Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplants in High Tunnels

Terrance T. NennichExtension Professor

Vegetable and Small Fruit ProductionUniversity of Minnesota Extension

nenni001@umn.edu

Tomatoes

• Tomatoes are the number one product grown in high tunnels

• High Market demand• Very nutritious• Cost effective• Many uses • Profitable• Easily grown for the most part• Large selections of varieties

Tomato Culture

• Determinant vs indeterminate • Plant spacing 18 inches to 3 ft, • Plant on beds, or flat• Soil Nutrition is extremely important • Disease control• Irrigation • Weed control

“Book Values” for Tomatoes

N P K Plant Part -------- lb per ton F.W. ------------ Fruit 3.4 0.4 6.0 Vines 2.6 0.4 3.4 Total 6.0 0.8 9.4

A 50 ton yield/A would require: ( 20 Lbs Plant)300 lbs N/A 40 lbs P/A (92 lbs P2O5)470 lbs K/A (564 lbs K2O)

Soil Nutrient Research 2008Fertilized Plots

Cobra Tomatoes0-6 inch soil depth

N P KBefore Season 263 252 1349

After Harvest 26 235 173

Ventilation

Leaf mold on tomato (Fulvia fulva)

Highly dependent on high RH and temperature for disease development

Conidia can survive at least 1 year in the soil

Conidia germination requires RH > 85% and an optimal temperature 68-77°F

Disease rarely occurs below 50°F

Numerous strainsSharon Douglas, CAES

Four stages of disease management

1. Pre- High Tunnel Establishment

2. Pre- Season

3. Transplant Production

4. Crop Production

Irrigation

• How long would you like to go without water?

• 10 hours of drought can delay maturity 2 days

• Drastically reduce quality

• Soil nutrients can only be taken up in solution • Fertilizer and water .

Tomato Evaluation

• How do you evaluate a high tunnel tomato?– Size ?– Color?– Yield ?– Earliness?– Firmness ?– Heirloom ?– Flavor ?– You make the Call

Cobra Indt

Sunstart /Det/ 60 days

Sunstart / det, 60 day

Sunshine, det/ 65 days

Valley Girl

• Early• Determinant• Very cold set • Fast ripping• Firmness ?

New Girl

• A lot like early girl• 62 days • More uniform• Better Blight resistance

Pole Big /det/ 60 days

• Determinant • Compact Plant • 60 day

BHN 189

• Determenent• 60 days• Hot set• Smaller• Compact vine

Mountain Spring/ Det /72 day

Mountain Glory

• determinant• Very dome shaped• 72 day • Good disease package.

BHN 589

• Determinent• 75 day• Excellent flavor• A little soft• Excellent color

BNH 1021

• Determinant• Vigorous• 8 -18 oz• Smooth tomato • 75 +

FinishLine

• Determinent • Very full season• Very large/ uniform • Very firm

Red Line

• Early Midseason• Firm• Very Large• Maintains size• Upcoming HT Tomato

O5229Yds

Charger

• Mid Season• Firm• I year of trials

Rocky Top

• Mid season• Dark Red• High Tunnel Heat• Firm

Ultra Sweet

• First High Tunnel Tomato• Indt• Good Color• Early• Yield ??

Applause

• Determinant• Cold set • Cooler conditions. • 67 – 70 day • Large 10-14 oz• Holding size ?• Firm ?

BHN 268 Cherry

• Determent • Very uniform• High yield• Stake

Golden Sweet Grape

• Larger• Good color• Firm • Indet

Montesino Grape

• Indeterment• Large grape

BHN 785

• Determent• Large grape• Different in tunnels • Sweet

Pepper Culture

• Raised Beds• 20 inches wide, Minimum • Plastic Green• Two rows on each bed • Plants are 18 inches in the row• Rows are 8 inches apart.

Pepper Culture

• Possibility of widening the bed• Widen the spacing between rows • Use two drip tapes.

• Staking or weaving is important.• Shade cloth

Major Concerns

• Aphids• Mites• White Flies• Tip Burn • Blossom end rot

Takii Ace

• Very early • 50 day• Completely different

in high tunnels• Three lobe pepper• Excellent Green to

Red

Hunter

• Early Pepper• Blocky• 4 lobe• Good green to red

Chesapeake

• High tunnel pepper• 4 lobed pepper• Very uniform• Mid season• Very quick color change

King Arthur

• Older pepper• Very large• Latter season• Uniform• Must be stakes in tunnels

Tomcat

Intruder

PSO9941819 Green Bell

• Mid season• Strong Continuous Set• Green to Red• Anthocyaninless• Very smooth skin• Must be staked

Hunter Pepper

Triple Star

Mango

• Mid Season• Green to Orange• Smaller plant• Stake• Very thick• High fertility

Moonset

• Mid Season• Green to Yellow• Blocky

Aruba

• Excellent growth in H T• Cubanelle• Good color• Very prolific

Anastar

• Anaheim• Very long• 9 inches• 1500 S U• Mid to later season

Tiburon

• Ancho• 1000 -3000 S R• Green to red

Inferno

• Hot banana• Turns nice bright red• Early 60 -65 day• 2500 – 4500 S R

Habanero

• Red , Yellow, Orange• Very hot• Small plant• Late season

Hungarian Hot Yellow Wax

• Open Pollinated• Hot • Inexpensive seed• Good yield• Average color• Uniform ?

Sweet Banana

• Open pollinated• Sweet • Not Hot• Very prolific• Not uniform

Golden Summer

• Mid Season• Green to Yellow• Turns Quickly• Good yield• Medium Size• Heavy set

# 7 Jalapeno

• Rupp Seed• Very early• Strong continuous set• Semi hot• Green to red

EggPlant Culture

• Raised Beds• 20 inches wide, Minimum • Plastic Green• Two rows on each bed • Plants are 18 inches in the row• Rows are 8 inches apart.

Eggplant Culture

• Possibility of widening the bed• Widen the spacing between rows • Use two drip tapes.

• Staking or weaving is important.

Major Concerns

• White Flies• Aphids• Potato beetle• Pollination• Blossom abortion

Epic

• Black • Glossey • Uniform• 4X8 Big in tunnels

Millionaire

• Japanese Type• Early • Smooth• Must stake

Orient Express

• Early• Smooth• 10 inches long• Cold set• Takes early cool springs

Galine Italian

• Early • Cold set• Continuous set• Gets big in high tunnels • Very smooth

Fairy Tale

• Small • 1 inch x 5 inches• Solid• Very polific

Gretel

• White egg color• Very early• 2009 AAS Winner• 4 inches long• 1 inch • solid

Hansel

• Early • AAS winner• Harvest at 4 inches• Will continue to grow to 10

inches

Nadia

• Full size• Cool set• Will keep• Solid • Calyx stays green

Tango

• Large white• 7 x 2 - 9 x 3• Very classy

Nubia

• 8 inches long• 3 inches in diameter• Good color• Mid – late season• Tall plant