High tunnels help agricultural producers to extend the growing season for high value crops in an environmentally safe manner. High tunnels (also known as hoop houses) are structures that modify the growing climate, allowing for tender, sensitive, and specialty crops like certain varieties of vegetables, herbs, berries, and others to grow where they otherwise may not. High tunnels are constructed of metal bow frames with wood framed ends, at least six feet in height, and are covered with one or two layers of polyethylene.
How it helps
Seasonal high tunnels provide conservation benefits, such as improved plant, water and soil quality, as well as reduced disease pressure. High tunnels can lengthen the season for marketing local produce, which increases sustainability while lowering energy and transportation inputs. An extended growing season and steady income can help small, limited resource, and organic farmers, and assist producers transitioning to specialty crops.
A seasonal high tunnel may help you address a natural resource concern by:
improving plant quality
improving soil quality
reducing nutrient and pesticide transportation
improving air quality through reduced transportation inputs
reducing energy use by providing consumers with a local source of fresh produce
Image may only be used with the permission of the photographer. Please contact NRCS for more information.
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High Tunnel System 325: Using a trellis to grow tomatoes in a high tunnel
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A trellis is a framework that trains plants to grow up the vertical and horizontal supports. With limited space, trellises help growers increase production by growing crops vertically.
High Tunnel System 325: Construction of a high tunnel
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High tunnels are constructed of metal bow frames with wood framed ends, at least six feet in height, and are covered with one or two layers of polyethylene.
High Tunnel System 325: Reducing related environmental concerns
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Other conservation practices are usually installed along with the high tunnel to reduce environmental concerns like runoff, erosion, and pooling from water flow from the plastic cover onto the ground.
High Tunnel System 325: Seedlings growing directly in soil
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To qualify for NRCS assistance, high tunnel crops must be grown directly in the natural soil. Raised beds can also be used, as long as they're not deeper than 12 inches.
High Tunnel System 325: Support structures and multiple types of crops
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Structures that support plants can be used within high tunnel spaces, both to maximize crop yield and use of space. Also, different varieties of crops can be grown together in a single high tunnel.
High Tunnel System 325: Controlling temperature inside a high tunnel
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Raising or lowering the plastic sides of the high tunnel helps regulate temperatures inside the structure. Additional electrical, heating or ventilation systems can be added at the grower's expense.
High tunnels modify the growing climate inside the structure, allowing for tender, sensitive, and specialty crops to grow where and when they otherwise may not.
High Tunnel System 325: Longer growing season can help many types of growers
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An extended growing season and steady income can help small, limited resource, and organic farmers, and assist producers transitioning to specialty crops.
