Amazing! I have also been experimenting with growing undercover so this is very interesting. Please keep us updated!

Wow! What did you use as cover for the low tunnels?

The low tunnels were just covered with Row cover, Agribond 19, a single layer.

Good comparison but the corresponding daily outside temperatures would be an important addition. Also, noteworthy that you don't heat in high tunnel where supplemental heat will make a big difference in a weather pattern like we have had this spring. Since you planted tunnel plants at least a week before me if you had heated you would be harvesting a substantial crop by now.

I'm not downplaying row covers since I covered many crops last night to protect from frost which we had this AM but if temps would drop 5*F more than Agribon 19 would have been less effective under most instances in preventing plant damage than a film covered tunnel. I would also prefer the option of being able to heat to keep that number of valuable plants alive under less optimal weather.

I can tell from the pictures that hoop, low /high tunnel make a big difference vs out in the open. The difference between low and high tunnel is not that much. All boils down to how early you start harvesting. For a market grower perhaps high tunnel is a winner in terms of getting the first ripe tomato to the farmers market. It mimic a greenhouse with steadier and warmer temperature.
JMO

Sey

I wish I could heat, but I am not prepared to deal with the added expense and the additional management. With my full time teaching job, I am just happy to get the buildings open and closed in a timely manner.

You ask for the temps, here you go.

My high tunnel plants were planted on March 18th, my biggest problem is the lack on sunshine so far this year. We have been getting 1-2 days of sunshine and 5 -6 days of rainy and gloomy weather.

I need my tomatoes to start in early June, any earlier the markets aren't as well attended. If I was able to take hundreds of pounds of tomatoes to these markets, I wonder how well they would sell.


The posts are 4 foot tall and they have overgrown them already. This pic was taken several weeks ago.

Sey: I agree the high tunnel and low tunnels are very similar. I guess another purpose is to show those backyard gardeners that low tunnels can help .
Jay

Jay, been long time.
How things are coming along ?
What is the difference between high tunnel and low tunnel at this point?
When did you start harvesting for the market ? Or expect to harvest ?
Do you mind sharing the name of the varieties ?


Sey

Yes it has Sey, I have been very busy and gone on vacation.
Over all, the plants in the low tunnels are ahead of the ones that were just outside. The ones in the high tunnels are the hands down winners, but I have been very happy with the ones in the low tunnel and I will do it again next year.

My biggest issue has been rain. All the tomatoes in this patch ( 5, 70 foot rows) run across the slope and there is a high tunnel on the up hill side. All the rain we have gotten has run into the first two rows really bad and the plants were actually yellowing. The plant roots were almost all sitting in water. They were stunted some. So now the outside ones (as they were three rows in and the ends of the other two low tunnel rows look better than the middle of the low tunnel rows.

I mulched between the rows in an attempt to slow the water down and keeping it from washing out the rows (I know it will hold in more moisture but I have also lost parts of rows because of water run off. With the straw mulch I haven't lost any plants.) Here I am standing between rows of tomatoes, my size 13's are completely covered.

Here is an older pic. I will try to get some new ones tomorrow. The low tunnel ones are all the way to the left, the third row from the left is the outside row and the remaining ones are the next planting.

Forgot to answer the rest of your questions. We started harvesting tomatoes this week out of the high tunnel (none from this tomato experiment) we sold about 25 pounds. This week we will have many more. I hope to start harvesting the outside ones in mid July, the next planting in early August, the planting I will be putting out this week in September and the last planting I will plant out by July 4th in late September-October. Of course we will continue to harvest from everything outside until it freezes, but the succession plantings of the determinate tomatoes helps me maintain the size of tomatoes my customers want.

As far as varieties, I grow the following.
Red: Polbig, BHN 1021, BHN 589, Florida 91, and Big Beef
Yellow: BHN 871 and 876
Purple: Cherokee Purple