scholarly journals Ornamental Kale as a Cut Flower under High Tunnels in the Southeastern United States

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 855-862
Author(s):  
Suzanne O’Connell
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Southeastern United States ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Planting Dates ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Color Changes ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Ornamental Kale

The potential to expand the production of ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) grown as a specialty cut flower in the southeastern United States appears promising, especially for the winter holidays. This 2-year replicated study investigated the effects of two fall plantings and three cultivars on ornamental kale yields grown under organic high tunnels. In addition to the production study, informal interviews of local florists were conducted. The earlier planting dates resulted in longer stem lengths (≥5 cm) and fewer days to harvest (≥5 days) across both seasons. Commercial stem length goals were not achieved (≥60 cm) but local florists did not appear to have the same standards (≥31 cm). The cultivars Crane Bicolor and Lucir White had longer stems and larger heads than Crane Red. Our high tunnel system provided favorable air temperatures for vegetative growth from late September through early November indicating an earlier planting date may be possible. Commonly accepted nighttime temperatures required to induce color changes occurred in early to mid-November during our study period.

scholarly journals Survival and Yields of Fall-planted Winter Sprouting Broccoli Grown in High Tunnels for Spring Harvest in the Northeastern United States

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifton A. Martin ◽  
Rebecca Grube Sideman
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Northeastern United States ◽  
Planting Dates ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Spring Crop ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Spring Harvest ◽  
White Star

Winter sprouting broccoli [WSB (Brassica oleracea var. italica)] is a biennial crop that is typically planted in the fall and harvested in the spring in the United Kingdom. To evaluate their suitability as an early spring crop in the northeastern United States, 10 cultivars of WSB were grown in replicated experiments inside an unheated high tunnel over 2 years in Durham, NH. Results showed that the use of a secondary low tunnel covered with heavy rowcover (1.25 oz/yard2) significantly increased winter survival, yields, and earliness of all WSB cultivars. Cultivars differed in terms of days to maturity, yields, and shoot quality. For September planting dates, broccoli shoots were harvested from March to early May. Across cultivars, days to harvest range from 190 to 216 days in 2008–09, and from 209 to 238 days in 2009–10. Season-long yields ranged from 150 to 238 g/plant. The cultivars, Santee, Red Spear, White Sprouting Early, and Late White Star, were among the highest yielding cultivars that produced attractive and tender shoots, spanning the entire harvest season. Our experiments established that fall plantings of WSB may be overwintered in an unheated high tunnel for a spring harvest in USDA Hardiness Zone 5 sites.

scholarly journals High Tunnel and Field System Comparison for Spring Organic Lettuce Production in Georgia

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (11) ◽  
pp. 1518-1524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theekshana C. Jayalath ◽  
George E. Boyhan ◽  
Elizabeth L. Little ◽  
Robert I. Tate ◽  
Suzanne O’Connell
Keyword(s):  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Romaine Lettuce ◽  
Planting Dates ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Average Relative Humidity ◽  
Disease Pressure ◽  
Tunnel System

High tunnels may help mitigate unfavorable climate and weather on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production leading to greater yields and quality, yet information for using these systems in the Southeast region is lacking. This study evaluated the effect of high tunnels and three planting dates (PDs) (early March, late-March, and mid-April) on spring organic lettuce production. A 25% to 36% increase in marketable fresh weight for butterhead and romaine lettuce, respectively, was observed under high tunnels compared with the field in 2016, but there was no difference among the two growing systems in 2015. High tunnel lettuce was harvested ≈2 to 7 days earlier than in the field in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Pest and disease pressure (e.g., Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) as well as the incidence of physiological disorders (i.e., bolting, tip burn, and undersized heads) were similar between the two systems indicating that our high tunnel system did not provide a benefit for these issues. High tunnel air temperatures were ≈3 to 5 °C greater on the coldest mornings and only 1 °C greater on the warmest days compared with the field. Average relative humidity (RH), leaf wetness, and light levels were all lower under the high tunnels. Our results indicate that high tunnels can help increase the production of spring organic lettuce in Georgia, but that the advantage may depend on yearly weather conditions.

scholarly journals Improving Snapdragon Cut Flower Production through High Tunnel Season Extension, Transplant Timing, and Cultivar Selection

HortScience ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 1206-1212
Author(s):  
Maegen Lewis ◽  
Melanie Stock ◽  
Brent Black ◽  
Dan Drost ◽  
Xin Dai
Keyword(s):  
High Elevation ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Cultivar Selection ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Season Extension ◽  
Long Stem ◽  
Advanced Production

The demand for locally grown, specialty cut flowers is increasing and now includes nontraditional regions for production, such as the U.S. Intermountain West. The objective of this study was to evaluate snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) as a cool season, cut flower crop in northern Utah, where the high elevation and semiarid climate result in a short growing season with strong daily temperature fluctuations. High tunnel and field production methods were trialed in North Logan, UT (41.77°N, 111.81°W, 1382 m elevation) with cultivars ‘Chantilly’, ‘Potomac’, and ‘Rocket’ in 2018 and 2019. Each year, five to six transplant timings at 3-week intervals were tested, beginning in early February in high tunnels and ending in late May in an unprotected field. Stems were harvested and graded according to quality and stem length. High tunnels advanced production by 5 to 8 weeks, whereas field harvests continued beyond the high tunnel harvests by 2 to 8 weeks. High tunnels yielded 103 to 110 total stems per m2 (65% to 89% marketability), whereas field yields were 111 to 162 total stems per m2 (34% to 58% marketability). Overall, production was the greatest with March transplant timings in the high tunnels and mid-April transplant timings in the field. ‘Chantilly’ consistently bloomed the earliest on 4 and 6 May each year, ‘Potomac’ had the highest percentage of long stem lengths, and ‘Rocket’ extended marketable stem production through July in high tunnels. Selecting optimal transplant dates in the high tunnel and field based on cultivar bloom timing maximizes marketable yields and results in a harvest window lasting 4.5 months.

scholarly journals Impact of Shade and Fogging on High Tunnel Production and Mineral Content of Organically Grown Lettuce, Basil, and Arugula in Georgia

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 625
Author(s):  
Savanah Laur ◽  
Andre Luiz Biscaia Ribeiro da Silva ◽  
Juan Carlos Díaz-Pérez ◽  
Timothy Coolong
Keyword(s):  
Mineral Content ◽  
Planting Date ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Lactuca Sativa L ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Shade Cloth ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Soil Temperatures ◽  
Organically Grown ◽  
The Impact

This study evaluated the impact of shade cloth and fogging systems on the microclimate at the plant canopy level and yield of basil (Oscimum basilicum L.), arugula (Eruca vesicaria subsp. Sativa L.), and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) planted in mid-September and early October in high tunnels. Fogging systems were installed at canopy level in plots within shaded (30%) and non-shaded high tunnels. Average air temperatures in the shaded high tunnels were 0.9 °C lower than non-shaded high tunnels during the day. Shade cloth significantly reduced soil temperatures during the day and night periods by 1.5 °C and 1.3 °C, respectively, compared to non-shaded treatments. Fogging systems did not have an impact on air temperature, soil temperature, or relative humidity, but did increase canopy leaf wetness. Shade and fogging did not impact the yield of any of the crops grown. Yield was impacted by planting date, with earlier planting result in higher yields of lettuce and basil. Yields for arugula were greater during the second planting date than the first. Planting date and shade cloth interacted to affect the concentrations of macronutrients.

Season, sowing date, and row cover influences the production of cool season vegetables in movable high tunnels

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 528-536
Author(s):  
David A. Baumbauer ◽  
Macdonald H. Burgess
Keyword(s):  
Sowing Date ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Cool Season ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Leafy Greens ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Seeding Date ◽  
Northern Latitudes ◽  
Growing Degree Hours ◽  
High Tunnels

Moveable high tunnels offer the possibility of increasing the number of crops harvested from a given piece of ground in northern latitudes where there is a short growing season. In an effort to expand crop scheduling options, three leafy greens and three root vegetables were grown in the spring in a movable high tunnel, and in the fall were sown outside and the tunnel was moved over the crops in late September. The effects of seeding date and addition of row cover were further explored on fresh weight and days to harvest. Using row cover within the high tunnel increased growing degree hours (GDH) by an average of 29% in the spring and 17% in the fall over a high tunnel without row cover. Soil degree hours (SDH) in the high tunnel with row cover increased an average of 9% in the spring and 12% in the fall over the high tunnel without row cover. The addition of row cover increased yield of leafy greens and turnip by an average of 35% in spring 2018 when the outside air temperature was considerably below average. Early-seeded fall leafy greens out-yielded late-seeded by 52% due to the ability to make a second harvest. Using row cover within the high tunnel increased GDH and SDH during both spring and fall seasons and increased the yield of cool season vegetables when outside air temperatures were considerably below average.

scholarly journals Evaluation of an Irrigation Scheduling Model for Drip-irrigated Potato in Southeastern United States

HortScience ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Simonne ◽  
Nadia Ouakrim ◽  
Arnold Caylor
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Southeastern United States ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Irrigation Scheduling ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Planting Dates

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is often produced as a nonirrigated crop in the southeastern United States. This practice makes tuber yields dependent on rainfall pattern and amount. An irrigation scheduling method based on a water balance and daily class A pan evaporation (Ep) was evaluated during 1996 and 1998 on a Hartsells fine sandy loam soil for `Red LaSoda' potatoes. Planting dates were 9 and 7 Apr. in 1996 and 1998, respectively, and standard production practices were followed each year. The model tested was (13 DAH + 191) * 0.5 ASW = D DAH-1 + [Ep * (0.12 + 0.023 DAH - 0.00019 DAH2) - RDAH - IDAH], where DAH was days after hilling, ASW was available soil water (0.13 mm/mm), D was soil water deficit (mm), R was rainfall (mm), and I was irrigation (mm). Controlled levels of water application ranging between 0% and 200% of the model rate were created with drip tapes. Four and seven irrigations were scheduled in 1996 and 1998, respectively. For both years, no interaction between irrigation regime and nitrogen rate was observed. Irrigation rate significantly influenced total yield and marketable yield (R2 > 0.88, P < 0.01). Highest total yields occurred at 99% and 86% of the model rate in 1996 and 1998, respectively. These results show that supplementing rainfall with irrigation and controlling the amount of water applied by adjusting irrigation to actual weather conditions increased potato marketable yield. Over the 2-year period of the study, an average additional profit of $563/ha/year was calculated from costs and returns due to irrigation, suggesting that drip-irrigation may be economical for potato production.

scholarly journals (84) Producing Cut Flowers in High Tunnels and Open Fields

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 1067D-1067
Author(s):  
H. Chris Wien
Keyword(s):  
Warm Season ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
Eustoma Grandiflorum ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Season Extension ◽  
Choice Of Species

Flowering plants grown and marketed locally as cut flowers have become economically important in recent years, concentrating on species that are too delicate to ship long distances. Although the bulk of this production is done outdoors, extending the season at both ends by using high tunnels (unheated greenhouse structures covered with a single layer of polyethylene), has become popular. To determine the advantages and drawbacks of using high tunnels as season extension structures for cut flowers, variety trials of seven and four flower species were conducted in 2004 and 2005, respectively, both in a high tunnel and in an adjacent field. In the cool, rainy 2004 season, plants in the tunnel were ready for harvest 20 days sooner than the same varieties outside. Outside plants had 25% more stems than tunnel-grown plants, but there was no difference in average stem length. In the dry, warm season of 2005, tunnel-grown plants were 8 days earlier, and had 58% more stems, which were increased in length by 16% over field-grown plants. Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) and snapdragons (Antirrhinum) were grown in both seasons, and gave similar results both times. Tunnel-grown lisianthus showed a 34% increase in stems per plant, and an 8% increase in stem length, and the stems could be harvested 8 days earlier. Snapdragons were 9 days earlier in the tunnel both years, but tunnel-grown plants produced 22% fewer stems. Disease and insect pressures occurred in both locations, but pest species causing problems differed. With careful choice of species to be grown in tunnels, cut flower production in this environment can be optimized.

scholarly journals Freeze Risk and Protection Measures of Satsuma Mandarins Grown in the Southeastern United States

HortScience ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert C. Ebel ◽  
Monte Nesbitt ◽  
William A. Dozier ◽  
Fenny Dane
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Southeastern United States ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Chain Stores ◽  
Severity Of Injury ◽  
Full Production ◽  
Cold Tolerant ◽  
To Come ◽  
Northern Fringe

The northern fringe of the Gulf of Mexico has an excellent climate for growing high-quality satsumas that are available in U.S. retail chain stores before most other citrus. In part because of high fruit quality, satsuma mandarin production grew into a major industry in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and the panhandle of Florida in the early 1900s. Freeze protection measures were not sufficient to prevent devastation of the industry by severe freezes. For the period encompassing the late 1900s, freeze risk was estimated using a mathematical approach that determined killing temperature based on air temperature. Freeze injury was determined to occur 1 out of every 4 years on average, although the freezes tended to come in clusters that have as yet not been correlated with long-term climate patterns. Within-tree microsprinkler irrigation, which was not available in the early 1900s, has been shown to reduce the severity of injury. Within-tree microsprinkler irrigation allows full production the year after the freeze, whereas unprotected trees must be grown from the base or replanted. The northerly geographical limit in the southeastern United States whereby satsumas can be successfully grown commercially is currently not known. Methods of protecting the entire tree, including overtree microsprinkler irrigation plus windbreaks and high tunnel houses, are being evaluated. More cold-tolerant satsuma cultivars have been selected, but they reduce freeze risk by at most 2 °C in this region compared with current commercial cultivars. Genetic modification is one possible mechanism for improving cold tolerance sufficiently to reduce freeze risk similar to that of the citrus industry in Florida.

scholarly journals Soil Solarization in High Tunnels in the Semiarid Southwestern United States

HortScience ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (9) ◽  
pp. 1165-1170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Hanson ◽  
Tilak Mahato ◽  
Ursula K. Schuch
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Soil Solarization ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Base Temperature ◽  
Southwestern United States ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Adverse Weather ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Soil Temperatures

High tunnels are unheated structures covered with polyethylene (PE) glazing to protect high-value crops from adverse weather. The objective of this study was to raise soil temperatures to determine the efficacy of soil solarization using clear mulch on the soil surface and glazing or no glazing on a high tunnel during the hottest months of the year in the semiarid southwestern United States. Solarization trials were conducted in May and June 2013 in two high tunnels in southern Arizona. Highest soil temperatures were reached with the combination of a high tunnel covered with glazing and the soil covered with PE mulch. Average daily soil temperatures were 48 and 47 °C and average degree hours (DH) per day (base temperature 45 °C) were over 14 at soil depths of 5 and 15 cm. The average daily maximum soil temperature at 5- and 15-cm depth was 63.4 and 52 °C, respectively. The second highest soil temperatures were reached when the soil was covered with PE mulch without high tunnel glazing, which resulted per day in 5.2 DH above 45 °C at 5 cm and less than one DH at 15-cm depth. Glazing on the high tunnel without covering the soil surface raised soil temperatures only at the 5-cm depth above 45 °C, but not further down. High tunnel producers in the low desert areas in the southwestern United States can complete solarization in less than 1 week, depending on the organism to be controlled, when the soil is fallow during the summer months with glazing on the high tunnel and on the soil surface.

scholarly journals Trends in Soil Quality Under High Tunnels

HortScience ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 1534-1538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon J.B. Knewtson ◽  
Rhonda Janke ◽  
M.B. Kirkham ◽  
Kimberly A. Williams ◽  
Edward E. Carey
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Particulate Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
The United States ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
High Tunnels

Growers have indicated that changes in soil quality under production in high tunnels is an important problem, but these have not yet been quantified or critically assessed in the central Great Plains of the United States. We conducted surveys of grower perceptions of soil quality in their tunnels (n = 81) and compared selected soil quality indicators (salinity and particulate organic matter carbon) under high tunnels of varying ages with those of adjacent fields at sites in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa in the United States. Fourteen percent of growers surveyed considered soil quality to be a problem in their high tunnels, and there were significant correlations between grower perceptions of soil quality problems and reported observations of clod formation and surface crusting and to a lesser extent surface mineral deposition. Grower perception of soil quality and grower observation of soil characteristics were not related to high tunnel age. Soil surface salinity was elevated in some high tunnels compared with adjacent fields but was not related to time under the high tunnel. In the soil upper 5 cm, salinity in fields did not exceed 2 dS·m−1 and was less than 2 dS·m−1 under 74% of high tunnels and less than 4 dS·m−1 in 97% of high tunnels. The particulate organic matter carbon fraction was higher in high tunnels than adjacent fields at 73% of locations sampled. Particulate organic matter carbon measured 0.11 to 0.67 g particulate organic matter per g of the total carbon under high tunnels sampled. Particulate organic matter carbon in the soil was also not correlated to age of high tunnel. Soil quality as measured in this study was not negatively impacted by use of high tunnel structures over time.

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