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Winter Protection for Plasticulture Strawberry Production |
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Winter Protection for Plasticulture Strawberry Production |
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Plasticulture strawberry production is a relatively new
innovation for Ohio growers. One
of the main advantages of the system is a potential earlier harvest
providing a competitive edge in the market place relative to
conventional matted row production systems.
Other potential advantages include higher yield and reduced
environmental impact from a simpler pest management system.
Challenges include: lack of experience with the system among
growers, Extension personnel and researchers, cost, and adaptability of
suitable varieties to the climate. |
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Methods |
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Chandler variety strawberry tips, obtained from where
Strawberry Hill Inc., Bunn NC, were planted in 50 cell trays containing
Metro Mix 360 soilless media and placed in the greenhouse at Southern
States Community College on August 6th.
Tips were grown for four weeks with an average day temperature of
75 degrees F and an average night temperature of
65 degrees F. Planting
media was kept continually moist with a mist system to promote root
development. The resulting
plugs were transplanted to the field using a three-point hitch water
wheel planter and watered in with Peters 20-20-20 starter fertilizer.
Strawberry plants were planted in double rows with 12 inches
between rows and plants on September 11, 2001 at the Hillsboro location
and six days later at the Piketon Location.
Field preparation included application of 100 units of nitrogen,
phosphorus, and potassium pre-planting, plowing, disking and formation
of a raised planting bed covered with black plastic that was formed with
a Redick Fumigation bed shaper. The floating row cover and the straw was put in place on
December 19th and plant growth was monitored throughout the winter. To control weed growth, annual rye grass was seeded between
the rows of plastic prior to planting of berries to the field.
The rye grass was then killed off in the spring with an
application of Poast EC at 2.5 pints / ac plus 2 pint of a crop oil
concentrate. To control disease, the following products were applied.
Captan + sticker 4/26/02, Captan
Quadris + sticker 5/10/02, Captan
5/19/02, Switch + Quadris tank mixed with Thiodan 5/31/02 Calcium nitrate was then injected through the trickle tape in
the spring as necessary and continued through harvest in an attempt to
maintain optimum plant growth and berry production. The harvest at Piketon began 5/13/02 until finished 6/10/02.
The harvest at Hillsboro began 5/20/02 and finished 6/10/02 |
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Results |
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| (Please note this Winter was unusually warm
approximately 12 degrees F above average)
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| Table 1. Yields (4 replicates) from Piketon, Ohio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Table 2. Yields (4 replicates) from Piketon, Ohio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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