Growing Conditions and Crop Performance in High Tunnels (2014) - 12 pages
2014 Cropping Season
The cover was left on the Gothic tunnel over the winter of 2013/2014, as this would eliminate the labor cost associated with removing and then re-installing the cover (Fig. 2). Keeping the production area snow-free all winter would also accelerate drying and warming of the production area in the spring – potentially allowing an earlier start to the growing season.
In January of 2014, a storm event with record-setting high winds speeds (> 120 km/h) blew the cover off the Gothic high tunnel (Fig. 3). The structural elements of the tunnel were not damaged. The cover was replaced at a cost of $900. The adjacent Supersolo high tunnel did not sustain any damage as it was not covered at the time of the storm.
Because of excessively wet field conditions, the plastic cover for the tunnels could not be installed until early May. The production area inside the high tunnels was prepared by spreading N fertilizer on the soil surface and then rotovating the soil.
