Originally published in Issue 10 Even though the number of protected ag operations in Florida remain fairly small in size, more large growers are weighing the benefits and options of being able to grow year-round in a variety of structures. When you think of Florida agriculture, production in greenhouses or high tunnels probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. While the majority of vegetable crops produced in the Sunshine State are done outdoors, there is increasing interest in the use of protective structures for producing edible crops. “We have a very diverse protected ag industry in Florida,” said…
Author: David Kuack, UrbanAgNews.com
Originally published in Issue 9 Cornell University researchers developed a “fast crop” production schedule for greenhouse lettuce. But growers may have to alter cultural practices to avoid tipburn caused by calcium deficiency. Tipburn is a physiological disorder of greenhouse-grown lettuce that can be a problem for growers who are trying to produce their crops in a short period of time. Tipburn can have a significant impact on the salability of a lettuce crop. The same disorder can manifest itself in tomato crops as blossom end rot. “A challenge for greenhouse growers trying to produce their lettuce crops as fast as…
Originally published in Issue 9 Dan Albert, owner of Farmbox Greens, made the decision to start slow and expand his vertical farm system on his own terms rather than seeking outside investor capital. Dan Albert’s first exposure to vertical farming came in 2008 during a design competition for the U.S. Green Building Council’s annual conference. “The architecture firm I was working for at the time in Seattle, Wash., sponsored a team of young designers to develop a conceptual architectural design that met the newly developed Living Building Challenge,” Albert said. “The concept of the competition was to design a carbon neutral…
Originally published in Issue 9 Greenhouse growers looking to diversify into edible crops may want to consider strawberries, which can be adapted to production systems they are currently using for other crops. Greenhouse growers looking to diversify their product mix with a fall to spring edible crop might want to consider strawberries. “There is still a pretty big hole in the strawberry supply chain for November, December and January,” said University of Arizona research specialist Mark Kroggel. “In Arizona, we can produce good quality strawberries in greenhouses from October through April. The best greenhouse strawberry yields occur during March and…
Originally published in Issue 8 From community gardening to developing more food distribution outlets, people in both urban and rural areas of Minnesota are expanding their involvement in the local food movement. Minneapolis with the adjoining city of St. Paul form the Twin Cities, which is the 14th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The cities’ metropolitan area has nearly 4 million residents. Karl Hakanson, University of Minnesota Extension Educator for Hennepin County, of which Minneapolis is the county seat, said he has had to broaden his definition of agriculture since taking his current position in February 2014. “Most of…
Originally published in Issue 6 Switching from an inorganic to organic fertilizer is not a simple process. Growers have to be willing to put in the time and effort to ensure the changeover is successful. The goal of any fertility program, regardless of whether it is with organic or traditional inorganic fertilizers, is to ensure that all of the essential plant nutrients are present in appropriate amounts. Kansas State University horticulture professor Kim Williams said whether the nutrients are injected into the irrigation water or pre-planted in the growing medium, ensuring that proper levels of all essential nutrients are provided…
Landscape architect Jeffrey Orkin never planned to start his own vertical growing operation, but a job lay off and a passion for sustainability led to the launch of Greener Roots Farm. After six years of college and landing a position with a large architecture and engineering firm in Nashville, Tenn., Jeffrey Orkin thought his career as a landscape architect was ready to take off. Then the recession hit. In 2009, after only 1½ years of employment, Orkin found himself jobless with limited prospects in his field. Orkin partnered with his similarly unemployed friend Cliff Jones to start their own company…
Originally published in Issue 7 Scientists and growers are excited about the potential of LEDs for plant growth. Researchers advise growers that not all LEDs are created equal and that they should do their homework before investing in this new technology. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are gaining the attention of horticulture researchers and commercial growers. “There is always an interest in lighting regardless of how new or old the technology is,” said Michigan State University horticulture professor Erik Runkle. “Combining lighting with an emerging technology like LEDs, which are continuing to evolve, there is a natural attraction and an element…
Originally published in Issue 7 Whether you’re growing ornamentals or vegetables in a controlled environment, if you’re not providing supplemental carbon dioxide you could limit your crops from reaching their full potential. If you are growing ornamental plants or vegetables in a controlled environment, including greenhouses, warehouses or growth chambers, carbon dioxide (CO2) could be considered another nutrient like nitrogen. Plants require carbon dioxide in order for the process of photosynthesis to occur enabling the plants to grow, flower and in the case of vegetables produce fruit. “Ninety-nine percent of the plants that are grown for food or ornamentals in…
Whether a grower is using a nutrient film technique or deep water raft hydroponic system, it is important to closely monitor pH, soluble salts and temperature to optimize plant growth. Growers who are doing hydroponic production in nutrient film technique (NFT) or deep water raft systems should be monitoring pH and soluble salts content (electrical conductivity) more often than growers using container substrates. “With hydroponics, especially with NFT production systems, the root zone conditions can change very quickly,” said Neil Mattson, associate horticulture professor at Cornell University. “The pH can change very rapidly because the water doesn’t have a lot…
Originally published in Issue 6 Japan’s plant factories are expanding to meet the increasing demand for safe, pesticide-free, locally-grown food. Japan has more plant factories (PFs) than any other country. The largest number of plant factories are located in Okinawa Prefecture near Taiwan. The rapid commercialization and financial subsidization by the Japanese government of PFs, which began in 2010, are helping to drive interest in their development. Another reason for the increase in PFs in Japan is that the country has been importing a large amount of fresh, sliced salad vegetables from China. The Japanese are concerned about the amount…
Originally published in Issue 5 Regardless of the crop being grown or the irrigation system being used, growers face the same issues related to water quality, nutrient delivery and nutrient uptake. One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to fertilizing plants. Regardless of the crop being grown, whether ornamental or vegetable, different species have a nuance in what they require when it comes to fertilization, said George Murray, tree crop and horticulture specialist at Brandt Consolidated, Inc. “Fertilization requirements can depend on the cultivar, on the growing conditions, on the substrate and the pH,” Murray said. “Once you start…
Originally published in Issue 5 Famgro Farms is using a vertical farm production system to successfully compete with conventional farming to produce healthier, better tasting food. Steve Fambro, CEO at Famgro Farms in Oceanside, Calif., isn’t your typical farmer. And his “farm” isn’t the typical agricultural operation. It’s located in a 10,000-square-foot building that was previously used to make surf boards. Prior to starting Famgro Farms, Fambro, who is an electrical engineer by training, raised $30-$40 million to start electric car company Aptera Motors in 2006. While working at Aptera, Fambro and his wife converted to an organic lifestyle. “After…
University researchers, some of whom previously focused on ornamental crops, are turning their attention to food crops as more growers look to replace or supplement flower crop production. University of Arkansas horticulture professor Mike Evans said that he has seen a shift in interest by growers and students from greenhouse floral crops to food crops. “As the ornamental side of the greenhouse industry has been undergoing consolidation with fewer but larger operations, we have seen an increased interest from the industry in growing greenhouse food crops,” Evans said. “The number of emails and phone calls related to greenhouse food crops…