Low Tunnel Growing

[Zenbaas]

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

Check out the extent of growing under plastic in El Ejido Spain. The whole region is covered in plastic.

Yes. All the white is plastic.

That seems almost unreal Fred..! It's like square blocks of snow.

[Fred Hempel]

I saw somewhere where the first man-made features you can see from space is the plastic along the coast in Southern Spain. I think that is now where a large portion of Europe's tomatoes come from.

[Cole_Robbie]

I need to get one of these:
http://www.mechanicaltransplanter.com/tunnel.html

[Fred Hempel]

That definitely looks like the way to do it.

[Cole_Robbie]

Look at how tiny the tunnels are, 14" high? Small tunnels like that seem to be the commercial standard. I presume they are taking that plastic off, 2-3 weeks after planting? I would have a hard time finding a tomato variety that would fit a full-grown plant in a tunnel that small. I may end up building something that looks like a miniature high tunnel.

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

They sell construction plastic, with no UV inhibitor. I priced it, and it's not much cheaper than getting a UV-protected greenhouse type plastic.

Originally Posted by Worth1

That and vapor barrier but you get one seasons of use out of it and you better get rid of it or you will have a mess on your hands.
It will break up into smaller and smaller flakes just like the garbage floating around in the ocean.
Worth

Good to know, I'll find a source of the UV type. Thanks guys.

[Ricky Shaw]

Tiny tunnels,
in the field.
Make me wonder,
about the yield.

[Redbaron]

I guess I should have been more specific. The "row cover" I was referring to is like cloth, not plastic. It's white and permeable, not clear. They use it around here even in July because it provides shade, lets moisture and gasses through ie it breathes. It protects against both frost and overheating. It is probably the best way to grow zucchini squash in OK, because of the severe squash bug problem we have. I have managed to get a crop of squash without it, but very hit or miss. So next year I am going with it instead of plastic like I have in the past.

The strategy is to plant in late june/early july and keep the squash covered until the plants are mature then remove the cover of a "section" every week or two. This supplies a steady supply of squash all season for market. As the old becomes infested, remove them and plant a fall crop of something like broccoli or cabbage.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

I guess I should have been more specific. The "row cover" I was referring to is like cloth, not plastic. It's white and permeable, not clear. They use it around here even in July because it provides shade, lets moisture and gasses through ie it breathes. It protects against both frost and overheating. It is probably the best way to grow zucchini squash in OK, because of the severe squash bug problem we have. I have managed to get a crop of squash without it, but very hit or miss. So next year I am going with it instead of plastic like I have in the past.

The strategy is to plant in late june/early july and keep the squash covered until the plants are mature then remove the cover of a "section" every week or two. This supplies a steady supply of squash all season for market. As the old becomes infested, remove them and plant a fall crop of something like broccoli or cabbage.

I have two big roles of it for freeze protection.

Worth

[Cole_Robbie]

http://www.evergreengrowers.com/met5.../met52-ec.html

I haven't tried it on a squash bug problem, but I have really liked Met52 so far. I know it kills potato bugs, who were the collateral damage when I sprayed it for whiteflies. The stuff works like it is a nuclear option of pesticide, but it is harmless to people. It's pricey, but a little goes a long way.

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

http://www.evergreengrowers.com/met5.../met52-ec.html

I haven't tried it on a squash bug problem, but I have really liked Met52 so far. I know it kills potato bugs, who were the collateral damage when I sprayed it for whiteflies. The stuff works like it is a nuclear option of pesticide, but it is harmless to people. It's pricey, but a little goes a long way.

The granular kilo for 73 isn't terrible, especially if it's concentrated.

http://www.evergreengrowers.com/met5...ular-1121.html

[Cole_Robbie]

Be advised, it kills beneficial insects, too. It really is a nuclear option, similar to Sevin, or other chemical pesticides, at least in regard to effects on bugs. It is best suited for infestation conditions. People who buy beneficial insects can release them a few days after spraying to try to re-establish a balance of predators.

[AKmark]

That is almost how my friend at Glacier Valley does hoops, except another machine lays IRT first. This is very common in AK for obvious reasons.
He gets about 3 or so more weeks production, and the 8-12 degrees they figure the soil is warmed really increases their yields too.
His main crops is Zucchini and onions, and strawberries.
I tried to explain it.

[coronabarb]

I might fiddle with some row covers for my raised beds, more for rain protection than frost protection. Everything just gets drowned here in the winter.

[4season]

I think I will try using a 28 inch bicycle rim sandwiched between plywood sheets and well reinforced as a tubing bender. It would make a narrow tall hoop.