Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Presentation: Tomato Production for Organic Soil-Based Systems

In this interactive online session Dr.Vern Grubinger shared many “best practices” being used by organic high tunnel (hoophouse) tomato growers in the Northeast U.S. to optimize nutrient management and soil health. Dr. Grubinger is the vegetable and berry specialist and Extension Professor with the University of Vermont, and director of the USDA’s Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE), and has been working with growers and farmers for over 35 years. 

Upcoming events:

Resources & Recording:

CHAPTERS (click on the time to go directly to the video)

00:00:00 KBFA Introduction

00:01:38 Participant Introductions

00:09:40 Vern Gurbinger Introduction 00:11:28 Production Resources

00:13:12 High Tunnels

00:14:51 Limiting Factors for Yield

00:15:40 Wide Variety of Systems

00:17:15 “Buffering” in Soil-Based Systems

00:19:17 Nutrients Impact Quality

00:19:31 Healthy Transplants

00:19:59 Nutrient Deficiencies

00:20:45 Salt Toxicity 00:23:42 Soil Testing 00:24:51 Types of Soil Test 00:27:28 Use SME, Foliar, and Field Soil Tests

00:28:50 Sampling Protocols

00:30:17 Test Interpretation (Response and Bang-for-Buck)

00:32:19 Q&A: Impact of water temperature

00:33:19 Q&A: Green/yellow shoulders 00:34:32 Q&A: Ideal soil/water temperature

00:36:11 Field Soil Test Example

00:39:24 SME (Saturated Media Extract) Test Example

00:43:13 Tissue (Foliar) Test Example

00:44:24 Tunnels get BIGGER Yields

00:45:49 Nutrient Needs for Yield Targets

00:49:04 Q&A: Conversions between soil tests?

00:49:45 Q&A: Ripening temperatures

00:51:32 Q&A: Single fertilization vs spoon feeding

00:54:31 Organic Fertilizer Options

00:56:19 Soil pH (calcium, sulfur, peat, …)

00:57:49 Blended Sources

00:58:14 Nitrogen (N) Sources

00:59:58 Nutrient Release Over Time

01:01:31 Phosphorus (P) Sources

01:02:05 Potassium (K) Sources

01:03:40 Other Nutrients

01:04:48 Q&A: Chilean Nitrate alternatives

01:06:49 Distribute Nutrients Evenly

01:09:28 Cover Cropping and Pests

01:11:00 Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

01:15:40 Diseases

01:17:31 Q&A: Blossom End Rot

01:19:40 Ventilation

01:24:46 Pruning

01:27:07 Q&A: Bees and pollination

01:28:59 Q&A: Sanitation

01:30:50 Q&A: Boron & calcium interaction

01:33:08 Q&A: Pollinators chew blossoms

01:33:59 Q&A: Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)

01:35:24 Other Viruses 01:36:22 Steaming Beds

01:37:52 Grafting

01:40:56 Heating Water

01:41:26 Irrigate Evenly

01:42:50 Mulches

01:44:03 Soil Compaction

01:46:10 Remote Monitoring

01:48:55 Yields

01:51:10 Yields vs Plant Density

01:53:11 Transplant Dates & Ground Heat

01:54:37 Start to Finish Photos

01:55:46 Summary

01:56:21 Q&A: SME testing in cold soil

01:57:40 Q&A: Crop Rotation

01:59:37 Q&A: Effect of greenhouse plastic on light/tomato quality

02:00:47 Q&A: Optimum air temperature

02:02:49 Q&A: Conditions to encourage microbes

02:06:04 Q&A: Extreme head (shade cloth, misting, …)

02:07:27 Q&A: Great books

02:08:29 Q&A: Flavour

02:10:05 Q&A: Soil moisture monitoring

02:13:36 Q&A: Heating and circulation

02:15:38 Closing

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