn’t an option, you need to know that your plants are taken care of when you are not around. This is why a proper irrigation and ventilation system is important.

It is undeniable that more and more people are combatting the large supermarket chains and becoming more self-sufficient; Raised beds are the perfect solution, allowing even a concrete yard to be turned into a flourishing vegetable patch. 

Did you know that over two thirds of strawberries in the UK are now grown here rather than overseas, approximately 90% of those strawberries are grown in polytunnels and Northern Polytunnels supplies the UK’s top strawberry growers.

An undeniable trend in recent years is that more and more people are wanting to become self-sufficient and take pride in growing their own fruit and veg in their own space. The question still remains though: is it better to do this in a polytunnel or a greenhouse?

One of the most important factors to consider when growing produce in polytunnels is ventilation.Proper ventilation for your polytunnel is crucial to getting the most out of your crops.