THE GUIDE LIBRARY
Make room for a useful plan.
Plan your space and budget, prepare supplier questions, and keep records you can use next season.
Start with your task
Choose space and compare costs
Draw the layout you want to discuss, then compare the contents and costs of quotes.
Plan beds over time
Check a planting grid, reserve its space on a calendar and prepare your seed order.
Use records and reusable worksheets
Keep useful notes, prepare a parts request or download blank planning sheets.
Ready to use
These reviewed guides cover original planning calculations, budgeting and record-keeping methods. They do not provide verified maker specifications or growing recommendations.
Start here: your polytunnel planning checklist (UK)
Work from the space you can use to written quote questions, then organise a growing plan and its records.
AI-reviewed guide choosing / 02What size polytunnel: plan beds and paths (UK)
Use a simple bed-and-path drawing to calculate its footprint, then ask a supplier about the exact model's usable space.
AI-reviewed guide choosing / 03Compare polytunnel bed layouts before you choose
Compare two bed-and-path footprints in the size calculator, then check a drawing against your plot and supplier information.
AI-reviewed guide growing / 04Planting positions in a bed: worked spacing examples (UK)
Count a rectangular bed grid with spacing you have already chosen, including spare space and a rotated layout.
AI-reviewed guide care / 05Replacing a polytunnel cover: prepare a supplier request (UK)
Organise the frame records, replacement parts and open questions before asking for a written quotation.
AI-reviewed guide choosing / 06Build a polytunnel budget from the whole quote
A practical worksheet for comparing polytunnel quotes, separating confirmed costs from unknowns and keeping optional purchases visible.
AI-reviewed guide growing / 07Keep a polytunnel growing diary you can use next season
A simple growing diary with a bed map, a reusable record table and a worked example for turning observations into next season's questions.
AI-reviewed guide growing / 08Make a polytunnel bed calendar and spot overlapping plans
Allocate named beds to dated planting plans, find booking clashes and keep uncertain dates visible with a worked fictional calendar.
AI-reviewed guide growing / 09Printable polytunnel planning worksheets
Four reusable blank worksheets for recording a polytunnel budget, growing diary, bed calendar and seed order.
AI-reviewed guide growing / 10Turn your polytunnel plan into a seed order
Build a seed shopping list from chosen quantities, subtract recorded stock and round up packet counts without treating seeds as guaranteed plants.
AI-reviewed guideWork it out
Use your own dimensions and chosen spacings. Each calculator explains its assumptions.
Polytunnel cover calculator: estimate a roof sheet (UK)
Estimate a half-ellipse roof sheet from width, length, height and an edge allowance.
Open calculator / 02Polytunnel planting planner: make a bed grid (UK)
Use your chosen crop spacings to count plant spaces and print a simple plan.
Open calculator / 03Polytunnel size calculator: plan your footprint (UK)
Turn bed dimensions, path width and door position into a layout footprint.
Open calculatorBrowse by topic
- Choosing a tunnel4 reviewed guides
- Siting & building0 reviewed guides
- Planning & rules0 reviewed guides
- Growing under cover5 reviewed guides
- Care & repair1 reviewed guide
- Comparisons0 reviewed guides
Research drafts (12)
These pages still need research or editorial review. They are not finished advice.
- Cheap polytunnels: decide what would make one worthwhile (UK)
- How to anchor a polytunnel: start with the maker (UK)
- Polytunnel base boards: check your model's requirements (UK)
- Polytunnel comparison checklist: usable space, access and repairability
- Polytunnel in winter: plan beds, plant holding and ongoing care (UK)
- Polytunnel planning permission: prepare a council enquiry (UK)
- Polytunnel ventilation and watering: plan a clear care routine (UK)
- Polytunnel vs greenhouse: compare the job, not the label (UK)
- Polytunnels in windy gardens: questions for your site (UK)
- Polytunnels on allotments: check site rules before ordering (UK)
- Walk-in polytunnels: check access before choosing (UK)
- What to grow in a polytunnel: shortlist crop ideas (UK)