scholarly journals Floral Crop Production in High Tunnels

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Chris Wien
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Celosia Argentea ◽  
Low Tunnels ◽  
High Level

High tunnels are well suited for use in the production of floral crops, especially cut flowers. Through the increases in temperature afforded at both ends of the growing season, high tunnels allow earlier and later harvests than are possible in the field. During summer, rain protection and a relatively calm environment provides an ideal growing environment to cut flower crops. In U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Hardiness Zones 3 through 5, the higher temperatures of a high tunnel permit culture of warm-season crops like celosia (Celosia argentea) during summer. Cut flower production allows intensive production on a small land area and provides a high level of income. For these reasons, high tunnels have become a standard part of cut flower growers' farms. Most commonly, they are single-bay structures with roll-up sides, but use of multi-bay complexes is becoming more popular for larger-scale growers. In USDA Hardiness Zones of 7 and higher, high tunnels are shaded in summer to lower interior temperatures and enhance production of shade-tolerant species. Overall, techniques of moderating temperature extremes with shading and ventilation, or use of low tunnels inside to increase minimum temperatures are important options for cut flower production. In the presentation, comparisons will be made in growth and earliness of production and yield for several cut flower species grown in the field and an adjacent high tunnel.

scholarly journals (84) Producing Cut Flowers in High Tunnels and Open Fields

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 1067D-1067
Author(s):  
H. Chris Wien
Keyword(s):  
Warm Season ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
Eustoma Grandiflorum ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Season Extension ◽  
Choice Of Species

Flowering plants grown and marketed locally as cut flowers have become economically important in recent years, concentrating on species that are too delicate to ship long distances. Although the bulk of this production is done outdoors, extending the season at both ends by using high tunnels (unheated greenhouse structures covered with a single layer of polyethylene), has become popular. To determine the advantages and drawbacks of using high tunnels as season extension structures for cut flowers, variety trials of seven and four flower species were conducted in 2004 and 2005, respectively, both in a high tunnel and in an adjacent field. In the cool, rainy 2004 season, plants in the tunnel were ready for harvest 20 days sooner than the same varieties outside. Outside plants had 25% more stems than tunnel-grown plants, but there was no difference in average stem length. In the dry, warm season of 2005, tunnel-grown plants were 8 days earlier, and had 58% more stems, which were increased in length by 16% over field-grown plants. Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) and snapdragons (Antirrhinum) were grown in both seasons, and gave similar results both times. Tunnel-grown lisianthus showed a 34% increase in stems per plant, and an 8% increase in stem length, and the stems could be harvested 8 days earlier. Snapdragons were 9 days earlier in the tunnel both years, but tunnel-grown plants produced 22% fewer stems. Disease and insect pressures occurred in both locations, but pest species causing problems differed. With careful choice of species to be grown in tunnels, cut flower production in this environment can be optimized.

scholarly journals Comparison of High Tunnel and Field Production of Specialty Cut Flowers in the Midwest

HortScience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (9) ◽  
pp. 1265-1269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Ortiz ◽  
Krystyna Hyrczyk ◽  
Roberto G. Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Cut Flower ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
Greenhouse Production ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Flower Yield ◽  
Dianthus Barbatus ◽  
Celosia Argentea ◽  
Number Of Stems ◽  
Cut Flower Yield ◽  
Field Production

The U.S. specialty cut flower market has grown over the last several years because stems of many specialty cut flower species cannot be transported long distances and therefore need to be grown regionally. High tunnel production of cut flowers is an alternative to field and greenhouse production that has several benefits. Specialty cut flower species Antirrhinum majus L. ‘Potomac Orange’ and ‘Rocket Red’, Celosia argentea L. var. cristata Kuntze ‘Chief Red’, Dahlia ×hybrida Cav. ‘Karma Thalia Dark Fuchsia’, Dianthus barbatus L. ‘Amazon Neon Cherry’, Eustoma russellianum Salisb. ‘Mariachi Blue’, Helianthus annuus L. ‘Premier Lemon’ and ‘Sunrich Yellow’, Matthiola incana (L.) W.T. Aiton ‘Katz Lavender Blue’, and Zinnia elegans Jacq. ‘Benary Giant Scarlet’ were grown in both field and high tunnel environments in the midwestern United States. High tunnel production resulted in a first week’s harvest of 44.8 (46%), 115, and 21.1 (110%) more stems for Antirrhinum ‘Rocket Red’, Dianthus, and Zinnia, respectively. Compared with field production, high tunnel production yielded a greater number of stems/m2 for Antirrhinum ‘Potomac Orange’, Celosia, Dianthus, and Zinnia and longer stems for Antirrhinum ‘Potomac Orange’ and ‘Rocket’, Eustoma, Matthiola, and Zinnia. For example, high tunnel production yielded 185 (39%) and 192 (59%) more stems/m2 and 12.6 (34%) and 8.9 (32%) cm longer stems for Mathiola and Zinnia, respectively. Other stem characteristics such as inflorescence length and flower width showed more variation among cultivars. Our results indicate that cut flower yield and/or quality of Antirrhinum ‘Rocket Red’, Dianthus, Matthiola, Zinnia, Dahlia, Eustoma, and Helianthus ‘Sunrich Yellow’ and ‘Premier Lemon’ significantly increases when produced in high tunnels located in the Midwest.

scholarly journals Improving Snapdragon Cut Flower Production through High Tunnel Season Extension, Transplant Timing, and Cultivar Selection

HortScience ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 1206-1212
Author(s):  
Maegen Lewis ◽  
Melanie Stock ◽  
Brent Black ◽  
Dan Drost ◽  
Xin Dai
Keyword(s):  
High Elevation ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Cultivar Selection ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Season Extension ◽  
Long Stem ◽  
Advanced Production

The demand for locally grown, specialty cut flowers is increasing and now includes nontraditional regions for production, such as the U.S. Intermountain West. The objective of this study was to evaluate snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) as a cool season, cut flower crop in northern Utah, where the high elevation and semiarid climate result in a short growing season with strong daily temperature fluctuations. High tunnel and field production methods were trialed in North Logan, UT (41.77°N, 111.81°W, 1382 m elevation) with cultivars ‘Chantilly’, ‘Potomac’, and ‘Rocket’ in 2018 and 2019. Each year, five to six transplant timings at 3-week intervals were tested, beginning in early February in high tunnels and ending in late May in an unprotected field. Stems were harvested and graded according to quality and stem length. High tunnels advanced production by 5 to 8 weeks, whereas field harvests continued beyond the high tunnel harvests by 2 to 8 weeks. High tunnels yielded 103 to 110 total stems per m2 (65% to 89% marketability), whereas field yields were 111 to 162 total stems per m2 (34% to 58% marketability). Overall, production was the greatest with March transplant timings in the high tunnels and mid-April transplant timings in the field. ‘Chantilly’ consistently bloomed the earliest on 4 and 6 May each year, ‘Potomac’ had the highest percentage of long stem lengths, and ‘Rocket’ extended marketable stem production through July in high tunnels. Selecting optimal transplant dates in the high tunnel and field based on cultivar bloom timing maximizes marketable yields and results in a harvest window lasting 4.5 months.

scholarly journals Penn State High Tunnel Extension Program

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 732-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Lamont ◽  
Michael D. Orzolek ◽  
E. Jay Holcomb ◽  
Robert M. Crassweller ◽  
Kathy Demchak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Penn State ◽  
Programming Effort ◽  
Service Training ◽  
Tunnel Design ◽  
Research And Education

The Center for Plasticulture's High Tunnel Research and Education Facility was established at Pennsylvania State University in 1999. Since its inception, applied research has been conducted at this facility by a team of researchers and extension specialists on the development of a new high tunnel design. The development of crop production recommendations for vegetables, small fruits, tree fruits and cut flowers grown in high tunnels has been a priority. To complement the applied research program, an aggressive extension education program was developed to extend information on the technology of high tunnels to county extension personnel, growers, industry representatives, students, master gardeners and the general public. The extension programming effort consisting of demonstration high tunnels, field days, tours, in-service training, publications and presentations made at winter meetings will be discussed in the report below.

Contract Growing for the Export-oriented Cut Flowers Industry in Turkey

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 531a-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin G. Brumfield ◽  
Burhan Ozkan ◽  
Osman Karagüzel
Keyword(s):  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Price Setting ◽  
Production Structure ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
Product Price ◽  
Plant Materials ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Specific Performance ◽  
Insight Into

Thirty cut flower businesses were surveyed in 1997 to examine the production structure and main problems of export-oriented contract growing in Turkey. The survey was conducted in Antalya province, which is the center of export-oriented cut flower production in Turkey. The results of the research provided insight into how Turkish cut flower-contracted growers were managing some of the key areas of their operations. The study also provided the opportunity for growers to highlight their concerns about contract growing for export-oriented cut flower production. The survey showed that contract growers do not use specific performance indicators relevant to cut flower production. The product price received by the contract growers was determined by the export companies. These export companies receive flowers from growers mainly on consignment. After exporting the products, exporters periodically pay the grower, subtracting a commission for their services and other marketing expenses. Contract growers are essentially price takers in the transactions. The business procedure from production to price setting and marketing was not in the hands of the contract growers. Therefore, the trading risks are essentially borne by the contract growers. The main concerns raised by contract growers were the current consignment system, cost of the plant materials, and the late payment for the sold products.

scholarly journals Influência da vernalização de semente na produção, crescimento e desenvolvimento de plantas de lisianthus

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Yumbla-Orbes ◽  
José Geraldo Barbosa ◽  
Wagner Campos Otoni ◽  
Marcel Santos Montezano ◽  
José Antônio Saraiva Grossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Commercial Scale ◽  
Large Scale Production ◽  
And Control

Flowering induction and control is a limiting factor when commercially producing cut flowers of lisianthus and seed exposure to low temperatures, a physiological event called vernalization, induces the differentiation of vegetative buds to reproductive buds, contributing to a flowering that is uniform and has quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of seed vernalization in three cultivars of lisianthus (Excalibur, Echo and Mariachi) for 12, 24, 36 and 48 days at temperatures of 5, 10 and 15°C, in the production and quality of buds, making this technology feasible to large-scale production. During cultivation it was observed that the lower the temperature and higher the vernalization period, the lower the cycle and the greater the number of plants induced to flowering for all three cultivars, and those are important features in the context of flower production in a commercial scale. The seeds subjected to vernalization originated plants that produce flower stems within the standards required by the market, showing that vernalization was efficient to induce flowering without affecting the quality of the buds. To produce lisianthus as a cut flower of quality, it is recommended seed vernalization of Mariachi and Echo cultivars for 24 days at 5°C and Excalibur for 36 days at 5°C.

scholarly journals Alternative Strategies to Manage Weather Risk in Perennial Fruit Crop Production

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 452-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuay-Tsyr Ho ◽  
Jennifer E. Ifft ◽  
Bradley J. Rickard ◽  
Calum G. Turvey
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Revenue Insurance ◽  
Tunnel System ◽  
Weather Insurance

Fruit producers in the Eastern United States face a wide range of weather-related risks that have the capacity to largely impact yields and profitability. This research examines the economic implications associated with responding to these risks for sweet cherry production in three different systems: high tunnels, revenue insurance, and weather insurance. The analysis considers a distribution of revenue flows and costs using detailed price, yield, and weather data between 1984 and 2013. Our results show that the high tunnel system generates the largest net return if significant price premiums exist for earlier and larger fruit.

scholarly journals FIELD-GROWN CUT FLOWERS: AN ECONOMICAL ANALYSIS FOR PRODUCTION IN THE OZARKS

HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 659d-659
Author(s):  
Gloria McIntosh ◽  
Gerald Klingaman
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Response ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Vase Life ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Economical Analysis ◽  
Celosia Cristata ◽  
Number Of Stems

Several cut flower species were studied to determine their feasibility for cut flower production. Three fertilizer treatments (0.5, .1, and .15kg/m2 respectively) were used and their effect on number of stems, stem length and fresh weight were determined. Celosia cristata and Ageratum houstonianum `Blue Horizon' proved to respond best to fertilizer treatments. Celosia fertilized at a rate of .15kg/m2 will produce approximately 200 stems/m2. Ageratum will produce appoximately 400 stems/m2 when fertilized at a rate of .10kg/m2. Fertlizer rates of .10 and .15 kg/m2 for Eustoma culture yielded 86 stems/m2, which was lower than other species used in this test. Extended vase life and consumer response could possibly justify using this species in cut flower production. An economic break-even analysis will be presented to show what price will have to be received per stem to cover costs.

scholarly journals Irrigating Landscape Bedding Plants and Cut Flowers With Recycled Nursery Runoff and Constructed Wetland Treated Water

2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-98
Author(s):  
Michael A. Arnold ◽  
Bruce J. Lesikar ◽  
Garry V. McDonald ◽  
Donita L. Bryan ◽  
Amit Gross
Keyword(s):  
Warm Season ◽  
Stand Density ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
Treated Water ◽  
Bedding Plants ◽  
Nursery Runoff ◽  
Effect On Yield ◽  
Water Treatments

Abstract Direct nursery runoff (runoff), wetland treated recycled nursery runoff (recycled), and a municipal water source (tap) with and without elevated salt (NaCl targeted injection to 3.0 dS·m−1) levels were tested as potential drip irrigation sources for production of in-ground cut flower crops and landscape bedding plants. Two species of cut flowers, Helianthus annuus L. ‘Mammoth’ (sunflower) and Gladiolus hortulanus L. ‘Tout A Toi’ (gladiolus), and two bedding plants, Catharanthus roseus G. Don ‘Pacifica Red’ (vinca) and Zinnia elegans N.J. von Jacquin ‘Lilliput Mixed Colors’ (zinnia), were established in trial beds irrigated with the four water treatments during the summer of 2001 as a warm season experiment. A second experiment was conducted from November 2001 to May 2002 to investigate growth and flowering responses of two species of cut flower crops [Consolida ambigua (L.) P Ball & V Heywood (larkspur) and Narcissus tazetta L. ‘Galilea’ (paperwhite narcissus)] and two bedding plants [Antirrhinum majus L. ‘Montego Mix’ (snapdragons) and Viola × wittrockiana H. Gams ‘Crown Mix’ (pansies)]. Marketable crops of sunflower, paperwhite narcissus, and larkspur were produced with all four water treatments. Direct nursery runoff, recycled wetland treated water, and NaCl spiked water that were high in soluble salts during the heat of summer reduced yield and inflorescence diameter with sunflowers, but only slightly reduced inflorescence quality and had no effect on yield of paperwhite narcissus. These three treatments also affected stand density, but not yield of cut larkspur inflorescences in the cool season. Irrigation with water containing elevated NaCl levels reduced flower counts on pansies and growth indices on pansies and snapdragons over much of the growing season, but reduced snapdragon flowering only in spring. Vinca was unaffected by the irrigation treatments. Zinnia survival and flowering were reduced or delayed by irrigation with recycled or elevated NaCl water.

scholarly journals Management Practices of Growers Using High Tunnels in the Central Great Plains of the United States

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 639-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon J.B. Knewtson ◽  
Edward E. Carey ◽  
M.B. Kirkham
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Spinacia Oleracea ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
The United States ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Leafy Greens ◽  
High Tunnels

A survey was conducted of 81 growers managing 185 high tunnels in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa to collect information about their high tunnel management practices. The survey was administered from 2005 to 2007 using internet-based and written forms. The average respondent had 4 years of high tunnel experience. The oldest tunnel still in use was 15 years old. Twenty-five percent of respondents grew crops in their high tunnels year-round. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), spinach (Spinacia oleracea), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), pepper (Capsicum spp.), leafy greens, and flowers were the most common crops. Organic soil amendments were used exclusively by 35% of growers, and in combination with conventional fertilizers by an additional 50% of growers. The summary of management practices is of interest to growers and the industries and university research and extension scientists who serve them. Growers typically reported satisfaction with their high tunnels. Growers with more than one high tunnel had often added tunnels following the success of crop production in an initial tunnel. Labor for crop maintenance was the main limiting factor reported by growers as preventing expanded high tunnel production.

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