[Headgardener22]

I've a 20ft x 10ft polytunnel which has previously been dedicated to growing tomatoes. However, the kids have all left home and the last couple of years, we've had lots more tomatoes than we can eat, store or preserve. My plan is grow something else in half the tunnel but not sure what. (We also have a greenhouse where we grow peppers and cucumbers and an allotment where we grow all the "standard" things like courgettes, potatoes, brassicas, peas & beans). Any suggestions welcomed.

[New shoot]

If you have all the veg you need growing elsewhere, I think I would be tempted to grow fruit in there - figs, grapes, peaches, melons and the like.

Sunshineband and I visited Wisley not so long ago and they had a polytunnel up at the top entrance to the fruit field, full of figs shaped into small standards, plus peaches and nectarines trained onto fan shaped supports.  In the model fruit garden, they had a greenhouse full of melons as well.

Both were spectacular.  The trees were in large pots and were full of fruit.   The melons were also growing in pots and fed by a drip irrigation system.  They were trained up canes and wires and had several large fruits each.  We were both wanting a large polytunnel after seeing them 

You can't get to it anymore, but when the old glasshouses were open, one of the smaller growing houses at the back had a huge vine trained into the roof.  It was always dripping with bunches of grapes and was similarly envy enducing 

[AlaninCarlisle]

I use mine for very early strawberries, sweetcorn, grapes, carrots, butternut squash, cucumbers and peppers. Also great for growing better, cleaner celeriac, celery, carrots and beetroot. Grew some great dwarf French beans in it too, Ready months before the outside ones

[Headgardener22]

Thanks guys. Fruit sounds like a good idea, I'll try some melons and have a go at early French Beans. I've tried carrots before with little success but then I was trying to fit them around the tomatoes so perhaps that's also a goer.