lesson seven: high tunnel bed arrangement and plant spacing high tunnel fruit and vegetable...
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LESSON SEVEN: HIGH TUNNEL BED ARRANGEMENT
AND PLANT SPACING
High Tunnel Fruit and Vegetable Production
Video
Plant Spacing VideoAfter watching this video, discuss
why plant spacing is important.
Objectives
Explain how planting bed arrangement can affect yields and income.
Discuss how plants can be arranged for maximum efficiency and productivity.
Importance of Space Utilization
Efficient and productive space utilization is as important in a high tunnel as it is in a greenhouse.
The greater percentage of space utilized in crop production will result in increased profit per square foot.
Some areas need to be open for ready access to all portions of the tunnel.
A good tunnel arrangement optimizes crop production and accessibility.
Longitudinal Lateral
Two types of Bed Arrangements
Longitudinal Bed Arrangement
Most typical arrangement in high tunnels
Advantages Practical for laying plastic and drip lines Efficient installation and management of trellises and row
covers Long rows are a desirable arrangement for single-crop
production
Disadvantages Plants grown along the sides of a high tunnel may exhibit an
“edge effect,” displaying poorer growth due to:
cooler temperatures in the spring wet soils from inadequate drainage wind damage.
Lateral Bed Arrangement
A desired arrangement when several different crops are grown or different planting times are scheduled
Provides slightly more growing space than beds arranged longitudinally in the high tunnel
Configuring lateral beds north-south in a high tunnel with an east-west orientation will result in less shading.
Plant Spacing
Increased plant populations made feasible by: Trellising Dry (no rain) environment
Plant populations can be increased to nearly double the plant density of field-grown crops.
Crops requiring more growing room are typically planted in single rows within the bed.
Plant Spacing
Many crops can be planted in double rows (twin rows) within one bed or strip of plastic.
The two rows are typically spaced 12 to 18 inches apart.
Staggering the plants so that two plants in double rows are not side-by-side allows for closer planting with adequate room for growth.
Trellising
Advantages: Improves light interception by the crop canopy Makes harvest easier Improves pollination Reduces damage to plants during harvest Required if growing melons in addition to other
crops in a high tunnel Without the use of trellises, melon vines will
overrun other plants if not trained.
Summary
Bed arrangement and plant spacing are important for increasing yields and productivity of crops, which leads to an increase in income from produce.
Reflection
Answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper.
If you were to own a high tunnel, how would you choose to arrange the planting beds? Why did you choose this arrangement?
Would you plant one crop or multiple crops? What is the benefit of staggering the plants? Besides melons, what is another crop that
might benefit from trellising?
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