Introduction Regular pruning is an essential component of blueberry management, yet its importance is often misunderstood because the costs to the neglectful grower are not immediate. Pruning is required to maintain the vigor and productivity of bushes, to aid in disease and insect management, to maintain large fruit size and quality, and to develop an…
Ultra-Niche Crops are defined as exceptionally high-value crops that can provide a significant source of income to the farmer while using minimal land area. Winter lettuce is a crop that is seeded or transplanted in a high tunnel or other protected structure after the traditional planting season. Winter lettuce planting takes place from late summer…
A Resource for High Tunnel Berry Growers Berry growers in the Upper Midwest and Northeast can access information specific to growing berries in tunnels at the TunnelBerries website: www.TunnelBerries.org. TunnelBerries is a seven-state research and extension project designed to provide growers with the knowledge needed to expand raspberry, blackberry and strawberry production in the Upper Midwest…
Vegetable grafting includes three stages: a) preparation, b) splicing or cleft grafting and c) healing/acclimation. Failure to produce a healthy grafted plant can be traced to an error at any stage. Moreover, the second stage (splicing/cleft grafting) is the most quickly completed since (experienced hand-grafters can complete the process in approximately one minute or less). whereas…
High tunnel (hoop house) production of vegetables has become quite common in Kansas. The high tunnels protect crops from Kansas harsh environmental conditions such as wind and storm damage. In addition to protection, determinate tomato crop requirements (planting date, soil temperature, crop height, etc), high tunnels provide an excellent system for tomato production. Therefore, this…
Introduction High tunnel (hoop house) production of vegetables has become quite common in Kansas. High tunnels protect crops from harsh environmental conditions that can lead to wind and storm damage. In addition, high tunnels provide an excellent system for hybrid bell pepper production in regards to planting date, soil temperature, crop height, etc. Therefore, this…
Growing Under Cover 2 is here!! Written by Tom Buller, Kansas Rural Center; Dr. Cary Rivard, Kansas State University, Fruit and Vegetable Extension Specialist; and Kim Oxley, Research Extension Associate, Kansas State University, Growing Under Cover: A Kansas Grower’s Guide, provides success stories from Kansas farmers who use tunnels on their farms, additional general management strategies,…
Spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) is an important pest of berries, cherries, and some thin-skinned grape varieties. The berry crops at greatest risk are raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries. For many berry and small fruit growers, SWD has rapidly become their most critical insect pest. SWD is native to Asia and was first detected in the…
Long before the term “sustainable” became a household word, farmers were implementing sustainable practices in the form of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. IPM uses a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and chemical methods to reduce and/or manage pest populations. These strategies are used to minimize environmental risks, economic costs, and health hazards. Pests are…
The production of raspberries and blackberries in Arkansas is growing as more consumers demand a local supply of fresh, high quality fruit. Demand for these fresh berries still typically exceeds supply in much of the state particularly early and late in the production season. Commercial production with high tunnels offers promise for those producers willing…