Manual Provides Instruction for Growing Produce win a High Tunnel by Joe Hannan, article originally released October3, 2017, Extension Commercial Horticulture specialist

High tunnels are inexpensive, passive solar structures that are designed to extend the growing season and intensify production. While relatively new to agriculture in the United States, high tunnels can increase profits for producers when properly managed.

To help producers understand how to use a high tunnel and what crops can be profitable in it, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has released the “Iowa High Tunnel Fruit and Vegetable Production Manual” (HORT 3060), a 17-chapter guide to its use. ($10, or download .pdf for $5)

“We wanted the information to be very specific to high tunnels and there really wasn’t anything else out there that we thought was good enough,” said Joe Hannan, commercial horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “We also tried to make the information as easy to read and understand as possible, especially with the wealth of new research into high tunnel production.”

Chapters in the manual are written by ISU Extension and Outreach specialists Hannan, Linda Naeve, value added ag specialist; Lina Rodriguez-Salamanca and Laura Iles, Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic; Ajay Nair, commercial horticulture specialist; Craig Chase, local foods program manager, and Patrick O’Malley, horticulture specialist.

“Having authors from so many areas within ISU Extension and Outreach was a priority right from the start,” Hannan said. “We wanted the book to be all-inclusive, and the production side is only one part of growing in a high tunnel. We wanted to have a full discussion of economic issues, how to properly put up a building, controlling pests and marketing crops.”

The manual also discusses in great depth which crops should be grown in a high tunnel. Each chapter covers not only how to grow that crop, but what levels of production are needed for it to be profitable.

“For many people, this is their first foray into growing fruits and vegetables so they don’t have a background knowledge of what is profitable, especially if they are coming from gardening for home consumption where profitability isn’t something they think about,” Hannan said.

Deciding what crops to plant, as well as when and how often, can make the difference between making and losing money when using a high tunnel.

“If you want to make money and pay for building the high tunnel then you have to plant something that will generate revenue or brings in extra value,” Hannan said. “No matter what, profitability has to be the number one driving factor for decisions.”

Leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are discussed in detail in the manual, and are some of the crops that provide the most value in a high tunnel. Chapters on site selection, plant disease and insect management, irrigation, soil management and cover crops are also included.

Information on how to best manage the challenges presented in a high tunnel are presented as well.

“There are different challenges inside a high tunnel compared to a field and it is much easier to proactively manage these issues right away than to wait for a disaster to occur and try to fix it then,” Hannan said.

Funding for the Iowa High Tunnel Fruit and Vegetable Production Manual was made possible by the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and ISU Extension and Outreach.

Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.

OFF SHOOTSB U C H A N A N C O U N T Y M A S T E R G A R D E N E R

October 2017 Issue 10

E-V

-E-N

-T-S

Buchanan County Master Gardener Business Meeting

October 17, 2017 7:00 p.m.

Great S[aces @ Heartland Acres

2600 Swan Lake Blvd. Independence

Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

Submit articles to rbrandt@wildblue.net by the 1st Wednesday of the month.

Buchanan County ISU Extension and Outreach

2600 Swan Lake Boulevard, Suite A

Independence IA 50644

Phone: (319) 334-7161 Fax: (319) 334-6641

E-mail: xbuchanan@iastate.edu

Office Hours Monday - Friday

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

2017 - Issue 10 Buchanan County Master Gardener Off Shoots Page 2

Horticultural Programs These horticulture programs and others are listed at:

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/mastergardener/events

All Bugs Good and Bad: 2017 Webinar Series (Free) First Friday each month

2:00 p.m. (Eastern)/1:00 p.m. (Central) November 3 Pantry Pests, Carpet Beetles, and Clothes Moths -

Dr. Eric Benson December 1 Don’t Let Bed Bugs Hamper Your Vacation Plans -

Alan Brown

For more information on the series and how to connect to the webinars, visit: http://articles.extension.org/pages/73368. This website also has links to tapes of webinars presented over the past four years, 2013-2016.

Buchanan County Master Gardener Project Meeting, September 19, 2017 On Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at 7 PM the Master Gardeners will hold their business meeting at Heartland Acres, 2600

Swan Lake Boulevard in Independence. This will be the last business meeting of the year. Please attend. as there will be important items on the agenda.

Meetings are open to all Master Gardeners and the general public. * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Additional Educational Events Can Be Found at: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/mastergardener/events Currently events are listed through December 1, 2017

Exploring Gardening in the Cooler Seasons Presented by Black Hawk County Master Gardeners, symposium

November 4 from 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1301 Kimball Ave, Waterloo. To learn more: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/blackhawk/news/public-invited-master-gardeners-explore-gardening-cooler-season

Cost: $25. Prepay (no walk-ins) includes snack lunch, & handouts. Make & Takes are extra.

Guest speakers: Eileen Loan, KWWL meteorologist;Leslie Hunter, Horticulturalist, Greater Des Moines Botanical Center; Dr. Denny Schrock, Master Gardener Coordinator; and Kip Ladage, Wildlife and nature Photographer.

There will be opportunities to make Bulb Gardens or Mason Bee homes ($10 additional cost). You may also shop at the Garden Mall.

Please send payment of $25 per person by October 14, 2017 to BlackHawk County Extension, 3420 University Avenue, Suite B, Waterloo, IA 50701

(Questions? Call Steven Eilers, Urban Ag Specialist:

All links in this newsletter were verified and working October 12, 2017.

2018 Garden Calendar Celebrating with Plants

Throughout the year we celebrate holidays and special events with family gatherings and traditional foods. Plants are another important feature in many celebrations. From poinsettias at Christmas, to roses on Valentine's Day, to Jack o'lanterns on Halloween, horticulture is an integral part of many celebrations. This monthly calendar features a striking holiday-inspired horticulture image and the story behind the tradition.

The large calendar grid offers space to create a gardening journal to record the progress of your own garden. Refer to the monthly tips that provide timely cultural information for fruits and vegetables, lawn care recommendations, tree and shrub guidance, and other information. Whether it be flowers, fruits, vegetables, trees, or turfgrass, this annual calendar provides tips on a variety of topics so that you can easily know what task should be completed next in your own garden.

Calendars will sell fro $8.00 at the Buchanan County Extension Office.

Checking the menu, a restaurant customer ordered a bowl of vegetable soup.  After a couple of spoonfuls, he saw a circle of wetness right under the bowl on the tablecloth.  He called the waitress over and said, "It's all wet down here. The bowl must be cracked."  The waitress said, "You ordered vegetable soup, maybe it has a leek in it."

from <http://www.gardendigest.com/humor.htm>

2017 - Issue 10 Buchanan County Master Gardener Off Shoots Page 3

January 17th

February 21st

March 21st

April 18th

May 16th

June 20th

July 5-9

August 15th

September 19th

October 17th

November 21st

December

Great Spaces @ Heartland Acres Business Meeting

Review plans for Symposium Sign up for committees

Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

No meeting

BCMG Symposium February 25, 2016

8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

Heartland Acres Theater Program 7:00

Ashley will be reviewing volunteer services guidelines and the Volunteer Reporting System

Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

St. James Episcopal Church 202 2nd Ave NE, Independence

Program 7:00 To Be Announced

Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

Great Spaces @ Heartland Acres Plant Exchange 6:00 Business Meeting

Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

St. James Episcopal Church 202 2nd Ave NE, Independence

Program 7:00 The Fair, Planting a Butterfly

Garden Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

Buchanan County Fair Join us in the

Master Gardener booth in the Garden Gate Building

Great Spaces @ Heartland Acres Business Meeting

Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

St. James Episcopal Church 202 2nd Ave NE, Independence

Program 7:00 Review of Master Gardener Projects

Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

St. James Episcopal Church 202 2nd Ave NE, Independence

Program 7:00 To Be Announced

Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

No Regular Meeting—Happy Holidays Be sure too log your volunteer and

education hours on the online Volunteer Reporting System by 11:59 p.m., December 31st. See you in 2018

Master Gardener Calendar 2017

Great Spaces @ Heartland Acres

Business Meeting

Open to all Master Gardeners and general public

Site addresses verified August 11, 2017 Many articles are now indexed in the Yard & Garden

FAQs Database <https://expert-hort.sws.iastate.edu/> Current Yard & Garden and Horticulture & Home Pest

News articles <https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu>

Reiman’s Pick (No archives - now published as one of four blogs. Others are Nathan's Notes, Plant Particulars, and Intern's Perspective) <http://www.reimangardens.com/education-ideas/blogs/>

Gardening Publications from ISU Extension

Available from the ISU Extension Online Store: <https://store.extension.iastate.edu/ProductArea?

TopicID=10> Many of these publications are free to download.

Your Help Needed We still need conifer cones

for our holiday horticulture programs Master Gardeners will be hosting this year. Larger-sized cones are preferred. Please collect them and drop them off at the Extension Office.

Volunteers are also needed to help with these horticulture programs in late November and early December. Let Ashley know if you can help.

2017 - Issue 10 Buchanan County Master Gardener Off Shoots Page 4

Horticulture & Home Pest News <http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/> is published 19 times a year (monthly, October through February and biweekly during gardening season, March through September).

Articles in the October 4, 2017, issue include Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic Update - October 3, 2017 / BugGuide Needs Your Help! / Witch Hazels / Manual Provides Instruction for Growing Produce in a High Tunnel

Articles in the September 15, 2017, issue include Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic Update - September 15, 2017 / It Was a Very Good Year for Painted Lady Butterflies / Forcing Tulip Bulbs Indoors / Produce/Food Safety Training for Fruit & Vegetable Growers / Planting Daffodils / Fall Application of Broadleaf Lawn Herbicides

Caring for Newly Planted Trees through Winter by Richard Jauron, Department of Horticulture, July 1, 2016 - complete article may be found at

<https://www.extension.iastate.edu/article/yard-and-garden-caring-newly-planted-trees-through-winter>

Newly planted trees can eventually add great color and valuable cover to any landscape. But winter’s harsh conditions can hamper, delay or completely derail their development. How should they be cared for to survive and thrive in colder temperatures?

ISU Extension and Outreach horticulturists can help answer questions about the care of newly planted trees through the colder months. To have additional questions answered, contact the ISU Hortline at 515-294-3108 or hortline@iastate.edu. How long should I continue to water newly planted trees?

The roots of trees continue to grow until the ground freezes in winter. If the weather is dry, continue to water newly planted trees until the soil freezes. Small trees usually require watering for one or two growing seasons. It may be necessary to periodically water large trees for three or four years. How do I prevent rabbits from damaging newly planted trees in winter?

The most effective way to prevent rabbit damage to small trees in the home landscape is to place hardware cloth fencing around vulnerable plants. To adequately protect trees, the fencing material needs to be high enough that rabbits won’t be able to climb or reach over the fence after a heavy snow. In most cases, a fence that stands 24 to 36 inches tall should be sufficient. To prevent rabbits from crawling underneath the fencing, pin the fencing to the soil with u-shaped anchor pins.

Small trees can also be protected by placing white corrugated or spiral tree guards around their trunks. Since the weather in late fall in Iowa is unpredictable, it’s best to have the protective materials in place by early to mid-November. After a heavy snow, check protected trees to make sure rabbits aren’t able to reach or climb over the fencing or tree guards. If necessary, remove some of the snow to keep rabbits from reaching the trees. The inner needles on several recently planted spruce trees have turned brown. What is the problem?

The browning of needles is due to seasonal needle loss. Deciduous trees, such as maples and lindens, drop all of their leaves in fall. Though it largely goes unnoticed, pines, spruces, firs and other evergreens lose a portion of their needles (foliage) in fall.            

The needles on most evergreens are retained for two to five years. New growth (needles) is produced at the tips of branches in spring. In fall, evergreens lose a year’s worth of needles. Seasonal needle loss is uniformly distributed throughout the inner part of evergreens. It is the oldest needles which are shed. The needles turn uniformly yellow or brown and drop to the ground.  

2017 - Issue 10 Buchanan County Master Gardener Off Shoots Page 5

2017 Master Gardener Officers and Project & Committee Membership

Yard and Garden News Articles are published one to four times a month on an irregular schedule. They may be found at

<https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/aggregator/sources/1> These are the articles listed since August 18, 2017:

10/12/17 Enjoy Fall Colors of These Iowa Trees, Shrubs, Perennials 10/6/17 Learning Session for Value Added Producer Grant Preparation 10/4/17 Forcing Hyacinth Bulbs Indoors during Winter 10/3/17 Manual Provides Instruction for Growing Produce in a High Tunnel 9/28/17 Properly Harvesting and Storing Fall Garden Produce 9/28/17 Garden Calendar Celebrates Plants Associated with Holidays and Special Events 9/20/17 Caring for Newly Planted Trees through Winter 9/13/17 Proper, Timing, Planting and Care for Daffodil Cultivars 9/7/17 Timing and Applying Broadleaf Lawn Herbicides 9/5/17 ISU Extension and Outreach Annual Turfgrass Field Day Is Sept. 12 9/1/17 ISU Horticulture Research Station to Celebrate 50th Anniversary 8/30/17 Proper Care of Reblooming Fall Plants 8/24/17 Germinating Seeds for Future Growth 8/18/17 Tree Steward Program to Train Community Members 8/17/17 How to Overseed a Lawn

These are committee lists as of May 12, 2017. Please let Ashley know if you want to be added to any of these lists. If you were on a lists in the past and don’t find your name there now, please call to have it added.

Ashley Sherrets, Master Gardener Coordinator, 319.334.7161, or sherrets@iastate.edu.

Steering Committee Officers, 2017

Gean Cummings, Chair Shelley Schafer, Vice Chair Jean Gillpatrick, Secretary Nancy Weber, Treasurer

Master Gardener Nominating Committee Need some volunteers!!! 2018 Symposium Committee *Nancy Weber Denise Hawker Mary Davis Char Swarts JoAnn Crain JoAnne Van Cleave Hazel Kout Jean Gillpatrick Becky Sweeney Sue Schneider Shelly Ohrt Ashley Sherrets Kim Hansen Cedar Rock-‘Agnes Mathilda’ gardens * Anita Miller * Jean Gillpatrick JoAnn Crain Mary Lou Weepie Mary Steuben

* Committee Chair

Wapsipinicon Mill gardens (prairie and south/front garden) Shirley Rozendaal

Leanne Harrison Becky Sweeney Off Shoots (articles/ interviews) * Ruth Brandt Jean Gillpatrick Ashley Sherrets

Farmers market booth and educational programs Gean Cummings Ruth Hamilton Ruth Schneider Becky Sweeney ABCM West Village * Anita Miller Jean Gillpatrick Becky Sweeney (East Campus) Educational gardening programs/ public speaking opportunities Nancy Weber Jean Gillpatrick Ashley Sherrets Anita Miller Project meetings Jean Gillpatrick- programs

Design a Scarecrow contest Anita Miller Jean Gillpatrick Ashley Sherrets Master Gardener Booth – Fair Jean Gillpatrick JoAnn Crain Shirley Rozendaal Ruth Hamilton Mary Lou Weepie April 1 - ‘Spring in the Heartland’ with Dan Wardell Gean Cummings Sue Schneider Nancy Weber Jean Gillpatrick Ashley Sherrets Darrell E. Davis Adult Day Center * Jean Gillpatrick Rosalind Gibbs Anita Miller Independence Library Butterfly Garden * Jean Gillpatrick JoAnn Crain Denise Hawker Hazleton City Park, Veteran’s Park, Community Gardens * Mary Davis JoAnne Van Cleave Hazel Kout (support)

Flower & Garden Show - fair JoAnn Crain Char Swarts Jean Gillpatrick Ruth Schneider Ruth Hamilton Lynda Fiester Becky Sweeney Lee Mansion Gardens * Denise Hawker * Shelley Schafer Kim Hansen JoAnn Crain Char Swarts Jean Gillpatrick

Leanne Harrison Independence Library (planters & statue) * Ashley Sherrets Jakway Heirloom Gardens * Mary Davis Jean Gillpatrick Anita Miller Ashley Sherrets (as available) Hospice Garden * Jean Gillpatrick (Help! looking

for co-chair) Denise Hawker Anita Miller Kim Hansen Mary Lou Weepie

Rowley Community Center/Welcome Sign & City Park JoAnn Crain Rita Knutson Shelly Ohrt First Presbyterian Sharing Gardens Shirley Rozendaal Denise Hawker Ruth Hamilton Hortline/horticulture research/horticulture programs help Gean Cummings Sue Schneider Jean Gillpatrick Ruth Hamilton (phone) Shelly Ohrt Prairie Pioneer Schoolhouse Garden * Mary Steuben Ruth Schneider Ruth Hamilton Nancy Weber Centennial Garden Committee Nancy Weber Mary Davis Jean Gillpatrick Anita Miller Ashley Sherrets

Enter Volunteer and Education Hours at: https://mastergardenerhours.hort.iastate.edu

Buchanan County ISU Extension & Outreach

2600 Swan Lake Boulevard, Suite A Independence, IA 50644

"Crabgrass can grow on bowling balls in airless rooms, and there is no known way to kill it that does not involve nuclear weapons.” -  Dave Barry

from <http://www.gardendigest.com/humor.htm>

Mission Statement

The mission of the Iowa State University Extension Master

Gardener Program is to provide current, research-based, home

horticulture information and education to the citizens of Iowa

through programs and projects. Through their participation in

educational activities, Master Gardeners also increase their

own personal knowledge in horticulture. Master Gardeners

extend Iowa State University Extension’s consumer horticulture

education programs through volunteer activity.