The greenhouse and hoophouse grower's handbook : organic vegetable production using protected culture / Andrew Mefferd.
The Greenhouse and Hoophouse Grower's Handbook shares best practices for both large- and small-scale production of the eight most profitable crops - tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, leafy greens, lettuce, herbs, and microgreens. Every year, more growers are turning to protected culture to deal with unpredictable weather and to meet out-of-season demand for local food, but many end up spinning their wheels, wasting time and money on unprofitable crops grown in ways that don't make the most of their precious greenhouse space. This book levels the playing field with decision-making framework that goes beyond a list of simple dos and don'ts. With comprehensive chapters on temperature control and crop steering, pruning and trellising, grafting, and more, Andrew Meffer's book is full of techniques and strategies that can help farms stay profitable, satisfy customers, and become an integral part of relocalizing our food system. From seed to sale, this book is the indispensable resource for protected growing.--COVER.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781603586375
- ISBN: 1603586377
- Physical Description: xv, 264 pages : color illustrations, color maps ; 26 cm
- Publisher: White River Junction, Vermont : Chelsea Green Publishing, [2017]
Content descriptions
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (page 247) and index. |
Formatted Contents Note: | Why protected culture? -- Protected culture structures and their features -- Heating, cooling, lighting, and irrigation -- The economics and efficiencies of protected growing -- Protected culture plant basics -- Propagation, pruning, and trellising -- Temperature control and crop steering -- Grafting -- Tomatoes -- Cucumbers -- Peppers -- Eggplant -- The leafy crops. |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Greenhouse gardening. Vegetable gardening. Greenhouse gardening. Vegetable gardening. |
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Homer Public Library | 635.9823 MEF (Text) | 000154850 | Nonfiction | Available | - |
The Greenhouse and Hoophouse Grower's Handbook : Organic Vegetable Production Using Protected Culture
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Table of Contents
The Greenhouse and Hoophouse Grower's Handbook : Organic Vegetable Production Using Protected Culture
Section | Section Description | Page Number |
---|---|---|
Acknowledgments | p. ix | |
Introduction | p. xi | |
Part 1 | Protected Culture Basics | |
Chapter 1 | Why Protected Culture? | p. 1 |
The Dutch Influence | p. 1 | |
The Importance of Protected Growing to Local Food Systems | p. 3 | |
Greenhouses and Sustainability | p. 6 | |
Grower Benefits of Protected Agriculture | p. 8 | |
Chapter 2 | Protected Culture Structures and Their Features | p. 11 |
Choosing a Structure Based on Type of Crop | p. 11 | |
Siting East-West Versus North-South | p. 12 | |
The Scale of Protected Culture Technology from Low to High | p. 12 | |
Chapter 3 | Heating, Cooling, Lighting, and Irrigation | p. 25 |
Heat Sources | p. 26 | |
Heat Delivery | p. 27 | |
Methods for Cooling | p. 33 | |
Climate Control Systems | p. 36 | |
Carbon Dioxide Augmentation | p. 37 | |
Lighting | p. 38 | |
Irrigation | p. 40 | |
Dealing with Snow | p. 44 | |
Chapter 4 | The Economics and Efficiencies of Protected Growing | p. 47 |
Record Keeping | p. 48 | |
Saving Money Versus Making Money | p. 49 | |
Basic Principles for Increased Profitability | p. 50 | |
Chapter 5 | Protected Culture Plant Basics | p. 57 |
Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Transpiration | p. 57 | |
Factors Affecting Plant Growth in Protected Culture | p. 60 | |
Part 2 | Crop-Specific Best Practices | |
Chapter 6 | Propagation, Pruning, and Trellising | p. 75 |
Seeds | p. 75 | |
Propagation | p. 77 | |
Vining/Fruiting-Crop Cycles | p. 85 | |
Pruning | p. 86 | |
Trellising | p. 89 | |
Post-Harvest/Storage | p. 96 | |
Chapter 7 | Temperature Control and Crop Steering | p. 97 |
Active Plants | p. 97 | |
Crop Steering for Generative or Vegetative Growth | p. 100 | |
Chapter 8 | Grafting | p. 113 |
The Benefits of Grafting | p. 113 | |
Choosing Rootstocks | p. 116 | |
Grafting Process Overview | p. 117 | |
Solanaceous Grafting | p. 122 | |
Cucurbit Grafting | p. 137 | |
Chapter 9 | Tomatoes | p. 141 |
Varieties | p. 144 | |
Tomatoes from Seed to Sale | p. 147 | |
Chapter 10 | Cucumbers | p. 159 |
Varieties | p. 159 | |
Cucumbers from Seed to Sale | p. 164 | |
Chapter 11 | Peppers | p. 177 |
Varieties | p. 177 | |
Peppers from Seed to Sale | p. 181 | |
Chapter 12 | Eggplant | p. 189 |
Varieties | p. 189 | |
Eggplant from Seed to Sale | p. 192 | |
Chapter 13 | The Leafy Crops | p. 199 |
Maximizing Leafy-Crop Production | p. 199 | |
Lettuce and Greens | p. 203 | |
Basil and Other Herbs | p. 212 | |
Microgreens | p. 216 | |
Appendix A | Hydroponics | p. 227 |
Appendix B | Pests and Diseases | p. 233 |
Appendix C | Tools and Supplies | p. 241 |
Further Reading | p. 247 | |
Index | p. 249 |