Polytunnel salad and veg grower

Local cafes and restaurants, farm shops, greengrocers, market shoppers and households buying direct.

Selling by the bag, bunch or kilo to regular customers, through a market stall, veg box, honesty stall or weekly orders from local food businesses.

• Growing plants and planning crops
• Patience and daily attention to detail
• Selling and building local contacts

• Planning permission may be needed for polytunnels on some land, check with your local council
• If you rent land, check the tenancy allows growing and structures
• If you sell food direct, check whether you need to register with your local council as a food business
• Public liability insurance if customers visit or you sell at markets
• Weather, pests and disease can wipe out a crop, so spread your risk across several crops

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on the number of polytunnels, the land you use, and your seeds, compost and tools. Treat this as an estimate and price up your set-up first.

Monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £1,500, depending on your crops, the size of your growing space and who you sell to. Weather, pests and disease can hit a crop, so spread your risk.

Check whether planning permission is needed for polytunnels with your local council, and whether a rented plot's tenancy allows growing and structures. If you sell food direct, check whether you must register as a food business, and consider public liability insurance.