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Matt KleinhenzExtension Vegetable Specialist

Fall to Spring VegetableProduction and Marketingin the Great Lakes Region

Purdue University ExtensionHigh Tunnels Field Day and Program – Nov 13, 2013

Fall to Spring VegetableProduction and Marketingin the Great Lakes Region

(using low-intensityapproaches in

low, mid and high tunnels)

Take stock of characteristics of the region that affect vegetable growers … e.g., climates, soils, markets. Then, ask, could more growers profit from market windows that include fall-spring?

Today:Give clear evidence that fall-to-spring growing and selling is possible, profitable for many.

Today:Major steps for obtaining crops that are ready for fresh harvest and marketing fall-springin the region.

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Revising the Most Common Traditional Cycle of Activities … and Customers’ Expectations!

OCTNOV

MAYAPRSowReapSpendSell

RestRepairPlan

Traditionally, like Sports, Each Year on the Vegetable Farmhas had Two Seasons

Currently, the Most Common Use of High Tunnels in the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast Regions

Main Season Tomato Production

From a crops and markets perspective, there is no ‘off-season’ in the region. Only farmers have an off-season.

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OCTNOV

MAYAPR

main or warmseason

‘off’ or cool season

Each Calendar Year has Two Production-Marketing Seasons The Two Production-Marketing Seasons

OCTNOV

MAYAPR‘off’ or cool season

increasinglypopular,less ‘tapped’

main or warmseason

traditional,familiar,most competitive

An increasing number of growers prefer to grow warm and coolseason crops orjust cool season cropsin their high tunnels.

Farmers who grow and market year-round using high tunnels orother tools say that ithas several benefits.For example,

Maintain year-round connections with customers, partners

OCTNOV

MAYAPRmainseasonuse only:income for6 months

full use:incomefor up to12 months

Year-round Sales = Year-round Income

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year-round income helps pay bills year-round* make and pay offinvestments(like high tunnels)

Fall to Spring Sales

solid profit potential, enhanced quality of life

• additional revenue• often less competition• high crop values• lower input costs, including

labor and management time

Main-Season Tomato +

Main-Season Tomato

OARDC

key: get pros to outweigh and/oroutnumber cons

If you want to supply freshly harvested vegetable crops from your Ohio farm fall-to-spring, consider taking these five major steps …

1. Verify your market.… customers,

demand,outlets, etc.

(many options for farmers in the region!)

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● 11.5 mil people● 254 people/mi2

(9th, behind NJ,RI, Mass., CT,MD, DE, NY, FL)

MSA RANKCLE 23CIN 24COL 31DAY 56AKR 67TOL 72CAN 112

http://in.marketmaker.uiuc.edu/

Connecting with potential markets, an example portal …

2. Select adapted,farmer-friendly cropswith market appeal.

1. What shouldI grow?

2. How?

all possible crops, varieties

physicalcapacity

biologically adapted

financialresources

profitpotential other

- space- labor- equipment

- strictlyseasonal?

- reliable?

- cash- time

- interest- competition- longevity

- knowledge

1 + +

2 + +

3 + +

4 + + + + +

The OSU-OARDCVegetable ProductionSystems Laboratory(http://hcs.osu.edu/vpslab/)

High Tunnel Facilities• six, 21 ft x 48 ft (above)• three, 30 ft x 80 ft (right)

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(http://hcs.osu.edu/vpslab/) (http://www.facebook.com/osuvpslab/)

(Cool Season) Crop Selection• customers • growers• seed suppliers • advisors• what are people buying or

interested in? (stores, markets,publications, programs)

• experimentation

(Cool Season) Crop Selection

How do we know which crops may be best?

Follow the leaders!

Eliot ColemanFour SeasonFarmMaine

Pete JohnsonPete’s GreensVermont

Sandy andPaul ArnoldNew York

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MSU &TenHensFarmMichigan

Adam Montri

Paul, AlisonWiedigerAu Naturel FarmKentucky

Kip, Becky Rondy and CrewAthens, OH

… many others,including growers and extension workers you can ‘discover’ in multiple ways

• hightunnels.org• ivga.org

E.g.,

http://glvwg.ag.ohio-state.edu/

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• many local toregional, resource-heavy educationalprograms

MSU &TenHensFarmMichigan

Adam Montri

• tolerate …… low temperature, freezing-thawing

• multiple harvests• direct seed or transplant to start• resist disease, especially when cool

and moist courtesy A. Montri

Cool Season Crop Selection

• greens …… leafy/cooking, heading,

baby leaf salad• root• culinary herbs

courtesy A. Montri

Cool Season Crop Selection

courtesy A. Montri

Leafy Cooking Greens

collards

mustard

beets

beets

chard chard kale

kale

collards

spinach spinach

mustard

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courtesy A. MontriHeading Greens

lettuce

lettuce

Chinese cabbage

pac choi pac choi

tatsoi tatsoi

courtesyA. Montri

Root Crops

courtesyA. Montri

Baby Leaf Salad Greens

Chinese cabbage

mizuna

beet

arugula imag

e co

urte

sy P

aul,

Sand

y A

rnol

d

Unless in a greenhouse, crops harvested fresh and marketed fall-to-spring in the region do not fruit.

Crops may reach a marketable condition and then be held in a low- or high-tunnel until picked and sold.

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OARDC November 2003 Final Comment on Crop

Selection …You don’t have to eat what you grow in order to make money selling it; but, it helps to know what buyers want in the crop.

3. Choose a scaleand structure.

(all scales possible;many structures available)

Fall through Spring harvests

SystemCropsScaleSeasonMoney

Which Season Extension Option?

majorselectioncriteria(beyond location)

coveredraised bed systems

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A combination of scaleable, flexible, and reliable, growing systems may be best.

1440 ft2 growing space established in 2 days in Oct-11.

Beds can be openor closed based onneed; for example,crop scheduling

Fall-time crop establishment under standard vented film and low tunnel frames

homemadewinter-proof bows

http://hcs.osu.edu/vpslab/sites/drupal-hcs-vpslab.web/files/mid-tunnel-prep-install-tutorial-final.pdf

Outdoor raised beds were initially covered with light, vented film over u-shaped bows in early fall. Here, the u-shaped bows are being replaced with gothic-framed bows which will be covered by heavier film and remain in place over-winter.

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Of course, u-shaped bows topped by light, vented film can remain in place over winter, covered by taller and wider gothic-framed bows topped by heavier film.

Feb 17, 2012

These frames cover wood-sided raised beds. Plastic shown here is secured with only sandbags. Simple, inexpensive steps can be taken to tighten the plastic, which is recommended. For example, it is possible to secure the plastic with wiggle wire on one or both sides of these wood-framed beds. Dec 13, 2012

main season crop = tomato on raised beds

In fall, beds sownwith cold tolerantcrop and coveredwith mid-tunnels.

System Size and Cost* 30 x 80 ft HT … 2400 total ft2

x 0.8 = 1920 usable ft2 ($X) * 21 x 48 ft HT … total 1008 ft2

x 0.8 = 806 usable ft2 ($X)* 12 raised beds/LT… total 1440 ft2

x 0.9 = 1296 usable ft2 ($X)

imag

e co

urte

sy B

. Lam

ont,

PSU

high tunnel

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Types ofHigh Tunnels(potential pros, cons based on Ohio or nearby location)

gothicframe

image courtesy Wild Onion Farm

image courtesy Noble Fndn.

quonset,arch frame

four season

four seasonhigh tunnel

built in April 2003; no prior experience

Dec-2012

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built in Oct-2008; hired4. Know and follow

the rules.(production basics +what’s right for your farm)

E.g.,A) Crops often respond

very specifically tolevels of light,temperature or both.

E.g.,B) Temperature and light

conditions* inside andoutside tunnels differ.

* especially the patterns and extremes

Therefore,1) Invest in heating

carefully.

Therefore,2) Pay attention to

details … e.g., warmer isnot always better,irrigation water can becold, etc.

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intensitymakeupdurationangle

Major Low-High Tunnel Effects

• increase temperature• calm air• lower light• lack of rainfall, flooding• less favorable to some pests, diseases(favorable to others!)

lowers RH but it may be high under cover

Light carries heat, which accumulates unless vented. Plastic slows heat loss.

Assumptions1. Natural Light only2. Direct Seeding (some exceptions)3. Growth tends to slow each day4. No added heat …

market-ready by Halloween5. With added heat …

market-ready by Thanksgiving

If sunlight is heat energy source …… fabric retains heat but limits its accumulation… plastic does not retain heat but promotes its

accumulation

“glove” approach to heat retention image courtesy Adam Montri

“mitten” approach to heat retention

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image courtesy Adam Montri Feb 29, 2012; MSU

average cumulative growing degree days in- and outside a 21ft x 48 ft gothic-style high tunnel Oct. 14 - Jan. 1 (avg. of 2003-05)

day October 14 - January 1

0 20 40 60 80avg.

cum

ulat

ive

grow

ing

degr

ee d

ays

0

100

200

300

400inside high tunneloutside high tunnel

High Tunnel vs.Open FieldGDD Accumulation

day January 1 - February 28

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

avg.

cum

ulat

ive

grow

ing

degr

ee d

ays

(50F

bas

e)

0

20

40

60

80

100

inside high tunnel outside high tunnel

average cumulative growing degree days in- and outside a21 ft x 48 ft gothic style high tunnel Jan. 1-Feb. 28 (avg. of 2003-05)

Modifications• save time, effort• increase revenue potential• increase reliability

Heatingand

Ventilation

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Dr. Natalie BumgarnerOSU-HCS,now with CropKing, Inc

Kip, Becky Rondy and CrewAthens, OH

images courtesyGreen Edge Gardens

with, without …• subsurface heating• aerial cover

• aerial cover (passive heating), active subsurface heating(none, singly, together)• outdoor, high tunnel settings• fall, spring seasons

Biomass and Anthocyanin – HT, Spring 2009

Control Root heat (RH) Low tunnel (LT) RH + LT

Yield (g/900cm2) 108.1 (C ) 159.5 (B) 194.5 (A) 214.3 (A)

Heat Units 450 682 625 932

Antho (mg/100g fw) 14.785 (AB) 16.480 (A) 13.010 (B) 13.397 (B)

Antho (units/area) 15.98 26.29 25.30 28.71

Biomass and Anthocyanin – HT, Spring 2010

Control Root heat (RH) Low tunnel (LT) RH + LT

Yield (g/900cm2) 42.8 (D) 67.9 (C ) 92.2 (B) 131.7 (A)

Heat Units 452 644 579 756

Antho (mg/100g fw) 24.094 (A) 19.998 (B) 17.830 (BC) 16.832 (C )

Antho (units/area) 10.31 13.58 16.44 22.17

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Kneewall – lower cost (?), better ventilation for low-growing crops during cool, bright periods.

5. Experiment andadjust.

(use trial and error and record-keeping)

Goal:• create and maintainconditions in which youand your crops can work,ever better

SUMMARY

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5 Major StepsFall-to-Spring Vegetable Harvest and Marketing in Ohio

1. verify market2. select crops3. choose scale and structure(s)4. know and follow the rules5. experiment and adjust

Today:Give clear evidence that fall-to-spring growing and selling is possible, profitable for many.

Today:Major steps for obtaining crops that are ready for fresh harvest and marketing fall-springin Ohio.

calendar developed in 2005 is incorrect, should be updated

QUESTIONS?

THANK-YOU and

GOOD LUCK!

Dr. Matt KleinhenzProfessor, Extension Vegetable SpecialistDept. of Horticulture and Crop ScienceThe OSU-OARDCPhone: 330-263-3810E-mail: kleinhenz.1@osu.eduWeb: hcs.osu.edu/vpslabFacebook: www.facebook.com/osuvpslab

The Ohio State University Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran status. This statement is in accordance with United States Civil Rights Laws and the USDA.

Use of trade names does not imply endorsement of the products named nor criticism of similar ones not named.

11/12/2013

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Managing Winter Vegetable Varieties and Their Growth in Fourth Season High Tunnels

Kinsman FarmDoug and Valerie Kinsman

Archbold, OhioCopyright 2013

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Management Points

• Monitoring and Managing Temperatures

• Multiple Microclimates in the High Tunnel

• Managing Fertility and Soil Health

• The Purpose of Crop Rotation In and Among Tunnels

• The Variables of Irrigation

• Weed Control, Insects, and Mildew

• Planting Dates, Harvest Times and Winter Growth Curves 2

Monitoring and Managing Temperature

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Managing these temperatures are quite different from managing the 

temperatures shown on the next slide.

WELCOME TO WINTER GROWING

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TEMPERATURE VARIANCE

– 65 degrees on a sunny day outside will be 130 degrees inside a closed tunnel, 35 degrees on a sunny day can be 85 degrees inside a closed tunnel

– Most temperature climbs occur from 6 AM to 2 PM.

– After sunset the temperature in winter will drop dramatically.

– Better to be a little cool than cooked‐the heat stresses the plants

OUTSIDE

1/30/11   2 PM

28 F

1/30/11   2 PM

INSIDE

82 F

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Electronic Monitoring

• Hang digital thermometer at plant level to know what is happening with heat or cold

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11/12/2013

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EFFECTS OF WINTER TEMPERATURES ON PLANTS

– Most plants go dormant or slow growth below 45 degrees

– Cold hardy plants can freeze and thaw repeatedly with little damage in the high tunnel

– Most cold weather damage to cold hardy plants outdoors is due to wind desiccation and movement 7

EFFECTS OF WINTER TEMPERATURES     ON PLANTS

– Soil in the high tunnel does not freeze therefore root damage does not take place ‐giving plants ability to recover daily. 

– Smaller tender greens recover much better than large growth. You will see cell damage in large lettuce leaves. 

– In winter months, plant maturity dates take three times longer than Spring planted crops. Plant early enough to capture desired size for harvest.

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CELLDAMAGE

Not as hardy as others

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EFFECTS OF LESS SUNLIGHT ON PLANT GROWTH

– Below ten hours of sunlight, plant growth slows greatly

– Harvestable plants must reach maturity before 10 hours per day of sunlight cut off date

– Sunlight hours is related to latitude degrees

– Ohio: mid‐November through mid February less than 10 hours of sunlight. 10

Cool temps, low sunlight hours slow re‐growth after harvesting. 

Far end‐(top) unharvested

Middle‐harvested 3 weeks previous

Front‐harvested 4 weeks previous

May‐is a 2 week re‐growth period 11

ROW COVERS (2.5 oz) ON WIRE HOOPS

– Keep cover taught with clothes pins to prevent cover from touching crops, moisture condensation would cause them to freeze to plant and damage them.

– Row covers needed when temperatures drop below 28 degrees. 12

11/12/2013

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FACTORS IN SOLAR GAIN

• Sunlight and Cloudiness

• Wind Chill

• Snow Cover on Tunnels

• Moisture of Soil‐ (dark color)

• Row Covers Off in Daytime, On in Late Afternoon

• Heat Banks

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UTILIZING HEAT BANKS

• Your soil is your main heat bank in winter

• Stone can be a heat bank‐(bed edging)

• Water can be a heat bank

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Zion Daco

• Utilized sleeves or tubes of poly filled with water 

• Running the entire length (large) or small tubes stored upright 

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MULTIPLE MICROCLIMATES IN THE HIGH TUNNEL

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Different Levels of Humidity

• Outside edges where rain seeps under

• Inside beds warmed by higher angles of the sun

• Under the row covers

• Dense plantings holding moisture in the row

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January 30, 2011

Soil is moderately dry and in need of watering‐center 

bed.

Humidity Zones

11/12/2013

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Different Temperature Zones

• Outside edges lose heat more rapidly at night

• Under the row covers is 2‐5 degrees warmer

• Using heat banking materials raises night time temperatures

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Managing Fertility and Soil Health

• Cover crop on site before building

• Ph testing

• Using compost for soil organic matter and fertilizer

• Managing crop rotations to prevent depletion

• Managing foot traffic to prevent compaction‐permanent bed locations

• Select sprays to prevent soil contamination20

The Purpose of Crop Rotation In and Among Tunnels

• Reduce Insect Infestation Above and Below Ground

• Preserve soil fertility

• Learn Optimal Growing Zones for Specific Crops

• Group Planting Dates (crops) in Respective Tunnels for Easier Management

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The Variables of Irrigation

• Row Spacing

• Emitter Spacing

• Timers‐ cycles

• Humidity

• Winter Condensation

• Sunlight Hours and Tunnel Temperature Affect Plant Respiration

• Germinating Seed Beds

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IRRIGATION ZONES, 

LAYOUT, AND TIMERS

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Weed Control

• Mulching

• Hoeing 

• Hand weeding

• Rototiller

• Black Plastic

• Solarizing

Yes, even in winter we have weeds! 24

11/12/2013

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Insect Management

• Monitoring‐pay attention, notice things, turn leaves over

• Check under row covers

• Planting dill with tomatoes‐aromatics

• Organic sprays

• Remove infected greens‐cut at soil level and rake away, expose to sunlight , then replace row cover 

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Mildew or Rot

• Pay attention to planting density‐allow for air circulation, thin if necessary

• Remove row covers during the day to release humidity and allow sunlight to dry leaves

• Cut greens back to the ground, remove and allow to regrow

• Spray with organic spray such as Serenade for mildew

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Specialty‐Crop Growing Tips  

• Planting Dates for Winter Harvest

• Planting Dates for Spring Harvest

• Managing Plant Growth of Greens

• Managing Plant Growth of Root Crops

• Managing Perennial Herbs

• Growing Figs, Citrus, Tea and Pomegranates

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Leafy Greens for Winter Harvest• Cut and come again leaf lettuce or greens are 

recommended for going into deep winter• Keep leaf size smaller than 5‐6 inches to 

prevent cell damage• Cut off to maintain size even if you do not 

have a market – maybe you will later when it regrows

• Plant early to mid‐September• Warm September may push it—cut it off or 

cool weather may slow it down‐shut up the tunnel

• Always throw in a little romaine to transplant later for heads in February 28

Planting Root Crops for Winter Harvest

• Root crops like carrots and beets need to be 75% mature by November 15th

• Plant by mid‐August• Use row covers to help lower heat in tunnels to keep moisture in the rows for good germination

• Root crops should be harvested before new growth resumes in Spring‐ (probably late February) the roots turn bitter with new growth

• Search for varieties with high Brix levels‐cold enhances sugar changes in roots to make them extra sweet 

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Growth Curves and Harvest Times

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The effects of cold and lower light levels on a crop that would normally take 40 days from seed time to harvest.

Chart from The Winter Harvest Handbook by Eliot Coleman, page 49

11/12/2013

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Transplanting Cole Crops for Winter Harvest

• Sow transplant seed by August 1st in the field, August 15th in the tunnel

• Space out transplants in tunnel by October 1st

to allow good root development• Broccoli, kohlrabi will mature• Still experimenting with cauliflower head size• Still experimenting with cabbage head size• Will not winter over well after cutting‐stem 

rot due to humidity‐ pull in January and use space for other things

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Cold Hardy Lettuce Varieties

• Rouge Grenoblaise• Rouge D’Hiver• Merville de Quatre Saisons• Gentilina• Winter Density• Brune D’Hiver• De Morges Braun• Paris Island Cos Romaine• Arctic King

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Perennial Herbs

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• Plant the corners of your tunnels• Consider your markets and value of herbs• Rosemary started as a 6” single twig 2011• Now a 3’ x 4’ shrub• Not hardy outdoors, but loves location in tunnel 

(obviously)• Will go dormant in deep winter  (Jan‐Feb) and turn a 

purple‐ish green color from cold‐still fine for cooking even if not so presentable

• Thyme, responded the same

Growing Figs‐In our tunnel

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• Hardy Chicago Fig• Came as a 6 inch single twig in 

May 2011• Harvested a hand full of figs the 

past two Septembers• Now about 3 feet tall and 2 feet 

wide by fall of 2013

Yuzu Ichandrin‐on order for Spring

• Found at One Green World Nursery• Dwarfing rootstock –mature size 4‐6 feet• Juice citrus: lemon‐lime flavor • RootstockDescription:Flying Dragon is a hardy and very 

dwarfing rootstock for Citrus that induces very early flowering and fruit procuction. Trees grown on Flying Dragon will rarely exceed 5 ft. in height and will often produce fruit the year they are planted.

• Pollination Requirements:Yuzu Ichandrin is self‐fertile. You can help it set fruit by taking a small brush and moving pollen from flower to flower.

• Hardiness:Yuzu Ichandrin is hardy to about 0°F.• Bearing Age:1‐2 years after planting• Size at Maturity:4‐6 ft.• BloomTime:Spring• Ripening Time:Yuzu Ichandrin ripens in late fall to winter

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Guess what else I found? Russian Tea

• From Sochi, Russia near the Black Tea

• Latin Name:Camellia sinensis

• Site and Soil:Tea likes 1/2 day to full sun and well‐drained, acidic soil.

• Hardiness:Tea is hardy to 0°F.

• Size at Maturity:4‐5 ft. in height.

• BloomTime:September‐November

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11/12/2013

7

And maybe this? Pomegranate

• A spectacular, hardy new variety from the Nikita Botanic Garden in Ukraine, Crimson Sky™ is early ripening and features reliable and abundant crops of large, bright red, tasty fruit.

• Latin Name: Punica granatum• Site and Soil: Pomegranates like full to 1/2 day sun 

and well‐drained soil.• Pollination Requirements: Pomegranates are self‐

fertile.• Hardiness: Crimson Sky™ is hardy to 10°F. or below.• Bearing Age:1‐2 years after planting• Size at Maturity:5‐6 ft. in height.• BloomTime: July to September• Ripening Time: Late fall• Yield:20+ lbs.

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What Do These Have In Common To Make Us Think They Could Work?

• Need one zone warmer in winter than Northern Ohio (high tunnel provides this buffer)

• Small in stature• Self‐Fertile (not concerned with pollinators in tunnel)

• Shorter ripening days than average varieties for Northern “short‐season” production

• Considered a “cold‐hardy” version• Lessons to learn:  Be willing to experiment, match the crops abilities to the season parameters, look for niche crops not yet marketed, think outside the normal expectations for profitability

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You may be surprised at what you can grow in here!

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Kinsman FarmDoug and Valerie Kinsman

Archbold, Ohio Copyright 2013