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Growing Under Cover Growing Under Cover A Guide to Polytunnel Options for Kansas Growers Growing Under Cover A Guide to Polytunnel Options for Kansas Growers A Kansas Rural Center publication prepared by Dan Phelps “I think that the more research one does before investing in a tunnel the better. I feel my investment has not been fully utilized. The tunnel can become a burden when not properly managed. I think scrupulous guidance would be helpful. Asking the difficult questions would have given me a more realistic look at what it means to own and operate a specialty crop operation with a tunnel.”* *All italicized quotes in this guide come from experienced Kansas growers who responded to KRC’s 2014 High Tunnel Survey. Growing Under Cover was produced as part of KRC’s Tunnel to Table Program. Cover photo courtesy of The Red Tractor Farm (www.theredtractorfarm.com). Funding for Growing Under Cover & KRC’s Tunnel to Table program was provided by: KRC Tunnel to Table program team: Julie Mettenburg, KRC Executive Director – Program Director Cole Cottin, KRC Program Coordinator – Program Manager Joanna Voigt, KRC Communications Coordinator – Editor Dan Phelps, MAD Farm – Lead Researcher and Writer Kim Scherman – Graphic Designer Suggested citation: Phelps, Dan, November 2014. Growing Under Cover: A Guide to Polytunnel Options for Kansas Growers, a Kansas Rural Center publication, Topeka, KS. URL: http://kansasruralcenter.org/growing-under-cover. Copyright © 2014 Guide designed by Kim Scherman ([email protected], (785) 218-9488). Growing Under Cover: A Guide to Polytunnel Options for Kansas Growers Table of Contents Polytunnel Options: A Comparative Chart - 1 Polytunnel Terminology - 3 Types of Polytunnels 3 Anatomy of a High Tunnel 3 High Tunnel Benefits and Challenges - 4 Benefits of High Tunnel Production 4 Challenges and Potential Solutions 5 Still Interested? 9 High Tunnel Considerations - 10 Purchasing a High Tunnel 10 Constructing a High Tunnel 12 Maintaining a High Tunnel 15 Planting Strategies for High Tunnels 16 Low Tunnel Basics - 17 Polytunnel Resource List - 19 Introduction to Growing Under Cover Polytunnels, such as high or low tunnels, offer growers innovative tools to extend the growing season, help reduce risk, and increase yields, while mitigating extreme and “normal” Kansas weather conditions across all seasons. However, plastic-covered tunnels are no silver-bullet solution. They require significant financial investment, can be labor intensive to manage, and may be damaged or destroyed by extreme weather such as high winds, heavy snow, or hail. The following guide offers practical information and resources to assist Kansas growers in avoiding common mistakes and tunnel disaster, in order to maximize their return on investment. Growing Under Cover, written by Dan Phelps, researcher & educator for KRC’s specialty crop programs, reflects input from more than 60 experienced Kansas high tunnel growers who responded to the Kansas Rural Center’s High Tunnel Survey in 2014. 1 Polytunnel Options: A Comparative Chart High Tunnel, High Tunnel, Movable Multibay Low Tunnel: Low Tunnel: Caterpillar Kit Homemade High Tunnel High Tunnel plastic cover & row cover & Tunnel (stationary) (stationary) metal hoops wire hoops 12’-30’ wide On smaller side 30’ X 96’ max Half acre minimum 4’-6’ wide 2’-4’ wide Smaller than X of high tunnel purchase (4’ covers one bed, (width easier high tunnels. 30’ X 48’ is a common size 24’-192’ long dimensions, (Haygrove) 6’ can cover two 2.5’ to adjust than S typically Whereas a stationary 30’ X 48’ beds with 1’ paths) metal hoops) Custom built, 30’ X 96’ is a structure covers 1,440 square feet, so size varies. (12’ wide Quick <50’ length <50’ length I common a movable tunnel of the same size (12’ wide Hoop Benders recommended for high recommended commercial (moved three times annually) Quick Hoop Z available at wind regions, but for high wind size covers 4,320 square feet – just not Benders Johnny’s Select length is customizable regions, but E all at once. available at Seeds) length is Johnny’s customizable Select Seeds) $2 to $3 per Depends on -$2.50 to $4 per square foot for $0.75 to $1.25 per $0.25 to $0.75 per >$0.10 per $0.50 to $1.50 square foot materials used skid system kit square foot square foot square foot per square C for basics (not including labor) (not including labor) (not including foot / (~ $1.50 per -$3 to $4.50 per square foot for labor) (PVC hoops O up to $6 per square foot for V-trak system kit are much S square foot materials if cheaper, but for a higher using Johnny’s (compared to $2 to $3 range for won’t last T quality tunnel Quick Hoops stationary high tunnel kits (left)) nearly as long plan costs.) as metal) Any crop grown in the field can Same as stationary high tunnels, Best suited crops Plastic-covered low Row cover is Same as grow in a high tunnel, although but with these advantages: include: tunnels are best appropriate stationary it is important to grow high-value -Warm season suited for cool season for any crop. high tunnels. -No seasonal conflict. crops & crops that benefit most in annuals (fruits, crops, extending the -Offers a protected growing space in order -Soil health benefits from vegetables, & season into the winter temporary to justify the infrastructure cost. occasional exposure to rain flowers) and overwintering way to -Warm season crops: The most -Perennials tolerant some crops. Hardy C -Many crops benefit from being protect crops common is tomatoes. Cucumbers of winter conditions greens are more outdoors during certain periods from cold R & peppers also common. successful, such as of growth. (Examples: Cool temperatures -Cool season crops include a Most common crops spinach, kale, collards, O season crops established in tunnels or frost variety of greens and root crops. in the late winter/early spring grown include: & some Asian greens. -Effective at P Salad mix, baby greens, spinach, appreciate cooler outdoor -Tomatoes Can also help increasing and herbs are reported to be the temperatures in the early summer. -Small fruits (rasp-/ establish any warm S season crop plant growth highest value crops. Fall crops benefit from being black-/ blue-/ straw- , -Small fruits ex: by increasing ( raspberries, established in cooler soil outdoors, berries) protecting them from average blackberries, & strawberries) and when the summer temperatures in -Fruit trees late frosts & -Cut flowers temperature are also profitable tunnels may prevent germination.) (especially cherries) increasing the average and benefit greatly from high temp. Plastic removed tunnels. once temps. stabilize. Growing Under Cover: A Guide to Polytunnel Options for Kansas Growers High Tunnel, High Tunnel, Movable Multibay Low Tunnel: Low Tunnel: Caterpillar Tunnel Kit Homemade High Tunnel High Tunnel plastic cover row cover -Season extension -Can be -No seasonal -Low cost per -Low cost -Low cost -Low cost cheaper, conflict square foot alternative to high -Climate control -Easy to construct -Easy to depending on tunnels -Maximizes space -Covers much construct -Increased yields materials & -Five to 15 degrees larger area -Easy to construct B -Increased crop frost protection -Two to 6 -Increased longevity rotation: -Can conform to (increased temps. when degrees frost -Easy to move E income potential Highly *decrease pest & slopes and contours used with row cover) protection (2 - -Conform to slopes, N -High value / customizable disease pressure of site layers of 1.5 oz. -Wind, heavy rain, curves, & contours square foot *decrease fertility row cover to growers -More and hail protection for E & salinity issues advised) -Good entry point to -Pest & disease needs mechanization/ young plants season extension F management larger scale -Wind, heavy (compared to (compared to with less financial production possible rain, and hail I high tunnel stationary high investment (compared to because production protection for tunnels) T field) kits) systems are closer to young plants -Can walk inside field production unlike low tunnels S -Ventilation not (compared to high required tunnels) -Climate (heat, -Can be more -Increased cost -Three season -Wind is one of the -Wind -Difficult to cold, wind, snow, vulnerable to (extra bracing, structures biggest challenges maneuver inside due -Row cover has hail) wind and anchoring, & to low roof -Plastic must be -Ventilation is less light C snow damage endwall design) -Production removed in winter necessary transmission unless -Temperatures H (irrigation, crop than plastic engineered -Learning curve -Wind damage is a -Labor intensive (ex: harder to moderate rotation, fertility, A properly (ex: more planning concern, as bracing ventilation) -Row cover has than high tunnels salinity, pest & required) is minimal a shorter (due to size) L disease) -Cannot physically Harder to lifespan than - -Minimum $20,000 enter the structure -Labor (compared to plastic (lasts ~1-3 L moderate to purchase, due to (unlike high tunnels) -Ventilation is more requirements temperature seasons) in stationary high 1/2 acre minimum labor intensive than E tunnels) -Crops may be -High up-front smaller purchase (Haygrove) -Cannot high tunnels structures exposed to adverse N cost physically enter weather conditions -More prone to the structure G -Learning curve during harvest or other wind and snow maintenance, when -Crops may be damage than high E (compared to plastic is removed exposed to tunnels S field) adverse weather 3 Polytunnel Terminology High Tunnel Benefits and Challenges Types of Polytunnels • High Tunnel – a strict definition of a high tunnel does not exist, and the terminology may change depending on the structure’s use. Page 4 describes high tunnels in detail. • Hoophouse – a term used interchangeably with “High Tunnel”. • Single-bay / French Tunnel – a high tunnel with just one bay (as shown below). • Quonset Tunnel – a high tunnel design whose arc is basically a half circle. • Gable Tunnel – a high tunnel design whose frame rises diagonally from the sidewalls to an A-frame peak.
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