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  • From: Steve Diver <steved AT ncat.org>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Greenhouse tomatoes in container culture
  • Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 10:56:25 -0600

Hello Peter -

How small is the world? Were you the Pete
speaking about Buffalo tomatoes in greenhouse
production in Vermont at Great Plains Vegetable
Growers in St. Joseph, MO, last Thurs-Saturday?

Anyways, there are two "soilless" systems that
are a productive alternative to soil-borne diseases
in greenhouse vegetable production: bag culture
and straw bale culture.

Moreover, both are well adapted to organic culture
using a compost-based potting mix coupled with
topdressing and supplemental liquid feeding.

Both systems are commonly done with a geotextile
ground cloth to prevent soil splashing and therefore
soil-borne disease issues, as well as for the
control of weeds. The weed barrier provides a nice,
clean working environment.

Bag culture can be done with both lay-flat and upright
plastic grow bags in the 3-5 gallon range.

Bag culture is commonly employed in the
greenhouse tomato industry uing pine bark
media with hydroponic fertilizer solutions.

Straw bales are top-covered with a layer of
compost-based potting so the roots can get
established. The straw eventually serves as a
massive growing media that also gives off CO2
and biothermic rooting warmth as it undergoes
biological decomposition.

ATTRA can provide a technical information packet
on straw bale culture, available in print only.

E.g.,

"Straw bale culture was an important method of
greenhouse cucumber production in Europe and
Canada prior to the development of soilless culture
methods such as rockwool and NFT hydroponics.
Bale culture evolved primarily as an alternative to
soil culture and associated soil-borne diseases.
In greenhouse production, disease control is so
important that straw bales sitting on top of the ground
provided a significant advantage. In addition, greenhouse
growers also relied on the warmth and CO2 generated
from nutrient-saturated straw bales as a result of
thermophIic decomposition. In countries like Holland
and England, soils tend to be cold in early spring and
the biothermic warmth generated from straw bales was,
again, viewed as a significant advantage. Lastly, in
greenhouses with concrete or gravel floors, straw bales
provide a means to return to organic substrate culture."

"In bale culture, the greenhouse floor should first be
lined with a geotextile mulch to provide weed control.
Bales are pre‑wetted with a soluble source of nitrogen
which initiates decomposition and causes the bales to
heat up. For soaking, about 7–15 gallons of water are
required for a regular 50 lb. bale. When the temperature
of the bales cools down to below 110° F, they are
capped with several inches of a compost-based
potting mix to accommodate the root balls of tomato
or cucumber transplants. Normally, planting would
take place on about the eleventh day after initial
wetting."

For certified organic potting mixes, ingredients,
and recipes, see:

http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/potmix.html


Best regards,

Steve Diver
http://www.attra.ncat.org







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