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Maximizing High Tunnel Production with grafting, fertility, and more…

Steve GroffCedar Meadow Farm

Holtwood, Pennsylvania

EarlinessQualityYield

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Be prepared and ready to go when there is little to no windThe job will be MUCH easier(picture taken 5:30am)

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3rd week of April

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Determinate4 rows in 24ft wide bay18” on the row4800 plants per acre

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Indeterminate4 rows in 24ft wide bay24” on the row3600 plants per acre

Bracing

Wind- the worst enemy

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VentingDoorsWind directionWind speedSun/Clouds

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Venting

“Baby-sitting” the tunnelCritical 6 week time period

Venting

The summer position

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Suckering

Leave one suckerbelow flower setTake the rest offHeirlooms require a

more aggressive approach

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Bumble Bees

Insect managementSpider mitesThripsAphidsBeneficials?

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IrrigationRegularOften

FertilityRegularOftenAdjust throughout

season

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1st Week of July

Disease managementEarly blightLeaf moldPowdery Mildew?

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Scouting

Over 50 tons Per Acre

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After 3.5” of rain

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Pickin’ in the rain?

NO Problem!

Last picking November 8th

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Picking in the rain

Raspberries

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November 2, 2006

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Pulling off the plastic

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Expandable

Cary Rivard - Graduate Research AssistantNorth Carolina State University-Technical advisor

Where the grafting journey began…

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Grafting

Scion

Rootstock

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High horsepower“Grafted”snow blower!

High horsepower “grafted” boat!

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Grafted Determinate4 rows in 24ft wide bay24” on the row3600 plants per acre

Grafted Indeterminate4 rows in 24ft wide bay36” on the row2400 plants per acre

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Twin Leader

None grafted

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Grafted

Non-fumigatedNon-grafted

Non-fumigatedGrafted

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FumigatedNon-grafted

Non-fumigatedGrafted

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18-Jul 1-Aug 15-Aug 29-Aug 12-Sep 26-Sep 10-Oct 24-Oct

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mu

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Cedar Meadow Farm- Main Effects: Grafting

Non-grafted

Maxifort

P<0.01

These values represent the averages of all of the non-grafted and maxifort throughout the whole experiment (regardless of plant spacing or fumigation)

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Cedar Meadow Farm - 2009

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21-Jun 11-Jul 31-Jul 20-Aug 9-Sep 29-Sep 19-Oct 8-Nov

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(lb

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Non-graftedMaxifort

P <0.05

The Bottom line…Average 2008-2009

16.2 more tons per acre Or, 1,296 more boxes per acre @ $12.00 per box (#1’s and #2’s) = $15,552

increase Or, $4.86 per plant increase

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How much does it cost to graft?

Healing chamber Labor costs Grow 2 sets of plants

Grafting costs $1.50-$2.00 per plant more than non-grafted plants

Net returns of grafting ($/acre) : 2008Non-grafted Maxifort (Max-Std*)

18" Spacing $44,525 $47,366 $2,841

24" Spacing $47,827 $3,302

36" Spacing $45,533 $1008

Economics

Net returns of grafting ($/acre) : 2009Non-grafted Maxifort (Max-Std1)

Fumigated $47,739 $60,699 $12,960

Non-fumigated $57,677 $9,938

*Std = 18” plant spacing (2008), Std1 = fumigated at 24” spacing (2009)

Values in white text = Gross revenue – harvesting costs – transplant costs – fumigation costs

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Grow Bags

• Need Disease free soil/compost• Will require increased water management• 2 years?• What is the cost?• Solution to long term tomato production in high tunnels?

Results• Less disease• Higher yields!

– 32 tons per acre with 25 varieties of heirloom tomatoes– 27lbs of marketable fruit per plant

The Big Move!

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Quality tomatoes

EarlinessQualityYield