Organic Greenhouse Vegetable Production PDF
800-346-9140ORGANIC GREENHOUSEVEGETABLE PRODUCTIONHORTICULTURE SYSTEMS GUIDEAppropriate Technology TransferforRuralAreasATTRA is the national sustainable agriculture information center funded by the USDA’s Rural Business -- Cooperative Service.Abstract: Organic greenhouse vegetable production is regularly practiced by certified organic farmers andmarket gardeners, and has potential for wider adaptation by established greenhouse operators and entry levelgrowers as a niche market or sustainable method of production. This publication focuses on organic methods ofgreenhouse vegetable production, and it is supplemented with a listing of greenhouse resources.By Lane Greer and Steve DiverNCAT Agriculture SpecialistsJanuary, 2000IntroductionAlthough several Extension bulletins areavailable on greenhouse vegetable production,few of these concentrate on organic productionmethods. This publication presents an overviewof greenhouse production systems and profilesseveral farmers raising organic vegetables ingreenhouses. It is hoped this will give newgrowers ideas of how to set up their systems,and provide more experienced farmers withexamples of alternative methods of production.The term greenhouse means different things todifferent people. A greenhouse used to be astructure formed of glass, with a heating (andusually cooling) system that was used yearIndexIntroduction//Page 1The Greenhouse Vegetable Industry//Page 2How Can Small Growers Compete?//Page 2Organic Greenhouse Production//Page 4Soil vs. Soilless Culture//Page 7Soil Culture//Page 8Soilless Culture//Page 10Hydroponics//Page 12Variety Selection//Page 13Economics//Page 13Developments in the Greenhouse Industry//Page 14Summary//Page 15References//Page 15Seed Sources/Page 16Organic Fertilizer Suppliers//Page 16Resources//Page 16round, but especially in winter. Then camehouses built of thermoplastic (Plexiglas andothers), followed by Quonsets covered withplastic, which may or may not be heated, haveone or two layers, and be used year-round or foronly a few months every year. The type ofgreenhouse you have will largely be determinedby your crop and your capital and, to a lesserextent, by your management intensity and yourmarket strategy.For the purposes of this publication, agreenhouse can be any of the above. AnotherATTRA publication, Season Extension Techniquesfor Market Gardeners, contains furtherinformation on protected shelter structures suchas cold frames, high tunnels or “hoophouses,”and low tunnels.ATTRA // ORGANIC GREENHOUSE VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONPage 1
The Greenhouse Vegetable IndustrySmall-scale growers who plan on directmarket sales may want to think twicebefore getting into this business in aregion that is already saturated.The U.S. greenhouse vegetable industry is amixture of small, family-run operations in the2,500 to 10,000 square foot range and a smallnumber of large, multi-acre facilities 10 acres ormore in size. The larger greenhouses often usewaste heat from a power plant or other sourceof cogeneration (1).Current U.S. production estimates aresomewhere around 800 acres (2). Incomparison, Mexico has about 450 acres,Canada has about 1,600 acres, and Holland hasover 11,000 acres (3, 4). In the latter part of the1990s, Canadian greenhouse vegetableproduction grew at a rate of 20% a year. Howhas Canada been able to generate this hugegrowth? “Significant new greenhouse vegetableproduction technology that was transferred tocommercial producers has been primarilyresponsible for dramatic yield increases over thelast 7–8 years, estimated at 100–120% fortomatoes and 70–80% for cucumbers” (3).Canada is strongly supporting its greenhousegrowers, both with research and withinvestment dollars. Their research facilities atHarrow are recognized as topnotch the worldover. Although most Canadian greenhousevegetables are not produced organically, therehas been an emphasis of late to use IPMstrategies, rather than pesticides, toaccommodate the growing market of consumerswho want pesticide-free produce. Most of theorganic produce imported into the U.S. is nowcoming from Mexico.Tomatoes are the leading greenhouse vegetablecrop, followed by European cucumbers, lettuce,peppers, and culinary herbs such as basil, sage,and rosemary. See the ATTRA publications onthese specific vegetables for more information.In addition, growers aiming at niche marketsraise specialty crops, greens, and Orientalvegetables.The leading states in greenhouse vegetableproduction are California, Florida, Colorado,Arizona, Ohio, Texas, and Pennsylvania—allwith over one million square feet of productioneach (2). This is where the centers ofproduction exist, both as a source of competitionas well as a source of technical assistance.Small-scale growers who plan on direct marketsales may want to think twice before gettinginto this business in a region that is alreadysaturated.How Can Small Producers Compete?With so much competition from Canada,Mexico, and overseas, how can small farmersrealize a profit raising greenhouse vegetables?One issue of increasing importance toconsumers is vegetables grown with minimumpesticides. The public has also become educatedon the values of locally grown produce: it’sfresher, it tastes better, and it may even be lessexpensive, since there are fewer shipping costsinvolved. Also, money paid to a local farmer isre-invested in the local community and helps tokeep that economy strong.Year-round production is key to maintaining thegreenhouse’s profitability. However, this doesnot necessarily mean that growers should beproducing the same crop year-round. (Wintertomatoes bring more money than do summerones.) Another option would be to raise a cropother than vegetables, like bedding plants forearly spring sales or poinsettias for Christmas.The grower may decide that the most costefficient way to use his or her greenhouseduring the summer is to shut it up to solarizethe soil and “cook” insects (and their eggs) thatare present.Small growers must find niche markets. It ispointless to try to compete with massmerchandisers like Wal-Mart, because the smallgrower will always lose. What are some nichemarkets for organic greenhouse vegetableproducers? Some of the general niches havealready been mentioned: consumers are lookingfor organic, locally grown, early-seasonproduce. Whatever the niche market, it isimportant for growers to realize that the natureATTRA // ORGANIC GREENHOUSE VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONPage 2
of niche markets is for them to disappear after awhile. Oversupply or lowered demand willcreate lower prices. The market will change tofavor one product and disfavor another. Thismay happen when mass merchandisers enterthe market, when the popular press promotes aparticular vegetable, or when new medicalevidence points to increased or decreased healthbenefits from certain vegetables.A good example of changes in a niche market isthe salad greens industry. Fifteen years ago, leaflettuce was almost impossible to find. Whenleaf lettuces were introduced to the generalpublic, few people accepted them. When chefsin finer restaurants began using them, moreaffluent people began asking for them inmarkets. The undersupply led to extremelyhigh prices; as much as 16 per pound was notuncommon. More and more small growersbegan producing salad greens, but it wasn’tuntil large growers entered the market that theprice per pound went down significantly (to 6–10 a pound). Many growers can still get 4–6 apound for greens, but as more large growersenter the market, this price will continue todrop. Long before the market has bottomed outis when small growers need to diversify andfind ways to add value to their crops, likeoffering pre-cut, washed and ready-to-eat mixedlettuces.Labor and energy are usually the two greatestgreenhouse expenses. If small growers can finda way to decrease costs of either or both ofthese, their chances of making a profit arestrengthened. How can they do this? Cheapsources of energy are key. Sunlight,decomposing compost, and animal heat arethree ways to decrease energy costs.Solar GreenhousesGreenhouses can be designed to take advantageof solar radiation and cut fuel expenses. Solargreenhouses are popular with small-scalegrowers. These are super-insulatedgreenhouses designed to collect and retain solarenergy. The technology associated with solargreenhouses is rather detailed. In addition, theliterature on solar greenhouses is quite large. Tohelp growers identify some of the best resourceson this topic, ATTRA compiled the SolarGreenhouses Resource List.One recent publication that features organicvegetable production in a solar greenhouse isAnna Edey’s book Solviva: How to Grow 500,000on One Acre and Peace on Earth. Solviva is Edey’saward-winning solar-powered and animalheated greenhouse on Martha’s Vineyard. Thebook discusses greenhouse design, function,construction, and management. Ms. Edeyincludes numerous energy-efficient designs likewater walls and growtubes. She also tells howmuch everything costs, which is invaluable formarket gardeners. Solviva is available for 38from:GFM BooksPO Box 3747Lawrence, KS 66046800-307-8949Composting GreenhousesHeating greenhouses with waste heat generatedby compost is a second option that takesadvantage of local resources and integratesdifferent farm activities. In a compostinggreenhouse, heat and carbon dioxide aregenerated from manure-based compostcontained in a special chamber attached to oneside of the greenhouse.Compost-heated greenhouses gained a lot ofattention from work undertaken at The NewAlchemy Institute at Falmouth,Massachusetts. The New Alchemy Institutewas one of the premier appropriatetechnology centers that operated in the 1970sand 80s. The Institute published widely onecology, wind energy, solar energy,bioshelters, solar greenhouses, integrated pestmanagement in greenhouses, organicfarming, and sustainable agriculture.Though the technology to implementcompost-heated greenhouses exists, they areseldom done on a commercial scale. ATTRAcan provide more information on this topic onrequest.ATTRA // ORGANIC GREENHOUSE VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONPage 3
Related publications from ATTRA include: Hydroponic Vegetable ProductionAquaponics: The Integration ofHydroponics with AquacultureSolar Greenhouses Resource ListOrganic Potting MixesDisease Suppressive Potting MixesSources of Organic Fertilizers andAmendmentsSeason Extension Techniques for MarketGardenersIntegrated Pest Management forGreenhouse CropsGreenhouse IPM: Sustainable AphidControlGreenhouse IPM: Sustainable ThripsControlGreenhouse IPM: Sustainable WhiteflyControlCompost Teas for Plant Disease ControlUse of Baking Soda as a FungicideOrganic Greenhouse Tomato ProductionOrganic Greenhouse Pepper ProductionOrganic Greenhouse Cucumber ProductionOrganic Greenhouse Lettuce ProductionOrganic Greenhouse Herb ProductionOrganic Plug and Transplant ProductionAnimal-Heated GreenhousesSmall animals like chickens and rabbits produceheat and carbon dioxide in addition to productslike eggs and meat. A few growers have takenadvantage of this fact and integrate animalswith greenhouses as a source of heat. However,it can be a challenge to keep livestock in agreenhouse—the higher temperature andhumidity of a greenhouse are generally nothealthy for animals.Anna Edey, mentioned above, uses an “earthlung” to filter out the toxic ammonia gas fromthe rabbit and chicken manure she uses in herSolviva greenhouse. In addition, she keeps herchickens in a poultry room attached to thegreenhouse where temperatures do not fluctuatefrom about 70 F.In 1996, there was a SARE-funded projectheaded by Rick Meisterheim in Michigan titled“Permaculture Greenhouse System.” He raisedchickens in the greenhouse and found that theyraised the overall temperatures inside thegreenhouse by an average of 8 F. This provedto be very helpful in raising vegetabletransplants. Rick was able to set out seedlingsmuch earlier than other years, thus increasingthe length of time his CSA generated income (5).Again, bio-heated greenhouses hold interestamong small-scale growers who are focused onbio-integrated systems as a form of energyefficiency and biomass utilization. Of the threegreenhouse-heating methods summarized here,solar greenhouses have the least risk and holdthe most promise for commercial-scale ventures.Nevertheless, for those individuals seekinginformation on bio-heated greenhouses, ATTRAcan supply more information on request.Organic Greenhouse ProductionAs defined by the USDA in 1980 (6), organicfarming is a system that excludes the use ofsynthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and growthregulators. Organic farmers rely heavily oncrop rotations, crop residues, animal manures,legumes, green manures, organic wastes, andmineral-bearing rocks to feed the soil andsupply plant nutrients. Insects, weeds, andother pests are managed by mechanicalcultivation, and cultural, biological andbiorational controls.No single fertilizer will provide all of theessential elements required, but acombination of organic products can bedevised.Organic certification emerged as a marketingtool during the 1970s and 80s to ensure foodsproduced organically met specified standards ofproduction. The Organic Foods Production Act,a section of the 1990 Farm Bill, enabled theUSDA to develop a national program ofuniversal standards, certification accreditation,and food labeling. Early in 1998, the USDAATTRA // ORGANIC GREENHOUSE VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONPage 4
released a draft of the new standards for publiccomment. Public opposition to these proposedstandards was vocal, sending a message to theUSDA that more work was necessary. A newdraft of organic standards may be released in2000. In the meantime, organic certification willcontinue to occur at the state level for most ofthe country. For more information on theseorganizations, ask for ATTRA’s OrganicCertifiers resource list and Organic Certificationpublication.Growers may choose organic methods for avariety of reasons. One of the attractions ofgrowing organic produce is that it sometimesbrings a 10–30% premium in the marketplace.As organically grown produce becomes morecommonplace, however, premiums may be theexception rather than the rule, and motivationbeyond market premiums should be considered.These may include the possibility of reducedinput costs, improved farm safety, reducedenvironmental impact, and a better functioningagroecosystem.Greenhouse technology and horticulturalpractices differ little between conventional andorganic greenhouse production. The mainvariations are concerned with pest control andfertility. The ATTRA publication Integrated PestManagement for Greenhouse Crops examines thefirst issue; the second issue is addressed in thefollowing sections.FertilizerCrab-shell mealBlood mealDried whey sludgeFeather mealFish mealMeat mealCottonseed mealFish-scale mealDistiller’s dried grainsSoybean mealWheat branAlfalfa mealCanola mealNone (control)FertilityAlthough the process is more complicated, it ispossible to obtain adequate nutrients fromorganic sources, but it takes more careful andcreative management. No single fertilizer willprovide all of the essential elements required,but a combination of organic products can bedevised.Organic fertilizers have not been wellresearched in greenhouse vegetable production.However, a 1999 study performed at theUniversity of Kentucky analyzed severalproducts for the levels of nutrients theysupplied. The researchers were attempting toprove that organic fertilizers could supplynutrients at the same level as syntheticfertilizers. Products derived from algae(Algamin, a liquid, and Maxicrop, a powder),bat guano, and fish waste (GreenAll FishEmulsion, a liquid, and Mermaid’s FishPowder) demonstrated nutrient levelscomparable to conventional, synthetic fertilizersused for greenhouse plant production (7). Thereport concluded that these organic fertilizerscould not be used as a concentrate for injectorsystems, but they would be suitable in acapillary mat subirrigation system. Forinformation on how to obtain these products,see the Resources section.In 1993, Premier Peat Moss in Canadaconducted research on organic wastes from theN-P-KShoot wt. 3.510.810.810.3ATTRA // ORGANIC GREENHOUSE VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONPage 5
agri-food industry and their ability to fertilizegreenhouse tomato transplants (8). Theresearchers found that meal from blood,feathers, meat, crab shells, fish, cottonseed andwhey by-products increased shoot weight by57–83% over non-fertilized plants. The resultsof their study are shown on page 5.Liquid fertilizer applied through irrigationlines—a technique known as fertigation—is acommon practice in greenhouse production.Nitrogen and phosphorus are the two primarynutrients injected through fertigation systems.Fertigation can provide supplemental doses ofthese nutrients, especially at critical periodsduring the growing season such as fruit filling.However, fertigation is not a substitute for acomplete soil-based fertility program.The injection of organic fertilizers into low-volumeirrigation systems like drip emitter and microsprinkler is non-conventional, because the standardmethod relies on commercial synthetic fertilizersthat are highly soluble in water. The major concernwith organics is clogging of emitters and pores withparticulate matter and algae.In the early 1990s, researchers in Californiaconcluded that fertigation with certain organicfertilizers is feasible (9). Spray-dried fish andOrganic Strategies for Nutrient Deficiencies*ElementNitrogen (N)Deficiency SymptomsOld leaves turn pale green then yellow withreddish veins and midribs. Stunted growth.Phosphorus (P)Stunted growth, dull green leaves with purpletints. Old leaves scorch at the edges andwither early. Early, premature bolting.Potassium (K)Small, dark, bluish-green, glossy leaves,curving slightly backwards. Old leaves withyellow patches, scorched edges curedupwards. Small root system.Young leaves cupped backwards, with whitespots around the edges. These later turnbrown. Forward rolling of the leaf margin.Calcium (Ca)ElementMagnesium (Mg)Deficiency SymptomsLeaves become bronzed, and later, yellowpatches appear between the leaf veins.Sulfur (S)Purpling of old leaves, which then shrivel.Young leaves small and yellow between theveins.Manganese (Mn)Veins stand out clearly with yellow inbetween. As the plant ages, small dead spotsand papery areas appear. Slow root growth.Split or thin misshapen roots. Roots with tornpatchy surface and dull skin.Very pale leaves, especially the youngest earlyin the season. Veins stay dark.Boron (B)Iron (Fe)RemedyDried blood, fish meal, or guanoextracted in water. Add greateramounts in your next compostbatch.Add reactive rock phosphate orextract of guano in solution. Addgreater amounts of guano, bonemeal, or fish meal to the nextcompost batch.Add more kelp extract to thenutrient solution. Add greateramounts of ashes to the nextcompost batch.Add lime in solution. Add greaterproportions of bone meal,gypsum, or dolomite to the nextcompost batch.RemedyDolomite or serpentine insolution. Add greater amounts ofdolomite and animal manures tothe next compost batch.Sulfur in solution. Greaterproportions of gypsum andpoultry manure required in thenext compost batch.Add extra kelp extract.Add extra kelp extract.Add more kelp extract or placesome rusty nails in the bottom ofthe nutrient tank.*Reprinted with permission from: Morgan, Lynette. 1997. Organic fertilizers for hydroponics. The Growing Edge.November-December. p. 32-35, 37-39.ATTRA // ORGANIC GREENHOUSE VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONPage 6
poultry protein fertilizers were injected throughvarious drip, drip-tape, and micro-sprinklerirrigation systems, with even distribution andminimal clogging. The protein products areeasy
Organic Greenhouse Production As defined by the USDA in 1980 (6), organic farming is a system that excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and growth regulators. Organic farmers rely heavily on crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, legumes, green manures, organic wastes, and mineral-bearing rocks to feed the soil and
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Greenhouse Vegetable Production- General Information and Bibliography Hunter Johnson, Jr., is Extension Vegetable Specialist, University of California, Riverside. This publication is intended for general inquiries about commercial greenhouse vegetable production in California. An extensive list of references is provided for
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Greenhouse type based on shape: a) Lean to type greenhouse. b) Even span type greenhouse. c) Uneven span type greenhouse. d) Ridge and furrow type. e) Saw tooth type. f) Quonset greenhouse. g) Interlocking ridges and furrow type Quonset greenhouse. h) Ground to ground greenhouse.
Greenhouse Operations Management GOM6 Managing the Greenhouse Business Greenhouse Operations Management: The Greenhouse Business GOM6.2 Greenhouse Growing Schedule Make notes around the growing schedule to help you remember what each piece means and why it is important. Plant Name/ Description Container Location Planting Notes
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p. 2 Vegetable IPM Advisory 05-31-2016 Vegetable Research Highlights: Organic asparagus; organic vegetable cover crop rotations; mulches, staking, and shading for tomato and pepper; onion nitrogen and crop rotation management; introduction of the updated 2016 Utah Vegetable Production and Pest Management Guide; and biochar application to
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