This document summarizes spring and summer crop production in a greenhouse or high tunnel. It provides information on seeding dates, varieties of tomatoes and peppers to consider planting based on traits like earliness and disease resistance. It also discusses care techniques like staking tomatoes and pruning to improve air circulation and fruit size. Other crops mentioned being grown include strawberries, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, summer squash, and various lettuce and potato varieties.

1. Spring/Summer Production

2. Production starts in mid-December with seeding flats. Helpful hints and tools: Have seeds, media, flats on hand A heated greenhouse Germination mats

13. March Close-up: Spring freeze Date (2007) Soil temp. (°C) Air temp. (°C)

14. High Tunnel Tomato Varieties Traits and characteristics to consider when selecting Your market & marketing strategy Earliness Flavor Size Disease resistance

15. Polbig Determinate - compact plant Very Early Maturing – 60 day Small to Medium size 8 ounce Globe shaped – pointed end Good tasting Performs well in cool weather

16. Jetsetter Indeterminate Very Early Maturing – 64 day Medium size 8 to 10 ounce Smooth, flatten, bright red Real tomato flavor Good disease resistance

17. Bush Early Girl Determinate Very Early Maturing – 65 day Medium size 8 to 12 ounce Smooth, bright red Meaty & flavorful Good disease resistance

18. Bush Champion Determinate – compact plants Very Early Maturing – 65 day Large 10 to 12 ounce fruits Smooth, bright red Excellent flavor Good disease resistance

19. Applause Vigorous Determinate Early Maturing – 67 to 70 day Large 10 to 12 ounce fruits Smooth, bright red Good tomato flavor

21. Staking & Stringing tomatoes improves fruit quality

22. Pruning or suckering tomatoes improves air circulation and can increase the size of individual tomatoes

23. One inch of water per week = 1800 gallons of water for a typical high tunnel structure.

25. Some of the other crops we have growing in our high tunnels include Strawberries. Here you see them in bloom with fruit beginning to ripen.

26. Pollinating strawberries with a cordless leaf blower

27. So while we’re busy getting an early jump on summer crops in our high tunnels, they are also providing us with a great selection of produce to have at our early to mid-April farmer’s market!

34. Meanwhile, back in our high tunnels…

36. Cherry tomato set, May 2. You can see the growth on the other tomatoes in the background.

37. Photo: L Jett WVU

42. Some other crops we are growing in May in the high tunnels. Bell peppers – will be ready to sell June 1.

44. High Tunnel Pepper Varieties Traits and characteristics to consider when selecting Your market & marketing strategy Type (Bell, Hot, etc) Earliness Color Size Disease resistance

45. Ace Green Bell ~ ripens Red Very Early – 50 day green 70 red Medium sized 3 - 4 lobe Resistant to blossom drop

46. King Arthur Green Bell ~ ripens Red Early – 59 day green, 79 red Large 3 – 4 lobe Good disease resistance, including PVY & BLS 1 & 2

47. Goliath Green Bell ~ ripens Red Mid season – 68 day green 80 red Large 4 lobe 4” x 7”

48. Flavorburst Lime green Bell ~ ripens Yellow Mid season – 65 day Lime green 87 bright yellow Medium large 3 lobe

49. Sweet Spot Banana Pepper Greenish yellow to Orange to Red Long 8” by 2” Disease resistance to BLS 1,2,3 Heavy yields

50. Big Daddy Marconi Pepper Ripens golden - yellow 73 day Long 8 – 10” Thick wall

51. Green Beans

53. Purple Majesty German Butterball Yukon Gold Carola Red Lasoda Colorado Rose Purple Viking Desiree All Blue

54. Cucumbers - Note the lady beetle pupae.

56. Zephyr summer squash growing along a side wall

57. Zucchini

63. Main Crops for Spring/Summer...... Tomatoes Peppers Cucumbers Mesclun Lettuce Eggplant Summer Squash

64. Questions?