The type, size, etc. of high tunnels doors are important to their users. Doors influence ease and safety of access, high tunnel structural integrity, and the ability to maintain the targeted set of conditions in the structure.Doors also vary in cost.The Extension Vegetable Physiology Lab (EVPL) at The OSU-OARDC in Wooster, OH operates nine high…
By the Iowa State University Extension Office This program describes how to build a system to catch, store and reuse the rainwater for irrigation in a high tunnel. Shawn Shouse, ISU Extension and Outreach ag engineer, runs us through the process. The cost of installing rain gutters, rainwater storage tanks, and an electric pump is…
Roll-up sides and drop-down curtains are low-cost vent systems that can be installed in most high tunnels. These systems operate on the principle that heat is removed by a pressure difference created by wind gradients, so no energy is required to operate fans to move air. A wind speed of 2-3 miles per hour is…
High tunnels are passively vented, solar greenhouses that are used to lengthen the production and marketing season of vegetable and fruit crops (Figure 1). No artificial heating/cooling or ventilation system is used within the high tunnel, and the only external connection is water for drip or micro-irrigation. Most high tunnels are covered with a single…
Introduction This 5.5 meters wide by 9.1 meters long PVC high tunnel is constructed using PVC pipe for hoops. Longer structures, up to 29 m, may be constructed with the addition of hoops. Additional support and purlins may be necessary. A crew of four can easily construct a high tunnel of this design in a…
1. What is a high tunnel? 2. How does a low tunnel differ from a high tunnel? 3. Where can I purchase a high tunnel? 4. How much does a high tunnel cost? 5. What are the typical dimensions of a high tunnel? 6. Where should I place a high tunnel on my farm? 7….
Introduction This low-cost, 30’ long by 18’ wide PVC high tunnel is constructed using PVC pipe for hoops. The materials cost roughly $500 (including shade cloth for summer production) and we didn’t shop for the best buy on materials and lumber. A slight disadvantage of the design is that curvature of the hoops may allow…
Tod and Jamie Hanley, of Trebuchet Gardens in Norman, have been working for several years to develop a low-cost hoop house design that’s easy-to-assemble as part of their commercial winter gardening business. In 2007, the Hanleys received an Oklahoma Producer Grant from the Kerr Center to study the effects of different plastic hoop house coverings…