Pig# S-Grower and Marketer, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 9, 200 D
New Plasticulture
Center Building
(Continued from Pag* 1)
The center was established
in 1998 as a clearinghouse for
research and educational ef
forts in the field of plasticul
ture.
According to Lamont, the
project is attempting to come
up with best management
practices (BMPs) to use in the
construction of the houses
and the use of the houses to
extend the season, provide
early grown produce, and to
supply produce off-season.
The high tunnel, he said, is
not a greenhouse, “though it
looks like it,” he said. It’s a
nonpermanent structure that
can be moved.
The tunnel creates a “mi
croenvironment” that sup
plies protection from wind,
cold temperatures, and other
elements that can be detri
mental to vegetable, fruit,
and ornamental production.
Commercially, high tun
nels are available in sizes
ranging from 14-, 17-, and
21-feet wide to about 96 feet
long. The tunnels at the
center at Rockspring mea
sure about 17 by 36 feet long.
The tunnels allow growers
to pick in the rain, provide a
constant supply all along,
and extend the season. The
downside: the conditions can
be ideal for powdery mildew
development and insect con
trols need to be implemented.
Tunnels have been in
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stalled in many southeast
portions of the state, includ
ing Lancaster, Dauphin, and
Bucks counties. Additional
ones have gone into Elk
County and others.
The 17-foot by 36-foot
buildings took about a day to
install with four people at a
cost of about $1,200 each.
The structure is designed to
last 25-30 years and the plas
tic about four years.
Some who use the technol
ogy believe that tomatoes, for
instance, last 5-8 days longer
on the shelf than field
produced product.
One at Penn State houses
tomatoes on a Florida-weave
stake and prune system. An
other houses okra.
Some houses have been
equipped with a specially de
signed access door on both
ends. A drip irrigation system
is installed to allow precise
watering. Penn State also
plans to purchase a couple of
hives of bees to help in polli
nation.
“The technology is a useful
tool and what you want to
do is make money,” Lament
said.
Dr. Mike Orzolek, profes
sor of vegetable crops at Penn
State, noted the technology
produces a wonderfully col
orful cut flower.
The technology “opens up
a large variety of opportuni
ties,” said Orzolek.
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Dr. Bill Lament Jr., associate professor of vegetable crops at Penn State, in
spects the newly constructed Tom Wentzler Building at the Penn State Center
For Piasticulture during a special Ag Progress Days tour. Photo by Andy Andrews
Some houses have been equipped with a specially designed access door on
both ends. A drip irrigation system is installed to allow precise watering. Penn
State also plans to purchase a couple of hives of bees to help in pollination.
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