What To Plant In Your Polytunnel or Greenhouse in June

Broad beans early June

June really is boom-time in the polytunnel or greenhouse and everything is growing like crazy. If you are lucky the weather outside will be glorious but inside the polytunnel or greenhouse, the heat is something that has to be carefully managed. It is now more vital than ever to pay close attention to ventilation and as plants begin to take over the space, it is vitally important to make sure that they do not become too crowded and that there is still good airflow around all the various plants. As tempting as it is, try to resist the urge to cram in too much at the beginning of the month or by the end of it you will be regretting the decision, as you struggle to find your path in an overgrown jungle that could be teetering on the brink of a mildewy disaster.


Polytunnel in JuneThat said, if you have planned well and planted earlier in the year, June is a time when you will really be reaping the rewards. There are plenty of things to harvest – from first early potatoes, to broad beans, to mange tout and peas, not to mention the salad crops that can be plentiful and are growing so quickly at this time of year. You may even be getting your first cucumber, first courgette, even your first tomatoes are possible by the end of the month. Once you have got all the summer plants into the greenhouse or polytunnel this is really more of a month for harvesting rather than planting when it comes to crops grown undercover.


While summer crops under cover begin to come into their own, you should pay close attention to pollination. Especially undercover, it is important to make sure that you attract enough pollinating insects, as well as those other predatory insects which will help keep pests at bay. Two good flowers to consider giving space to in the polytunnel are marigolds and nasturtiums. Marigolds are well known as a beneficial companion plant and though they take up a lot of space once grown, a nasturtium can be a really useful trap crop, keeping pests from squash and cucumber plants and members of that family. As an extra bonus, nasturtiums are also great in a salad, both the flowers and the leaves and the seeds are a substitute for capers.


By Sow and SoDo not get too complacent in June. Though much of your work will be grazing and harvesting, undercover crops will definitely need a lot of watering. Reduce water need through mulching and by layering crops but make sure you do not let the soil dry out too much.


If you have tomatoes in your greenhouse or polytunnel, remove side shoots to allow the plant to focus on fruit production and feed plants with a high potash plant food. Other plants will also benefit from a feed of one kind or another at this time of year, to give them a bit of a boost.