Strawberry Production Season Extension Using Low Tunnels
- Kim Lewers, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD
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•• Extend season all summer... longer with frost protection
•• Excellent quality, no Botrytis fruit rot, no powdery mildew, no angular leafspot
•• Plant dormant bare-root plants available from nursery in March
•• Option to cover tunnels with bird netting
•• Anthracnose controls: resistant cultivar some day, drop tunnel sides, fungicides
Tunnels (no frost protection) | Amount | Cost | ||||||||
3/16" Stainless steel rods | 50 12 ft pieces 3/16 | $164 | ||||||||
5' T-posts for ends | two | $14 | ||||||||
Spring tensioners for ends | two | $11 | ||||||||
Reusable costs for one 200-ft tunnel | | $188 | ||||||||
Clear poly plastic 12' x 240' | one 240 ft roll | $130 | ||||||||
"Stoppers" (HD 100 SIDR 15 PE 3408 CS-100 PSI PR water at 73?F | 100' | $30 | ||||||||
Tyrite 9600-170 polypropylene baler twine | 50 x 15' pieces = 750' | $3 | ||||||||
Per planting costs for one 200-ft tunnel | | $163 | ||||||||
Total for one 200-ft tunnel | | $351 | ||||||||
Frost protection | Amount | Cost | ||||||||
misters | 20 | $53 | ||||||||
1 1/2 ft 3/4 in pvc to raise misters | 20 | $36 | ||||||||
Reusable costs for one 200-ft tunnel | | $89 | ||||||||
blue-stripe mister line | 200 ft | $42 | ||||||||
Per planting costs for one 200-ft tunnel | | $42 | ||||||||
Total for one 200-ft tunnel | | $131 | ||||||||
Bird and fox protection | Amount | Cost | ||||||||
bird netting | 3/4" 14' x 200' cut in half | $61 | ||||||||
